Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu meets Jordan’s king in surprise trip amid tension
PBS NewsHourAPR 2023
Report: Jordanian Intelligence Accused of Targeting LGBTQ+ Community
Image copyright: Wikimedia Commons
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Jordanian authorities are not only attacking the LGBTQ+ community but civil liberties in Jordan as a whole. The international community must put pressure on the Jordanian government to end its crackdown on personal freedoms.
Establishment-critical narrative
One should always keep in mind that attitudes in the Middle East regarding the LGBTQ+ community are, in many cases, the product of European colonialism. Many of the penal codes used against the community originate from the colonial period, when occupying authorities — who viewed many non-Western societies as hyper-permissive — brought in such codes to defend so-called "moral purity."
Narrative C
The current moral panic in the Middle East regarding the LGBTQ+ community actually seems to reflect the current culture wars occurring in the US regarding the same community. In the entire region, from Turkey, and Lebanon to Iraq and Jordan, this small minority community is under attack as politicians attempt to drum up support for their political aspirations.