LGBTQ rights in the United Arab Emirates

LGBTQ rights in United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

Legal status| Illegal: Prosecution is brought only on complaint of husband or (male) legal guardian.[1][2]
Penalty|

* Max: no upper limit, sentence at courts' discretion (10 years imprisonment in Dubai, 14 years imprisonment in Abu Dhabi)
* Min.: 6 months' imprisonment[1][3]

Gender identity| No
Military| No
Discrimination protections| None
Family rights
Recognition of relationships| No recognition of same-sex relationships
Adoption| No

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people in the United Arab Emirates face discrimination and legal challenges. Homosexuality is illegal in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and under the federal criminal provisions, consensual same-sex sexual activity is punishable by imprisonment; extra-marital sexual activity between persons of different sexes is also illegal. In both cases, prosecution will only be brought if a husband or male guardian of one of the participants makes a criminal complaint. The penalty is a minimum of six months imprisonment; no maximum penalty is prescribed, and the court has full discretion to impose any sentence in accordance with the country's constitution.

While there have been no known arrests or prosecutions for same-sex sexual activity in the UAE since at least 2015 (as of 2022[update]), with no upper limit to penalties codified, capital punishment is a theoretical outcome for (married) participants. Any penalty imposed is suspended if the complainant withdraws the complaint or "forgives" the transgressor.[1][4][5] Some have claimed the laws of homosexuality in the UAE are unclear, referring to the ambiguous English translation of the Arabic text of the country's penal code.[6]

Additionally, individuals have been prosecuted for offences related to sexual and gender identity under public decency laws, for acts such as kissing in public, or for cross-dressing.[4][7]

## Legal framework and history

[edit]

The UAE's Federal Penal Code does not replace the legal system of each emirate,[8] unless it is contrary to the federal law. Persons may be charged under the Federal Penal Code, or under a local (emirate) penal code.[9]

Adherence of the country's legal and justice system to sharia[a] allows for capital punishment as a legal penalty for some crimes. Same-sex sexual activity— as with other sex acts by married persons outside marriage — are in the category of crimes notionally liable to capital punishment in the United Arab Emirates, under zina provisions, at least prior to amendments contained in the new 2021 Federal Crime and Punishment Law. Despite this, there are no known instances of imposition of the death penalty, or sentences to life in prison, for such offences.[5][b]

### Enforcement history

[edit]

According to the British non-profit, Human Dignity Trust, as of 2020[update], all annual human rights reports from the U.S. Department of State on UAE after 2015,[11] have stated there are no records of arrests or prosecutions for same-sex sexual activity in the country.[4]

Involuntary medical and psychological "treatments", including administration of hormonal therapies, and detention for forced psychological treatments,[12] have occurred. There have been reports of mistreatment in detention such as beatings,[13] and forced rectal examinations,[14]: 479  amounting to torture,[13][15] have been consequences of such suspected or established same-sex sexual conduct.

## Legal status

[edit]

See also: Human rights in the United Arab Emirates, Same-sex relationship § Laws against, and Sex and the law

In January 2022, a new 2021 Federal Crime and Punishment Law came into force, reinstituting some provisions of personal relationship law that had been removed by amendments in 2020. Retained from the 2020 amendment is the requirement that criminal proceedings for non-marital sexual conduct are only instigated at the behest of (male) spouses or guardians, rather than police or other state authorities.[1][16]

The law against "voluntary debasement", variously rendered in English as 'indecent assault', 'indecency', or 'carnal knowledge'[7]: 82  may be enforced against consensual same-sex (and heterosexual, if outside marriage[17][18][19]) activities.[13] Since 2022, this provision, Article 356, is only invoked upon the complaint of the husband or male guardian of a participant in same-sex or extramarital sexual conduct.[3] If criminal proceedings are instigated in this way, the minimum penalty that may be imposed upon conviction is a six months' term of imprisonment. There is no maximum penalty prescribed, so that judges may sentence offenders to any penalty allowable under the constitution. The effect of the 2021 amendment which updated Article 1 to: "The provisions of the Islamic Shari'a shall apply to the retribution and blood money crimes. Other crimes and their respective punishments shall be provided for in accordance with the provisions of this Law and other applicable penal codes", is as yet unclear.[1][10] Before the amendment, penalties under Article 356 were imprisonment for at least one year and up to fifteen years. Until 2020, criminal prosecution could proceed without the spouse or guardian filing a complaint.[13]: 138, 202

