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LGBT rights in Jordan

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LGBT rights in Jordan
Jordan
Jordan
Same-sex sexual activity legal? Legal, though vigilante honor killings occur
(see below)
Gender identity/expression -
Recognition of
relationships		 No recognition of same-sex couples
Discrimination protections None

Homosexuality per se is not illegal in Jordan, although it remains a taboo subject due to the fact that traditional Arabic culture and Islam view homosexuality and cross-dressing as signs of immorality.

Constitution

The Constitution does not mention sexual orientation or gender identity, it was written in 1952, but it does have certain articles that could apply to its LGBT citizens. [1].

  • Article 2 - Islam is the Official State Religion.
  • Article 7 - "Personal freedom shall be guaranteed."

The Constitution also stipulates the freedom of speech, press and freedom to create political parties and groups shall be peaceful and regulated by the law.

Penal Code

Private, adult and consensual sodomy was decriminalized by the Penal Code of 1951[1]. The age of consent is 16. Today, homosexuality per se is not a crime provided that it is noncommercial and occurs between consenting adults in private.

Cruising, public displays of affection and prostitution are illegal and are perodically subject to government crackdowns on homosexuals. In 2008, Saad Manasir, Governor of Amman, pledged to continue with the crackdown until, "we eradicate any trace of male homosexuals in the society." [2]

Honor killings

Though homosexuality is not illegal per se, vigilante honor killings are relatively common. Several articles of the penal code provide lesser penalities for a man killing his wife or kin for engaging in "illicit" sexual relations.

Since 1990s, efforts to reform the law have failed, although the Ministry of Justice has announced plans to establish a special tribunal to deal with honor killings.[2],

Beyond murder, some LGBT Jordanians have reported being severely beaten by their family for their sexuality. This abuse does not appear to be official government policy, although the government seems reluctant to come to the aid of such an unpopular class of people [3].

Media & Press

In 2007, the first gay-themed Jordanian publication arose, although it soon folded. A year later, "My Kali" started publication online [3].

The National Press Law (aka "Press and Publication Law") was amended in 1998, and again in 2004. The initial document prohibited the depiction or endorsement of "sexual perversion", which may have included homosexuality [4]. The revised edition in 2004 has a few provisions of direct impact on gay rights in Jordan. First of all, the content ban on 'sexual perversion' is replaced with a general requirement that the press "respect the values of....the Arab and Islamic nation." and that that press must also avoid encroaching into people's private lives [5].

Discrimination protections

No civil rights legislation exists to protect people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The government funded National Center for Human Rights (created in 2006) has not yet dealt with LGBT human right issues or the AIDS-HIV pandemic [4].

LGBT rights movement in Jordan

There are no known government-recognized LGBT community or human rights organizations, and no Jordanian political parties have expressed any support for LGBT legislation. The "Political Parties Law" of 1992, does not formally ban a LGBT-supportive political parties or organization from forming, although such a group would need, at least,fifty adult citizens [5] expressing a public intent to organize.

Living conditions

Today, a handful of unofficial LGBT organizations exist online, such as the Yahoo club "Amman Rainbow". However, no real LGBT political movement exists.

Recent reports suggest, that although a large number LGBT are in the closet, and who often have to lead double lives, a new wave of younger LGBT are beginning to come out of the closet and are becoming more visible in the country, this resulted in establishing a vibrant LGBT community of filmmakers, journalists, writers, artists and other young professionals.[6] with only a few young Jordanians of the upper class able to remain single. New official hangouts have sprung up, such as the RGB club in Jabal Amman, as well as several gay hangouts, such as Books@cafe also in Jabal Amman. It has been said that Jabal Amman represents Amman's smaller version of a Gay Village.

Today, the two most openly gay Jordanians are Khalid who's a supermodel, Suhail Abualsameed, who outed himself at an Islamic conference on AIDS-HIV [7].

AIDS/HIV

It is not clear how many people are living in Jordan with HIV or AIDS, but it is likely to be around 600 - 1,000 people with most of the infections coming from people engaging in unsafe sex [6]. The Ministry of Health has an AIDS-HIV prevention and education program, although as is the case in much of the Middle East, ignorance about the disease is common place[7]. As part of its prevention programs, the Foreign Ministry requires blood tests for foreigners who apply for visas longer than the standard 3-month tourist visa.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Schmitt, Arno & Sofer, Jehoeda, 1992, Sexuality and Eroticism Among Males in Moslem Societies. Binghamton: Harrington Park Press. ISBN 0-918393-91-4, p. 137-138.
  2. ↑ BBC NEWS | Middle East | 'Honour killings' law blocked
  3. ↑ Gay Jordanian Now ‘Gloriously Free’ in Canada
  4. ↑ http://www.article19.org/pdfs/press/jordan-draft-press-law.pdf
  5. ↑ http://www.article19.org/publications/law/analyses/middle-east-north-africa.html
  6. ↑ jameed.net » HIV Status in Jordan: 2005 update
  7. ↑ index

Discuss

*Some information provided in whole or in part by http://en.wikipedia.org/

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