Iraq to ban the words ‘homosexual’ and ‘gender’

Iraq’s Media and Communications Commission (CMC) issued new directives to media and social media platforms, ordering them to stop using “homosexuality” when discussing LGBTQ+ people and to instead speak only of “sexual deviancy”.

The CMC is also to ban the word “gender”, and prohibit all phone and internet companies licensed in the country from using it.

Officials claimed that the move was intended to safeguard so-called societal values and to supposedly maintain public order.

No specific penalties for violating the planned policy have been published as yet but it is expected that punishments could include a fine.

While Iraq does not explicitly ban homosexuality, public perception and morality clauses in its penal code mean that LGBTQ+ people are routinely targeted domestically and institutionally.