The U.S. Department of State's 2022 report states:[20]

> Both civil law and sharia criminalize consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults. The penalty for individuals who engage in "consensual sodomy with a man is a minimum prison sentence of six months" if a complaint is filed by the partner or the guardian. There were no known reports of arrests or prosecutions for consensual same-sex sexual conduct.

— U.S. Department of State, 2022 Report on Human Rights Practices: United Arab Emirates, p. 34

### Abu Dhabi

[edit]

Article 80 of the Abu Dhabi Penal Code makes sodomy punishable by imprisonment of up to 14 years.[21] Cross-dressing is likewise illegal.[22]

#### Enforcement cases

[edit]

In 2005, 26 young men were arrested when Abu Dhabi Police raided a social gathering at a hotel in a desert resort town. The police alleged the men were found engaging in cross-dressing and preparing to celebrate a "gay wedding".[23] In discussing the raid, Mohammed bin Nukhaira Al Dhahiri, Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Auqaf stated, "There will be no room for homosexual and queer acts in the UAE. Our society does not accept queer behaviour, either in word or in action".[24] Initial reports suggested that some of the men were ordered to accept hormone "treatments" in exchange for lighter sentences, although the government subsequently backed off from these statements.[citation needed] Twelve of the men were found guilty and sentenced; eleven were given a five-year prison sentence, and one a one-year sentence. The eleven had reportedly confessed to "homosexual practices". The remaining fourteen were released after being found not guilty.[9][23]

On 9 August 2017, Emirati police in Abu Dhabi detained two Singaporean nationals in a shopping mall. A court convicted and sentenced them to one year in prison "for attempting to resemble women". The UAE deported them on 28 August after they spent nearly three weeks in custody, much of that time in a cell they said was designated for "effeminate" people.[25]

### Dubai

[edit]

See also: Human rights in Dubai

Article 177 of the Penal Code of Dubai imposes imprisonment of up to 10 years for consensual sodomy. The most common depictions in the local media of LGBTQ people involve foreigners, disease, and sex crimes such as rape.[26]

#### Incidents and enforcement

[edit]

In July 2007,[27] a case involved the kidnapping and rape of a sixteen-year-old French-Swiss boy by a group of men.[28] The boy stated in a closed court session that after leaving an arcade, he saw a 17-year-old acquaintance who offered to drive him home, after entering the car and driving past his home, the three men raped him.[27][29] Initially, the police treated the victim as a suspect and the fear of being charged under Article 177 prompted the boy and his family to leave the country.[28] His mother accused the UAE authorities of not notifying her family that one of the rapists was HIV-positive, thus delaying the seeking of medical attention for her son.[29] No formal charges were brought against the teenager who testified against his rapists. The story generated international media attention with government representatives defending the criminal laws against homosexuality, saying: "This is a conservative society. Homosexuality, conducted homosexuality is an illegal act. And we are not ashamed of that".[30] The boy was also awarded AED 15 million (US$4 million) in civil compensation.[31]

The legal and social sanctions against LGBT people mean that no formal LGBTQ organizations or nightclubs exist in Dubai. A nightclub sponsored a special night for the LGBTQ community, only to be shut down by the government.[32]

In 2012, police arrested two Indian men for having consensual sex in a public toilet at a bus station. Both were jailed for six months each and were deported following their prison terms.[33] In the same year, a 28-year-old British man who drunkenly had sex with another man in public were both sentenced to three years in jail followed by deportation.[34] On 21 March 2012, police raided and broke up a gay party consisting of 30 men.[35] On 7 June 2012, a Belgian man admitted to police that he was in a homosexual relationship with a Filipino. He was arrested and jailed for a year to be followed by deportation.[36]

In December 2013, Karen Mke and Kamilla Satto, two transgender women from Brazil, were arrested in Dubai for "imitating women" after calling the police due to prejudices they witnessed in the nightclub.[37] After learning the two were transgender, they were arrested and the two were reportedly detained for two days without explanation.[37] The women were not allowed to leave Dubai, and faced criminal charges.[38] The two were held until March 2014 and were fined AED 10,000 (US$2722.50) and ordered to be deported.

