Iraq bans term ‘homosexuality’, says ‘sexual deviance’ must be used

Iraq’s official media regulator ordered all media and social media companies not to use the term “homosexuality” and instead to say “sexual deviance.”

The Iraqi Communications and Media Commission (CMC) said in a statement that the use of the term “gender” was also banned.

It prohibited all phone and internet companies licensed by it from using the terms in any of their mobile applications.

The regulator “directs media organisations … not to use the term ‘homosexuality’ and to use the correct term ‘sexual deviance’,” the Arabic-language statement said.

A government spokesperson said a penalty for violating the rule had not yet been set but could include a fine.

Iraq does not explicitly criminalise homosexuality but loosely defined morality clauses in its penal code have been used to target members of the LGBT community.

Major Iraqi parties have in the past two months stepped up criticism of LGBT rights, with rainbow flags frequently being burned in protests opposed to recent Quran burnings in Sweden and Denmark.