Iraqi Minister of Culture, Hassan Nazim, sparked widespread controversy among the public and on social media following his question to a citizen about whether he takes Viagra. This occurred in response to the citizen's complaint regarding his salary being cut.
The incident began when the minister was near a government office, where a citizen stopped him to discuss his issue, saying: "They cut my salary, and I have nine children." Upon receiving the man's paperwork and listening to his concerns, when the man mentioned having "9 children," Nazim asked: "Do you take Viagra?" This comment elicited laughter from those present.
On social media, commenters were divided, with some calling for the minister to apologize, interpreting his statement as an offensive remark towards a poor citizen who was expressing his struggles with delayed salary payments. Others viewed the incident as a joke from the minister that was not intended to insult the individual, as he had received the man's papers and began reviewing them before speaking.
Commenting on the incident, activist Ali Al-Humaidawi stated on Twitter: "The Minister of Culture asks an employee... Do you take Viagra? ... because he has 9 children? When this is the logic of a minister who is supposed to be the most cultured person in the government representing the culture and civilization of Iraq." Another user remarked: "A citizen complains to the Minister of Culture about their salaries being cut and having 9 children... and the minister responds (Do you take Viagra)!!! When responsibility is completely absent from the official."
Additionally, civil activist Mahmoud Mohammed believes that "what happened can be interpreted as a natural position, but sometimes the presence of several people around the official or minister makes understanding his words misinterpreted." He added to Sky News Arabia that "this question is realistic, in the mind of anyone who saw this video, especially since the average number of children among Iraqis ranges from 3 to 5; having 9 children is quite surprising, especially in urban areas."
Commenters urged the Iraqi minister to apologize for speaking to the citizen in that tone, mocking him, and making others laugh at his expense. No comment or clarification has been issued by the Iraqi Ministry of Culture regarding the minister's statement. Notably, data from the Iraqi Ministry of Planning indicates that the population of the country is approximately 40,150,000, with a distribution of 50.50 percent men and 49.5 percent women.