Canadian YouTuber and model Gigi Gorgeous, who is a transgender woman, was detained for five hours at Dubai International Airport in August 2016 due to authorities not recognizing her gender as legitimate. Her passport was confiscated during her detention. After being released from detention, she departed immediately for Sweden.[39]

In October 2017, a Scottish man from Stirling faced a three-year jail sentence after putting his hand on a man in a bar so as to not "bump and spill drinks". The tourist was arrested for public indecency after touching the other man's hip.[40] The charges of public indecency were dropped following the intervention of the ruler of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.[41]

## Gender identity and expression

[edit]

Sex reassignment surgery is severely restricted to limited circumstances which are highly regulated by the state.[42][43][5]

Historically, crossdressing has been illegal for men deemed to be dressing as women in any context; however, since November 2020 only people who enter places designated for women while "disguised as a woman" may be prosecuted. Such actions are punishable by a prison sentence of up to a year and a fine of DH 100,000.[5] Before the legal change, the penal code criminalized the wearing of clothes deemed "inapproriate for one's sex" in any circumstances.[44]

Gay conversion practices are not prohibited or discouraged by any law or regulation.[45]

## Living conditions

[edit]

In May 2015, PlanetRomeo, an LGBTQ social network, published its first Gay Happiness Index (GHI). Gay men from over 120 countries were asked about how they feel about society's view on homosexuality, how they are treated by other people and how satisfied they are with their lives. The UAE was ranked 85th with a GHI score of 37.[46]

No LGBTQI+ support or advocacy organizations operate openly in the country. Social attitudes towards homosexuality and varied gender expression, together with the likelihood of state repression, prevents the establishment of such organisations or community education on related issues.[5][12]

### Antidiscrimination

[edit]

There are no protections under any UAE law or policy against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics.[5]

### Censorship

[edit]

Main articles: Telecommunications in the United Arab Emirates § Internet censorship, and Censorship in the Middle East

The Government in the United Arab Emirates has restricted access to various websites and monitors chat rooms, instant messages and blogs. There were only a few reports of prosecutions and punishments but many people on the internet have been censored their conversations and identity in gay chat rooms. The country's only internet service provider has a proxy server which blocks any website that goes against the country's moral values. Sites regarding dating or marriage, LGBTQ issues, the Baháʼí Faith or sites related to unblocking the censorship are all inaccessible. Some reports or sites related to unblocking the censorship are all inaccessible. Reports even suggest that any site with the word gay or sex is blocked.[47]

The UAE's Media Regulatory Office banned the screening of Pixar's Lightyear in cinemas in June 2022, stating that the movie violated the Emirates' media content standards. The movie was opposed for depicting a same-sex relationship.[48] Later that month, Majid, a popular Arabic-language comic book series for children, came under investigation by the UAE authorities for allegedly promoting homosexuality. The magazine withdrew its May 2022 edition, which depicted a multi-colored character. In one dialogue the character said, "Amazing, I have the capability to colour things ... Ali will wish to become like me." According to The New Arab,[49] a number of social media users had complained that Majid had intentionally used the Arabic word مثلي (mithli) in this character's speech, a word which means both a "homosexual" and "like me".[50]

