Saudi Arabian officials have recently seized rainbow-coloured toys and children’s clothes, arguing that they promote homosexuality. The country’s Commerce Ministry posted a video on Twitter showing officers removing similar products from a retail mall in Riyadh.
Rainbow-coloured ribbons, skirts, hats, and pencil bags were among the stuff, the bulk of which appeared to be intended for children.
فرقنا الرقابية تنفذ جولات على منافذ البيع وتضبط وتصادر منتجات تتضمن رموز ودلالات تدعو للشذوذ وتنافي الفطرة السّوية، وتوقع الجزاءات النظامية على المنشآت المخالفة. pic.twitter.com/XyeNvYmOvl
— وزارة التجارة (@MCgovSA) June 14, 2022
It is worth noting that homosexuality invites capital punishment in Saudi Arabia, which is infamous for its strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law, which serves as the cornerstone of the whole judicial system. Consensual same-sex sexual activities are punished by death or flogging, based on the seriousness of the case, according to the country’s application of Islamic law.
“We are giving a tour of the items that contradict the Islamic faith and public morals and promote homosexual colours targeting the younger generation,” said an official from the commerce ministry of Saudi Arabia.
Although there are no laws restricting sexual orientation or gender identity in Sunni Muslim-ruled Saudi Arabia, sexual relationships outside of marriage, including gay intercourse, are prohibited.
In April, the kingdom stated that it had demanded that “LGBTQ undertones” be deleted from the most recent Marvel film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but that Disney had refused. As a result, the film was not shown in Saudi theatres. As part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s social makeover, which is shaking up the old monarchy, Saudi Arabia lifted a decades-long ban on all theatres in late 2017.
Authorities in neighbouring Qatar claimed in December 2021 that rainbow-coloured pop-its and other toys had been confiscated from retailers for having messages that violated Islamic values.
