A Gen Z perspective on Gay Rights in the Middle East
By Blessing Mathabela
Pinkwashing critiques are loud, but in the Middle East, Israel’s queer rights progress is speaking louder! “Pinkwashing” is a term that often comes up when discussing Israel’s LGBTQ+ rights record. Critics argue that Israel uses its progressive stance on queer issues to deflect attention from its treatment of Palestinians. While this critique potentially holds some truth, it overlooks an important reality: in the broader Middle East, where queer rights are virtually non-existent, Israel’s progress in this area stands out. That doesn’t mean Israel is perfect, but it’s not pinkwashing to recognise the strides it has made towards the advancement of queer rights.
Critics of Israel’s pinkwashing are quick to point fingers, but where are the solutions for the LGBTQ+ people suffering in countries where simply existing as queer is a criminal act?
LGBTQ+ RIGHTS IN ISRAEL
Israel, for all its faults, is more progressive when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights than many of its neighbours. In Israel, LGBTQI individuals enjoy a higher degree of rights and freedoms compared to many countries in the Middle East. Same-sex relationships have been legal since 1988, and the country boasts a robust legal framework for LGBTQI individuals, including protections against workplace discrimination. Israel also has a thriving LGBTQI community, with Tel Aviv widely regarded as one of the most LGBTQI-friendly cities in the world. The city hosts one of the largest Pride events in the region, attracting both local and international visitors. In addition, LGBTQI Israelis have the right to adopt children, access IVF treatments, and even serve openly in the military. However, while progress has been made, challenges remain, especially within conservative religious Orthodox Jewish communities which maintain traditional views on gender and sexuality. Arab communities in Israel, particularly Palestinian Arabs, also tend to hold conservative views on LGBTQ+ issues, influenced by traditional cultural and religious norms. Many Arab citizens of Israel are Muslim or Christian, and in these communities, homosexuality is often seen as taboo due to conservative interpretations of Islam and Christianity. As a result, LGBTQ+ individuals in these communities often face significant social stigma, familial rejection, and discrimination. While Israel provides legal protections for LGBTQ+ people, including in its civil courts, the cultural acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals is still limited within many Arab communities, leading to challenges for queer Palestinians in living openly.
LGBTQ+ RIGHTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
In most Middle Eastern countries, LGBTQ+ individuals face extreme persecution. In Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, same-sex relationships are punishable by imprisonment, torture, and sometimes even execution. In these countries, being queer is not just illegal – it’s life-threatening. Israel may have a complicated history with its treatment of Palestinians, but when it comes to queer rights, it’s miles ahead of its neighbours. There is no denying that Israel’s queer community has more legal rights and visibility than queer people in countries like Saudi Arabia, where LGBTQ+ people face extreme danger just for existing. Yet, the conversation around pinkwashing too often ignores this harsh reality for millions of queer people across the region.
PALESTINIAN LGBTQ+: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE
It’s crucial to remember that queer Palestinians are not exempt from the oppression faced by LGBTQ+ in the broader Middle East. In Palestinian territories, homosexuality remains illegal, and LGBTQ+ individuals often face rejection from their families and communities. The situation is further complicated by the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, where queer Palestinians are caught between the struggle for liberation and the struggle for their own rights within their communities.
For Palestinian queers, the pinkwashing debate can feel like another form of erasure. While their struggle is often overshadowed by the political conflict, queer Palestinians are doubly oppressed: both by the larger societal and political systems around them, and by the discriminatory attitudes towards queerness within their own communities. This isn’t just about Israel – it’s about the broader regional context where queer people, regardless of nationality, are facing unimaginable hardships.
CRITICISING PINKWASHING WITHOUT SOLUTIONS
Critics of pinkwashing often focus on Israel’s use of LGBTQ+ rights to distract from its treatment of Palestinians, but they rarely offer concrete solutions to improve the lives of queer people in the Middle East. Yes, Israel’s policies towards Palestinians need attention, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore the suffering of queer people in countries where being LGBTQ+ can result in imprisonment, violence, or worse.
Accusations of pink-washing are easy to make, but they fail to address the real problem: queer people in the Middle East are living under constant threat. So, while critics focus on the political strategy behind Israel’s queer-friendly policies, they miss the larger issue—how do we protect queer people in the region? Without offering actionable ideas to improve the situation, these criticisms are just noise.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: REAL CHANGE, NOT DISTRACTION
While pinkwashing may be a valid critique, we need to keep it in perspective. The real issue is that queer people in the Middle East – whether Israeli or Palestinian – are facing violence and oppression. It’s time to stop letting the debate distract from the larger issue at hand. Instead of engaging in finger-pointing, let’s focus on what needs to change: the way queer people are treated in countries where their existence is criminalised.
If critics want to challenge Israel’s use of LGBTQ+ rights for political purposes, they need to come up with real solutions for the queer people who are suffering right now. It’s not enough to call out one country’s strategy without addressing the systematic abuse queer people face throughout the region.
As a South African, I recognise the value of a constitution that explicitly protects the rights of the LGBTQI+ community. In a country where equality is hard-won and deeply ingrained in our laws, it’s a privilege to live in a space that doesn’t treat sexual discrimination as an afterthought. This is something we should not take for granted, especially when so many Queer people worldwide are still fighting for their basic rights. From my perspective, I can appreciate Israel’s progress on queer rights, given the harsh realities faced by the LGBTQI+ community in Palestine and the other neighbouring countries. We must ensure that our advocacy is not limited to criticism alone but translates into meaningful action to protect the LGBTQI+ community everywhere.
Until the fight for global queer rights is truly universal, Israel’s steps forward in this area deserve recognition.
About the writer:
Blessing Mathabela is a passionate gender justice advocate and a third-year B.Ed student majoring in English and Social Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). With a strong commitment to creating inclusive and equitable spaces, Blessing has held leadership roles as the Deputy Chairperson of the School of Education and as a Secretary on the All-Residences Sub-Council. She has also volunteered at the Gender Equity Office at Wits, where she worked to amplify marginalised voices and challenge systemic injustice. A dedicated feminist, Blessing is driven by her mission to empower others and advocate for social change both on and off campus.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