In June 2023, the UAE banned Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, a week ahead of its expected release in the region. The movie failed to pass the Emirates' censorship requirements, due to a scene that depicted a glimpse of a transgender flag displaying the words "Protect Trans Lives".[51] Also in June 2023, the Amazon company complied with the Emirati government's requirement to impose restrictions on its product listings and site-search capabilities. Under threat of penalties to the company, Amazon blocked search results for 150 terms on its UAE site, according to the New York Times. Input terms such as lgbtq, pride, and closeted gay return "no results" when used on Amazon in the UAE. Individual item listings were also removed; for example, the work Bad Feminist, by Roxane Gay, amongst other book titles.[52]

## Summary table

[edit]

Same-sex sexual activity legal  |  Illegal: Prosecution only at behest of husband or male guardian; any penalty will be waived with permission of complainant[53]

(Penalty: Maximum sentence not determined—it is at the court's discretion; the minimum sentence is 6 months imprisonment[1])

|

Anti-discrimination laws in employment only  |
Anti-discrimination laws in the provision of goods and services  |
Anti-discrimination laws in all other areas (incl. indirect discrimination, hate speech)  |
Same-sex marriages  |
Recognition of same-sex couples  |
Stepchild adoption by same-sex couples  |  Adoption is not legal for anyone of any gender or sexual orientation[54]
Joint adoption by same-sex couples  |  Adoption is not a legal option for any couple within the UAE, in accordance with Islamic law[54]
LGBTQ history education allowed  |  Illegal: reference to same-sex relationships or related matters is forbidden.[55]
LGBTQ people allowed to serve openly in the military  |
Right to change legal gender  |
Conversion therapy illegal  |
Access to IVF for lesbians  |  Only a woman and a man married to each other may conceive using IVF. Fertility treatments using donor sperm or ova are disallowed for everyone, including married heterosexual couples[56]
Access to gender identity treatment for minors with gender dysphoria  |
Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples  |  Surrogacy is not legal for anyone, including married heterosexual couples[56]
MSMs allowed to donate blood  | [57][better source needed]

## See also

[edit]

* LGBTQ portal
* United Arab Emirates portal

* Human rights in the United Arab Emirates
* LGBT rights in the Middle East
* LGBT rights in Asia
* LGBT in Islam
* Capital punishment for homosexuality

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Article one of the Federal Penal Code was amended in 2020 to state "The provisions of the Islamic Shari'a shall apply to the retribution and blood money crimes. Other crimes and their respective punishments shall be provided for in accordance with the provisions of this Law and other applicable penal codes."[10]
2. ^ No known instances of imposition of the death penalty, or sentences to life in prison have occurred, even under earlier versions of the law, according to Amnesty International, the ILGA, and the U.S. Department of State, whose 2021 report states:[5]

> Both civil law and sharia criminalize consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults. Under sharia individuals ... could be subject to the death penalty. Dubai's penal code allows for up to a 10-year prison sentence for conviction of such activity, while Abu Dhabi's penal code allows for up to a 14-year prison sentence. There were no known reports of arrests or prosecutions for consensual same-sex conduct [in 2021].

— U.S. Department of State, 2021 Report on Human Rights Practices: United Arab Emirates, pp. 35–36

