Tunisia rights minister pledges to deny freedom to gays
Human rights minister Samir Dilou attacks Gayday magazine and agrees gays need ‘medical treatment’ in TV interview
Dan Littauer, gaystarnews.com, 6/2/2012
Tunisia’s human rights minister has attacked an online gay magazine while being interviewed by homophobic TV presenter Samir El-Wafi.
Minister Samir Dilou said ‘freedom of expression has its limits’ and agreed homosexuality was a ‘perversion’ which needed to be ‘treated medically’.
The attack on Gayday magazine, whose editor has faced religiously inspired hatred and death threats, comes after a month of scandals which has brought gay issues to the fore in Tunisia.
But there has been a long build-up to the current situation.
The post-revolutionary electoral campaigns used homosexuality as a political weapon between the various groups vying for power in the new Tunisia.
Supporters of the now ruling Ennahda party used ‘homosexual panic’ tactics to allege that liberal and secular parties would legalise gay rights and marriage if they were to win, they mockingly likened these other parties’ rallies to gay pride parades.
It put the spotlight on Tunisia’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community who were used to being overlooked rather than the focus of public debate.
Sex scandals and panic
Despite the uncertain atmosphere Gayday magazine, which claims to be the first online gay title in Tunisia, launched in March 2011 and initially received little attention other than from LGBT Tunisians.
But two scandals hit prominent members of the interim government lead by the Ennahda party three weeks ago. The first was the release of the brother of the Tunisian Minister of Justice, despite an allegation that he raped a young boy. The second, occurring just a few days later was a video posted on the internet by a left wing activist allegedly featuring the current Home Office minister, Ali Laarayedh in an erotic homosexual act with a fellow cellmate during the 1990s.
This gave the opposition more opportunity to use gay hatred to lambast and discredit the ruling Ennahda party. Online homophobic reactions rapidly spread over the Tunisian cyber-space.
Fadi, editor of Gayday magazine told Gay Star News: ‘It feels like suddenly, the subject of homosexuality is no longer a taboo, judging by the magnitude of homophobic posts across the Tunisian cyberspace. Of course there is some positive side just by raising the issue, but what concerned us was the excessive amount of homophobia as a political weapon.’
Liberty walk denies gays
A ‘Walk for liberties, all liberties’ attracted nearly 10,000 Tunisians on 28 January which came after a series of human rights violations mainly against freedom of expression. Participants chanted ‘we won’t sell our freedom!’ But most of the Tunisian gay, bi and trans people didn’t feel their presence or rights were welcome.
‘I didn’t go simply because I see freedom is portrayed by Islamists as a contradiction to their principles. They interpret it as a license for alcohol, nudity and sex which they oppose firmly,’ said Lilia, a lesbian activist.
And Marwan, a 24-year-old gay engineering student added: ‘There was no point for me to join the march. Gay rights don’t figure on their list, they don’t even consider us humans!’
Still some remained defiant, like Bilel, a 35-year-old gay teacher who told Gay Star News: ‘I went to the march because I think it's the right time to demand freedom for all.’
The few who made it were shocked to be greeted by homophobic signs and slogans used by their fellow left wing activists.
One read: ‘0.0% is better than a successful faggot’ [ie it is better to have no support than to be a ‘gay’ like the interior minister].
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