Arab Media and Sexuality

Sexuality is a difficult topic to discuss in any society but in the Arab world it is notoriously problematic. Sex and sexuality are often seen as private matters that have no place in public debates and when it comes to more controversial aspects of sexual orientation, honest discourse is near impossible. Arab society, it seems, just doesn't want to talk about it.

There are good reasons to believe, that satellite television may be the best venue for cultural change in the Arab World today. Whilst the multiplicity of channels offered by satellite does not guarantee the growth of liberal discourse in Arab society at large, it does increase the space for programming tackling taboo subjects which viewers can seek out independently. In addition, it encourages viewers to exercise their right to self-expression.

Many taboos in the Arab world are rarely discussed, including homosexuality. There are several blogs and message boards dedicated to homosexuality and gay rights activism within the Arab and Muslim world. The Internet gives these groups a prominent and necessary voice in the region, as they seem to be shunned or considered irrelevant by our societies.

Recently a new habit has shown in the Middle East, whenever a new magazine is coming out it has a topic of homosexuality on its front cover as an attempt to show how audacious and brave is the magazine for breaking the taboos. Yet the media sadly continues to treat the subject with disdain and disapproval. Most public discussions take place in popular magazines and TV shows, aiming at mere titillation and, depending on the audience, mockery.

We obviously notice the need for sex education in the region, primarily for health purposes. Arab countries have some of the world's fastest-growing rates of HIV infection, but their governments and religious authorities are being slow to address the problem. The wall of silence in the Arab media also hinders efforts to spread awareness about AIDS.

Moreover, talking about sex publicly is a taboo in ultraconservative Saudi Arabia.
Authorities have closed an office of an Arab TV station after diffusing an interview with a Saudi man speaking frankly about sex and showed off erotic toys. The Saudi Arabian man was arrested after bragging about his sex life on television. Mazen Abdul Jawad appeared on a show on Lebanese channel LBC, where he went into "graphic details about his sexual conquests," according to Arab News daily.

Furthermore, this summer a Saudi cleric denounced the Arab world’s most popular television show ever — the dubbed Turkish series “Noor” — calling it “replete with evil, wickedness, moral collapse and a war on the virtues.” He also barred Muslims from watching the series, which portrays the lives of moderate Muslims who drink wine with dinner and have premarital sex.

Religion might teach chastity, but the reality is otherwise, and unless we talk about sex in the Arab world, more the pitiful sex education in most countries will continue to fail young people, especially women who pay the highest price for silence. Arab world cannot afford to stifle the conversation about sex. Arabs are just as vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases and HIV-AIDS and it is our responsibility to move sex talk beyond sensationalism and conservatism. Denial is deadly.

It is time to believe that expression is an important part of the healing process and just discussing the facts, disclosing information and being able to talk about taboo subject is in itself something not to be taken lightly. By calling something pornographic without scrutinizing and analyzing it first, it shows both a complete refusal and immaturity to deal with the very subject of sex and sexuality.

In fact, there is a duality where we say something but believe something else which is widespread in the Arab world. So, we will have to really change the way we see things and judge things before we can talk about real change. This will take a lot of time but surely the mere fact of discussing these issues is very helpful in achieving this change.