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A kiss, a hug or holding hands – acts of love homosexual In the United Arab Emirates, couples in public have always been out of question.
Behind closed doors, however, for members of international organizations it’s a different story LGBTQ community .
Ryan Centner, professor of urban geography at the London School of Economics, said: “Much of Dubai’s gay nightlife takes place in the city’s many international hotels, which are technically accessible to all who can afford it. open,” Summarize Six years of field research among gay expats in the UAE.
“None of the venue’s web pages use the word ‘gay’ or related euphemisms, nor do they imply targeting the gay population,” he said in an interview on the school’s website.
Information on the website Travelgay.com agree.Matthew, a Dubai-based lawyer from the UK, found that while there are no official gay clubs, “they are usually known through social media or word of mouth, although they never advertise [as gay clubs]’ he told the website in an anonymous interview.
For the LGTBQ community, keeping a low profile has paid off because, in Matthew’s experience, “the UAE is very private, and it’s critical to respect that privacy.”
All of this comes despite the UAE’s penal code providing penalties for “any blatantly indecent act”. This usually means homosexuality.
Under Article 358, any speech or conduct that violates public morals could result in the perpetrator being fined up to Dh50,000 ($13,000) or even imprisoned.
However, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Association (ILGA), which represents more than 1,700 organisations from over 160 countries, reported that between 2004 and 2021, the UAE had only 21 people were prosecuted as a result.
growing attention
This is why many of the international LGBTQ community believe that as long as they keep a low profile, they can rely on the authorities to turn a blind eye.
Whether this can continue remains to be seen. Recently, the UAE and other neighboring countries have announced various measures that may indicate a stricter approach to the LGBTQ community.
Saudi Arabia Ban rainbow colors Products seen in Lebanon earlier this month authorities take action Against Pride Month and events during Qatar, now in the spotlight as it’s being held Upcoming Soccer World CupStuck in a debate about the rainbow flag and how to host gay couples at local hotels.
Not all fans support the decision to host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
One of the most recent moves was the approval of the updated Code of Conduct for Education Professionals by the UAE Ministry of Education in the first week of September. One of the principles of the new framework explicitly prohibits “discussions of gender identity, homosexuality or any other conduct deemed unacceptable by Emirati society” in the classroom.
This will undoubtedly affect foreigners working as English teachers in the country.
This is the first time the code of conduct has used such language, and DW asked the Ministry of Education if it was part of a new crackdown on the LGBTQ community, but had not received a response at the time of writing.
For Radha Stirling, head of Detained in Dubai, a UK law firm specialising in UAE law, this is nothing new.”It is not surprising, nor should it be surprising, that the UAE prohibits the teaching of a way of life that the law itself prohibits,” she told DW. Liberalization in some areas But they have to weigh that against public opinion, and they cannot tolerate backlash,” she said.
Same-sex relationships are punishable under UAE criminal law
political agenda
Mostafa Minawi, a professor of Middle Eastern and Ottoman history at Cornell University in the US, told DW that, in fact, local public opinion is a large part of the reason behind the latest wave of anti-LGBTQ measures in the region.
Have a pattern He told DW that “behind the coordinated efforts of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Lebanon and Turkey, they are all openly cracking down on any symbolism of the LGBTQ presence, such as the rainbow flag.”
“Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been rebuilding their Relations with Israelwhich is very unpopular among certain groups of people,” he argues. “So what better way to send a message to the local population that they still hold fast to their traditions?
Local LGBTQ people are political scapegoats, he said. “Not a woman this time, nor Migrant Workers [that are being scapegoated] because they are in the spotlight human rights Organised because of the upcoming World Cup in Qatar,” Minavi added.
The laws appear to target members of the local LGBTQ community, but that’s not good news for internationals in the UAE either.
According to the latest update of the global equality index Equaldex, the UAE is Rank 5 out of 100zero is the worst.
“The UAE remains one of the most dangerous places for LGBTQ people and tourists,” Dan Leveille, head of Equaldex, told DW. He doesn’t expect that to change anytime soon.
“Earlier this year, we have seen the UAE ban [Disney] The same-sex kiss from the movie Lightyears. Anti-gay sentiment is still high and I haven’t seen any data to suggest that sentiment is improving. “
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