Social Media Fact-Checks Refute Guardian Columnist’s Claims
Guardian columnist Owen Jones faced social media backlash after asserting British colonial legacy as the root of homophobic laws in Gaza. His posts claimed that the British Mandate Criminal Code Ordinance of 1936 was the source of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Gaza.
However, fact-checkers and social media users highlighted that the mandate concluded in 1948, yet subsequent local authorities chose to uphold or even strengthen these laws.
The conversation unveiled the historical trajectory of LGBTQ+ rights in the region, comparing the legal frameworks in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel, which has a more progressive stance towards LGBTQ+ rights.
Jones clarified that while Gaza imposes prison sentences for homosexuality, it doesn’t enforce the death penalty, contrasting it with the West Bank where homosexuality has been legal since 1951. This controversy sheds light on the broader LGBTQ+ rights discourse in the Middle East, underscoring Israel’s more tolerant laws, where same-sex activity was legalised in 1988.
The incident reflects the complexity and sensitivity surrounding discussions of LGBTQ+ rights within the geopolitical and historical contexts of the region, eliciting a diverse range of responses from the public and commentators alike.Story Source
