Arab Gulf countries crack down on homosexuality

Four countries in the Arab Gulf have intensified their campaigns against homosexuals, or what the states’ leaders refer to as “perverts,” in recent months in what they say is an effort to preserve customs, traditions, and religious and societal values.

Kuwait has announced the deportation of at least 3,000 massage parlor employees, most of them of Filipino nationality, who allegedly offer sexual services to male clients.

Sheikh Talal Khalid Al-Sabah, first deputy prime minister and interior minister, issued strict instructions regarding “the need to clean the country of homosexuals who imitate women” by launching wide campaigns in all governorates, “because of the spread of these “diseases” in Kuwaiti society, which is rejected by Kuwaitis.”

In Saudi Arabia, activists circulated video clips taken during seasonal parties in Riyadh of people accused of being homosexual, including those who are wearing earrings or making what are considered feminine gestures. At the end of each clip, the Interior Ministry announces the arrest of those who appeared in the video, stressing the government’s complete rejection of any of what it called “perversion.”

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Sadly, some other Arab countries are starting to backslide in regards to treatment of LGBT people and given recent developments in Israel, a backslide from them may be in the cards soon.