Gay middkeceast
Through a haze of shisha smoke and somewhat stifling sexual stigma, the Arab world unveils an unexpected realm of possibilities for intrepid gay travellers. If you can forgive the state-approved homophobia and are willing to act with discretion while out and about, the Arab countries can redeem themselves in a thousand and one different ways, from the ancient centre of Petra to the glittering epithets of Bahrain and into the deserts beyond. While by and large closeted kingdoms, the handful of gay clubs in the progressive city of Beirut can allow you to be your true self, while the luxury international hotels across the region can ensure your privacy is respected. Join us as we track the 5 most gay-friendly Arab countries.
Luxury Beyond Convention
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The Middle East is a region that is notorious for being one of the least queer friendly places in the world. Choosing to travel in the Middle East is quite a tough decision that ultimately involves assessing all the risks involved. The only exception to this is Israel – a shining fabulous beacon in a region!
All countries in the Middle East (except Israel!) criminalise homosexuality, some even have the death penalty for it! By stark contrast, Israel welcomes same-sex attracted travellers and has one of the best gay events in the world: Tel Aviv Pride.
Is the Middle East safe for homosexual travellers?
If you’re heading to Israel, then absolutely hell yeah! Tel Aviv is one of the best gay holiday destinations in the world, particularly during Pride in June. The city is world-famous for organism a top same-sex attracted destination.
Sadly, the lie down of the region is a alternative story. All countries in the Middle East (except Israel!) have very archaic anti-gay laws, some even impose the death penalty (such as Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Yemen). If you do move in the region, then we strongly advise you depart back in the closet, switch all your social media to “private” so you canno
LGBT Equality Index in Middle East
Equality Index Methodology
Equaldex's Equality Index is a rating from 0 to 100 (with 100 being the most equal) to facilitate visualize the legal rights and public attitudes towards LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, multi-attracted , transgender, queer, questioning, intersex...) people in each region. The Equality Index is an average of two indexes: the legal index and the public perspective Index.
Equality Index
Average of Legal Index and Public Perspective Index
Legal Index
The LGBT legal index measures the current legal status of 13 different issues ranging from the legal status of homosexuality, same-sex marriage, gender diverse rights, LGBT discrimination protections, LGBT censorship laws, and more. Each topic is weighted differently (for example, if same-sex marriage is illegal in a region, it would have a much bigger impact on the score than not allowing LGBT people to serve in the military). Each topic is assigned a "total possible score" and a "score" is assigned based the status of the law using a rating scale that ranges from 0% to 100% (for example, if homosexuality is legal, it would would receive a score of 100, but if it's illegal, it would receve a
Middle East
State
Domestic law[*]
Penalty
Ratified International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)[†]
Ratified Optional Protocol to ICCPR[†]
Afghanistan
BOOK TWO SECTION TWO CHAPTER EIGHT: Adultery, Pederasty, and Violations of Honour
Article 427
“(1) A person who commits adultery or pederasty shall be sentenced to extended imprisonment.
(2) In one of the following cases promise of the acts, specified above, is considered to be aggravating conditions:
a. In the case where the person against whom the crime has been involved is not yet eighteen years old. …”
In Afghan legal terminology “pederasty” appears to refer to intercourse between males regardless of age.
24 Jan 1983
–
Egypt
Article 98(f):
“Detention for a period of not less than six months and not exceeding five years, or paying a nice of
not less than five hundred pounds and not exceeding one thousand pounds shall be the penalty inflicte
LGBTQ communities face threats in Middle East
Most of the people around him don't know he identifies as queer, the 20-year-old Iraqi trainee told DW. But life in his comparatively conservative southern city of Najaf is dangerous for him anyway.
"Once I wore a pink shirt and I was harassed, just because of the color," said Haiden, whose full label cannot be published for his shelter. "Sometimes people are harassed and even killed just because they don't glance like everyone else."
And, he said, things are getting worse for LGBTQ communities in Iraq. "We're already exposed to all kinds of harassment and attacked on a daily basis," he said. "And that's even before this law to criminalize homosexuality has been enacted."
'Severe penalties'
In July, Iraq's government announced that it was planning a statute prohibiting homosexuality. Iraq is one of three Arab-majority countries in the Middle East that doesn't explicitly criminalize same-sex relationships. The others are Jordan and Bahrain.
If the law is passed, it would deliver Iraq into line with the repose of the region. Most other Middle Eastern nations outlaw same-sex intimacy more directly, punishing it with anythi