Iraq Bans Terms Including "Gender," "Sexual Orientation," and "Homosexuality"

The Communications and Media Commission in Iraq directed media outlets today, Tuesday, to prohibit the use of the term "homosexuality" and replace it with the phrase "sexual deviancy." A document issued by the commission revealed that it instructed media and telecommunications companies to avoid using the terms (gender – gender identity – homosexuality) and to substitute them with the term sexual deviancy. The commission deemed these terms as foreign to Iraqi society. Iraq has been experiencing extensive debates over the term "gender" for weeks, with some political factions considering it a "beginning to impose homosexuality on Iraqi society."