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f "UAE: Sweeping Legal 'Reforms' Deepen Repression". Human Rights Watch. 5 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2023. "Under the 2021 law, if men and women have sex outside of marriage, the act carries a penalty of no less than six months' imprisonment. Sodomy with an adult male is also criminalized under the law. In both cases, the offenses can only be prosecuted on the basis of a complaint by a husband or male guardian. ... The law disproportionately affects women as it only allows men to complain about and forgive extramarital sex, and provides for only a minimum sentence allowing judges' discretion to provide harsher sentences."
2. ^ "UAE: Greater Progress Needed on Women's Rights". Human Rights Watch. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
3. ^ a b Staff reporter. "New UAE law: Reform eases restrictions on extra-marital relationships from January 2". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 25 July 2023. "In all cases, the husband or guardian has the right to waive the complaint, and the waiver entails the expiration of the criminal case or the suspension of the execution of the penalty, as the case may be."
4. ^ a b c "United Arab Emirates: Criminalisation - Enforcement 2020". humandignitytrust.org. Human Dignity Trust. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
5. ^ a b c d e f g Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (2021). "Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses". 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: United Arab Emirates (Report). United States Department of State. "The law permits doctors to conduct sex reassignment surgery when there are "psychological" and "physiological" signs of gender and sex disparity. The penalty for performing an unwarranted "sex correction" surgery is three to 10 years in prison." ... "In November 2020 the penal code dropped a clause criminalizing wearing clothing deemed inappropriate for one's sex. The law now criminalizes only men who enter a place designated for women while disguised as a woman. The punishment for this infraction is up to one year in jail and a fine of up to DH 100,000 (US$27,250)." PDF download
6. ^ "Why would someone like me defend the UAE's position on gay rights? Let me explain". Independent.co.uk. 24 July 2017.
7. ^ a b ILGA World; Lucas Ramón Mendos; Kellyn Botha; Rafael Carrano Lelis; Enrique López de la Peña; Ilia Savelev; Daron Tan (14 December 2020). State-Sponsored Homophobia report: 2020 global legislation overview update (PDF) (Report) (14th revised ed.). Geneva: ILGA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 December 2020. "Even so, to date there are no records that this penalty has been imposed on LGBT persons ..."
8. ^ Amnesty International, ed. (4 July 2008). "Appendix 1: The Application of the Death Penalty for Consensual Same-sex Sexual Relations". Love, hate and the law: decriminalizing homosexuality (Report). pp. 46–49\. Index Number: POL 30/003/2008. "NOTE ON THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:

"The United Arab Emirates (UAE) does not carry the death penalty for same-sex consensual sexual relations.

"The UAE is a federal system ... based in Abu Dhabi. Article 354 of the Penal Code 'Union law No. 3 of 1987' (Qanoun al-'Uqoubat) provides for the death penalty in a context of force, or coercion, whereby a male or female forces another female or a male coerces another male to take part in the sexual act: Amnesty International therefore considers this article to address rape, not consensual same-sex sexual relations.

