Supervisors seize rainbow toys in Saudi Arabia
Even though members of the queer community are repeatedly exposed to discrimination in Germany and other Western countries: The recent incidents in Saudi Arabia show once again how serious the situation is now in other countries. While the much-discussed "Don't Say Gay" laws have been passed in some states in the USA, a special kind of control has now occurred in Saudi Arabia.
The scene: toy stores. Here, the inspectors apparently found goods that were not compatible with their view of the world. As a result, the toys in question were confiscated. This decision led to heated discussions on social networks in Germany, among other places.
Rainbow toys as an "enemy image"? What had happened?
The government in Saudi Arabia sent inspectors whose task was apparently to check whether the "right toys" were really on the shelves of a toy store. In this context, there were several confiscations. Both children's clothing and toys sold in the store in question displayed the rainbow design.
However, the regulations that prevail in Saudi Arabia in this context are very strict. Among other things, the government here is of the opinion that the "wrong articles" could promote homosexuality or queerness. Therefore, the supervisors felt compelled to take action and remove the goods in question from the shelves.
The corresponding message from those responsible was spread via Twitter. But the whole thing went even further. The retailers who were responsible for stocking the shelves now have to live not only with the lost goods, but also with a fine. The exact amount of the fine is not (yet?) known.
The assortment of a store against "Islamic values
Among other things, the inspectors were bothered by hair clips and backpacks in diversity design. They feared that the motifs could lead to children becoming homosexuals. In addition, homosexuality in general violates the values of Islam, explained one of the supervisors. Therefore, the merchandise would have to be removed from the shelves.
That the rainbow flag is not only a symbol for the LGBTQUIA+ community, but also for more diversity, is no secret anymore. Over time, it has evolved into a symbol of diversity and that everyone is okay just the way they are. However, this is a message that not everyone seems to be comfortable with.
How is the LGBTQIA+ community doing in Saudi Arabia?
The situation for queer people in Saudi Arabia is actually just as recent incidents suggest: bad. The law is against the community. Among other things, this is reflected in the fact that it is a punishable offense to have sex with the same sex or to be transsexual, for example.
Those who are caught doing this can even be punished by death.
However, Saudi Arabia is far from being the only country that makes it difficult for queers to stand by themselves. In Russia, Hungary and Poland, there are also many people who do not openly express their sexual orientation because otherwise they would face severe punishment and contempt. This is exactly what led so many Ukrainian queer refugees to set out recently. They feared Russian domination of their territory and were afraid of being oppressed because of their queerness in the event of a regime change.