Homosexuality is NOT Illegal in These Muslim Nations

This is, of course, not a comment on social acceptance of homosexuals in these countries.

Shalaka Shinde
World
Published:
Juan Mantilla (42) of Miami Beach, Florida  stands with his partner during a vigil in memory of the victims of the Orlando mass shooting. (Photo: AP)
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Juan Mantilla (42) of Miami Beach, Florida stands with his partner during a vigil in memory of the victims of the Orlando mass shooting. (Photo: AP)
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On 12 June, when a man opened fire inside a gay club in Orlando, Florida, news of the hate crime spread like wildfire. When the gunman was identified as Omar Mateen, a Muslim, the narrative changed and suddenly, it was no longer a hate crime, but a “terror” attack- a result of the contorted view of an extremist and homophobic ideology.

However, there are countries with a Muslim-majority population, including Indonesia, where homosexuality is, in fact, not illegal.

(Photo: The Quint)
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Of course, this is not an indication of social acceptance of homosexuality in these countries.

As Islam And Homosexuality points out, the one common link between these countries is that none of them were colonised by Britain where the Victorian-era penal code had criminalised homosexuality – a trend that carried on in some of its former colonies long after homosexuality was made legal in United Kingdom.

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