Officially, homosexuality is a crime in Saudi Arabia - punishable, in theory, by death. Unofficially, it is tolerated to a surprising extent - there are known places where gays meet with each other and where gay Saudis can pick up gay Filipinos. Why? It appears that Saudis come back home after long stays in the West are also bringing more liberal ideas which can't be suppressed.
John R. Bradley writes for The New Republic:
In part, the government has realized that the thousands of Saudis who have recently returned from the United States because of stricter visa policies, and who are relatively liberal-minded, are unwilling to countenance such harsh anti-gay policies. "I don't feel oppressed at all," said one gay man, a 23-year-old returnee from the United States meeting in one of the coffee shops with a group of gay Saudi friends dressed in Western clothes and speaking fluent English.
Saudi Arabia's domestic reform initiative and the government's eagerness to shed its international reputation for intolerance also have contributed to acceptance of gays and lesbians. In recent months, Crown Prince Abdullah, the kingdom's de facto ruler, has called for greater intrasocietal debate and more freedom of expression in the press. Consequently, previously taboo subjects are discussed more openly in Saudi society, and some Saudis have begun to question the harsh tactics of the fearsome religious police, who enforce public morals.
This is not to say that there are no dangers for gay Saudis - and, in fact, if there is a dramatic turn towards religious extremism in the future (a very real possibility if the kingdom enters a period of political and social crisis), gay Saudis will be among the first to suffer because of it. They and their openness will be blamed for whatever ills befall the community and their lives won't be worth much. It is, however, interesting that stricter visa policies in the United States may be a contributing factor to the opening of Saudi Arabia.
Read More:
Comments
No comments yet. Leave a Comment