"As in other nearby countries, it is theoretically possible that zina (a sexual act by a married party outside of marriage) is punishable by death and that these could be used to prosecute consensual same-sex sexual acts, depending on the facts of the cases. Amnesty International is not aware of any case in which the use of zina laws against consensual same-sex sexual conduct has resulted in a death sentence in the UAE."
9. ^ a b "Sodomylaws.org". Sodomylaws.org. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
10. ^ a b "Federal Decree Law No. (15) of 2020". Ministry of Justice. 27 September 2020. Pages 1, Article 1 "The provisions of the Islamic Shari'a shall apply to the retribution and blood money crimes. Other crimes and their respective punishments shall be provided for in accordance with the provisions of this Law and other applicable penal codes". Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
11. ^ US Department of State reports for years 2015–2020, prepared by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. "Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses". Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: United Arab Emirates (Report). United States Department of State.:
* Annual report, 2020
* Annual report, 2019
* Annual report, 2018
* Annual report, 2017
* Annual report, 2016
* Annual report, 2015
12. ^ a b Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (2011). 2011 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: United Arab Emirates (PDF) (Report). U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
13. ^ a b c d Ramón Mendos, Lucas (March 2019). International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ed.). State-Sponsored Homophobia 2019 (PDF) (13th ed.). Geneva: ILGA. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
14. ^ Together, apart: Organizing around Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Worldwide, New York: Human Rights Watch, 2009, ISBN 978-1-56432-484-9 – via United Nations Refworld
15. ^ "Dignity Debased: Forced Anal Examinations in Homosexuality Prosecutions". Human Rights Watch. 12 July 2016.
16. ^ "United Arab Emirates: Events of 2022". Human Rights Watch (in English, Arabic, and French). 12 January 2023.
17. ^ Torchia, Christopher (10 March 2017). "Foreign couple arrested in UAE for unwed sex is released". AP NEWS. Additional reporting by AP Dubai writer, Adam Schreck.
18. ^ Roberts, Rachel (9 March 2017). "Pregnant woman and her fiancé arrested in UAE for 'sex outside marriage'". The Independent. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
19. ^ Bamford, Emma (26 November 2008). "Dubai court suspends jail term for beach sex couple". The Independent.
20. ^ Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (2023). "Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses". 2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: United Arab Emirates (Report). United States Department of State. "Both civil law and sharia criminalize consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults. The penalty for individuals who engage in 'consensual sodomy with a man is a minimum prison sentence of six months' if a complaint is filed by the partner or the guardian. There were no known reports of arrests or prosecutions for consensual same-sex sexual conduct." PDF download
21. ^ "United Arab Emirates LGBTI Resources: Rights in Exile Programme". refugeelegalaidinformation.org. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
22. ^ "UAE jails Singapore pair for wearing women's clothes". BBC News. 24 August 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
23. ^ a b "'Gay wedding' ends up in cells". News24. 24 February 2006. Archived from the original on 24 February 2006.
24. ^ Arafah, Adel (25 November 2005) [updated 24 November 2022]. "Officials lambast capitals gay party youth". Khaleej Times. Archived from the original on 30 December 2022.
25. ^ "UAE: Stop Policing Gender Expression". Human Rights Watch. 7 September 2017.
26. ^ "Six things you absolutely mustn't do in Dubai". The Independent. 12 October 2017.
27. ^ a b Cambanis, Thanassis (31 October 2007). "Dubai and rape: French youth tells his story". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2 September 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
28. ^ a b "'They Destroyed Me': French Teen's Rape Case Exposes Dubai's Dark Side". ABC News. 19 February 2009. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
29. ^ a b "Dubai court hears French boy's rape testimony". Reuters World News. Reuters. 7 November 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
30. ^ "Statement on behalf of Véronique & Alexandre". boycottdubai.com. Paris. 4 January 2008. Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
31. ^ Fabrizio, Antonio (2005). "Men sentenced for Dubai rape of 15-year-old boy". Pink News. Archived from the original on 17 April 2008. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
32. ^ "Dubai closes club after gay night". BBC News. 1 April 2001.
33. ^ Za'Za, Bassam (10 April 2012). "Two men jailed for consensual sex". Gulf News. Archived from the original on 10 April 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
34. ^ Littauer, Dan (12 April 2012). "Dubai: British man jailed for three years for public gay sex". PinkNews. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
35. ^ Littauer, Dan (21 March 2012). "Dubai Police Chief Denies Reports of Gay Arrests". Huffington Post. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
36. ^ Coleman, Aaron (6 June 2012). "Man in Dubai Gets 1 Year in Prison for Gay Relationship". queerty.com. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
37. ^ a b Molloy, Parker Marie (24 January 2014). "Brazilian Trans Women Detained in Dubai for 'Imitating Women'". advocate.com. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
38. ^ Littauer, Dan (23 January 2014). "Brazil transgender women accosted, detained in Dubai for 'imitating women'". LGBTQ Nation.
39. ^ Sieczkowski, Cavan (10 August 2016). "YouTube Star Was Allegedly Detained in Dubai Airport Because She's Trans". HuffPost.
40. ^ Riordan, Conor (7 October 2017). "British tourist facing jail in Dubai 'after accidentally touching man's hip'". independent.co.uk. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
41. ^ "Charges dropped against Dubai Scot". BBC News. 23 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
42. ^ Moukhallati, Dana (26 September 2016). "New law does not legalise sex change". The National. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016.
43. ^ "UAE rejects three transgender Emirati women's bid for gender status change". Al Arabiya. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
44. ^ "UAE jails Singapore pair for wearing women's clothes". BBC News. 24 August 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
45. ^ "UAE: Pulled 'gay cure' video gets 'unprecedented' media interest". Pink News. 27 February 2012. "In addition several key figures within the UAE including the Sultan Al-Qassemi, retweeted both The National's and PinkNews.co.uk's articles regarding the video removal story."
46. ^ The Gay Happiness Index. The very first worldwide country ranking, based on the input of 115,000 gay men Archived 12 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine Planet Romeo
47. ^ Internet Censorship, Homosexuality in the UAE
48. ^ Ives, Mike (15 June 2022). "Disney's 'Lightyear', With a Same-Sex Kiss, Faces a Backlash in Some Muslim Countries". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 3 August 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
49. ^ The New Arab Staff (27 June 2022). "UAE children magazine retracts 'gay issue' after outcry". The New Arab. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
50. ^ Singh, Namita (28 June 2022). "UAE children's magazine accused of promoting homosexuality with 'gay issue'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
51. ^ Hirwani, Peony (16 June 2023). "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse banned in UAE". The Independent. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
52. ^ Weise, Karen (29 June 2022). "Amazon Restricts L.G.B.T.Q. Products in United Arab Emirates". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022.
53. ^ Mehta, Ashish (12 December 2021). "New UAE laws: Is it illegal to be romantically involved with a married woman?". Khaleej Times. Archived from the original on 23 October 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
54. ^ a b

