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The LGBT storm

Mar 12,2019 - Last updated at Mar 12,2019

The Arab and Muslim nations now face the fashionable and familiar lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) phenomenon that has gained widespread support and recognition by the international community as a non-acceptable form of discrimination.

Neither Islam nor the Arab culture would normally tolerate these criteria for non-discrimination. The problem is that the international community at large is now committed to rejecting any form of discrimination against such sexual orientations and insists on according them equal treatment by the law, including their recognition as enjoying all the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights available to all other citizens.

The Arab and Muslim nations, and, indeed, other like-minded states, have really two choices on how to deal with this new invasion into their ethos. The first and simple choice is to ignore it all together as if it does not exist, but express a reservation when it comes to the fore. The second choice is to confront it head on with all their might on every occasion the issue pops up.

Under the first scenario, such countries may enter a reservation loud and clear about it as anathema to their laws and traditions. Confronting this notion outright, under the second scenario, is the least attractive way of dealing with the challenge.

The international recognition of non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is nearly complete and final. The Arab and Muslim nations have zero chance of reversing this trend. Taking note of it with strong reservations about its intents and purposes would avoid Arab and Muslim countries a head-on clash with the international community.

It goes without saying that not everything that the international community accepts is endorsed universally by all civilisations. That said, in terms of substance, the LGBT phenomenon is inherently flawed, as it defies nature and even common sense. After all, God created man and woman to procreate the Earth with their offspring. On the other hand, there is no harm in “tolerating” such sexual orientations by not “criminalising” them. It is one thing to reject it and quite another to punish it by law, as long as it is an expression of free choice and does not entail force or duress. This is where a fine line can be drawn.

In any case, countries that oppose this perspective on sexual orientation need to get together and take a common stand. The sooner this is done the better.

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