* "Child Adoption Process in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah (UAE)". Bin Eid Advocates and Legal Consultants. 23 November 2022. [Commercial website].
* "Everything you need to know about Child Adoption in the UAE". Fotis International Law. n.d. [Commercial website].
* "A Guide to Adoption in Dubai and UAE". Expat Woman. 17 April 2019.

55. ^ "Anti-gay sentiment shows limit of Gulf states' liberal drive". Financial Times. 16 September 2022. Archived from the original on 11 December 2022.
56. ^ a b Inhorn, Marcia C. (June 2016). "Cosmopolitan conceptions in global Dubai? The emiratization of IVF and its consequences". Reproductive Biomedicine & Society Online. 2: 24–31\. doi:10.1016/j.rbms.2016.04.004. PMC 5991884. PMID 29892713.
57. ^ "Blood donations by MSMs by country". Equaldex. 2023.[better source needed]

## Further reading

[edit]

* "Gay in Dubai: Dangers & privileges of LGBT expat nightlife in the UAE". LSE Research. London School of Economics and Political Science. 9 November 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2024. "Reflecting on the significance of the research, Dr Centner says:

> " ' ... it is also important to note how this is very much an expatriate, relatively privileged, experience of gay life in Dubai. So, part of what we try to do is to point out how, in seeking some sense of home away from home, that these men are ... keeping out other types of gay or queer people who are not "similar" to them.

> " 'Now what they think of as "similar" to them, is actually quite broad. To see themselves as "Western", is something that was not a register of identity that mattered to many of them before coming to the UAE. ...'

[...] "Dubai is keen to project an image of being more socially liberal than the rest of UAE, as well as the rest of the Gulf"
* Bandera, Gerardo (27 May 2023). "Where is homosexuality illegal and punishable by death?". FairPlanet. Retrieved 15 January 2024. "Which other countries outlaw homosexuality? [Emphasis added]  ... Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan ..."
* Fatima, Sakina (28 November 2021). "New UAE laws revamp sexual assault rules, apply to both sexes". The Siasat Daily. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
* Ambalavelil, Sunil (6 November 2021). "The cohabitation of unmarried couples was recently decriminalised in the UAE". The Law Reporters. Archived from the original on 7 August 2022.
* "Stonewall Global Workplace Briefings 2018: - United Arab Emirates" (PDF), Stonewall UK, 2018, [5-page information briefing], retrieved 28 August 2023
* "Raped and tortured in a Dubai prison: Former managing director of Leeds United reveals the hell he endured after being jailed and outed as gay by authorities in UAE". (ICFUAE) International Campaign For Freedom in the UAE. 8 November 2017. Republished from The Daily Mail. "[The man] spent 22 months in prison in Dubai after being accused of falsifying invoices and unlawfully channelling funds to a secret bank account." (News item reporting abuse and mistreatment of man imprisoned for alleged crime unrelated to same-sex sexual activity, whose abuse worsened when disclosures about his sexual orientation were made to prison authorities.)
* Douglas, Benji (14 September 2012). "Gays in the United Arab Emirates Face Flogging, Hormone Injections, Prison". queerty.com. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
* "United Arab Emirates LGBTI Resources". AMERA International. British charity that provides: Case law, evidence of public attitudes, for NGOs that assist or advocate on LGBTI issues, and Country of Origin LGBTI Specialists
* UAE Penal Code (PDF), LEGISLATION SERIES IN ENGLISH (1st ed.), Abu Dhabi: UAE Judicial Department, 2011, ISBN 978-9948-492-70-2 – via Expat.Woman.com

## External links

[edit]

* UK government travel advice for the United Arab Emirates: Local laws and customs
* "Homosexuality in the UAE". detainedindubai.

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* Slavery
* Postal history
* Wars
* Military history
* Political history

Geography|

* Cities
* Abu Dhabi
* Dubai
* Climate
* cloud seeding
* Emirates
* Abu Dhabi
* Dubai
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* Ajman
* Umm Al Quwain
* Ras Al Khaimah
* Fujairah
* Environmental issues
* Geology
* Islands
* Land reclamation
* Mountains
* Protected areas
* Territorial disputes
* Abu Musa
* Greater and Lesser Tunbs
* Saudi border dispute
* Wadis
* Wildlife
* Invasive species

Politics|

Federal

| Executive|

* Cabinet
* list
* Federal Supreme Council
* President
* Vice President
* Prime Minister

|

Legislative|

* Federal Supreme Council
* Federal National Council
* Elections
* 2006
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

Judicial|

* Supreme Court

Law|

* Constitution
* Nationality

Intelligence|

* Signals Intelligence Agency

Uniformed|

* Armed Forces
* Air Force
* Army
* Navy
* Presidential Guard

Local

* Courts
* Abu Dhabi
* Dubai
* Common law courts
* Abu Dhabi
* Dubai
* Emirate rulers
* royal families
* Governments
* Abu Dhabi
* Dubai
* Sharjah
* Ajman

* Foreign relations
* Abraham Accords
* diplomatic missions
* US-UAE nuclear energy agreement
* Human rights
* blasphemy
* capital punishment
* freedom of religion
* LGBT
* migrant workers
* Justice system
* law enforcement
* Legal system
* abortion
* adoption
* cannabis
* guns
* Visa policy

Economy|

* Companies
* state-owned
* Corporate Law
* Currency
* Entrepreneurship
* Finance
* banks
* central bank
* Energy
* nuclear
* oil
* reserves
* solar
* power stations
* Free trade zones
* Dubai
* Taxation
* Tourism
* (Dubai)
* attractions
* Stock exchanges
* ADX
* DFM
* Nasdaq Dubai
* Local economies
* Abu Dhabi
* Dubai
* Telecommunications
* companies
* Internet domain
* regulator
* telephone numbers
* Transport
* airlines
* airports
* bridges
* national rail operator
* railways
* speed limits
* registration plates

Society|

| Culture|

* Anthem
* Architecture
* Artists
* Cinema
* Clothing
* Coat of arms
* Cuisine
* Flag
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* Language
* Marriage
* Mass media
* newspapers
* television
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* Religion
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* Islam (official)
* Shia
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* Sport
* camel racing
* cricket
* grounds
* esports
* events
* football
* clubs
* stadiums
* ice hockey
* polo
* Time
* Women
* Writers

|

* Conscription
* Crime
* human trafficking
* prostitution
* terrorism
* Demographics
* Education
* (Abu Dhabi
* Dubai)
* schools
* universities
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* list
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* Health
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* hospitals
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* Holidays
* Commemoration Day
* Ramadan
* National Day
* Flag Day

* Outline
* Index

* Category
* Portal

* v
* t
* e

LGBTQ rights in Asia

Sovereign states|

* Afghanistan
* Armenia
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* Syria
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Timor-Leste (East Timor)
* Turkey
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

States with
limited recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Northern Cyprus
* Palestine
* South Ossetia
* Taiwan

Dependencies and
other territories|

* British Indian Ocean Territory
* Christmas Island
* Cocos (Keeling) Islands
* Hong Kong
* Macau

* Category
* Asia portal

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