17 September 2022, 03:42 GMT
British newspapers published on Saturday dealt with a number of issues, including instructions not to discuss homosexuality in classrooms in the UAE, the limits of liberalism in the Gulf states, the future of the monarchy in Britain after the departure of Queen Elizabeth, and the growing fortunes of the extreme right in the general elections in Sweden.
We start with the Financial Times, and an article by Simeon Kerr from Dubai titled “Anti-gay sentiment tests the limits of liberal pursuits in the Gulf”.
The writer says that with the new school year approaching in the Emirates, teachers were surprised by directives that “refrain from… discussing sexual identity, homosexuality, or any other behavior considered unacceptable by Emirati society.”
The writer says that these instructions raised concern in the teaching community in English-speaking schools, many of whose teachers come from Britain. In response, the school administration removed rainbow flags from classrooms and asked teachers to remove rainbow bracelets. The children were told that topics such as same-sex marriage and homosexuality were no longer allowed to be discussed.
“Every time we go into the classroom, we feel anxious now,” one teacher told the newspaper.
For many, the author says, the new regulations were the latest indication that culture wars and clashes over identity politics have reached the conservative Gulf states.
The writer adds that last week, Saudi Arabia led all six Gulf states, including the UAE, in asking the streaming service, Netflix, to ban the display of material deemed un-Islamic. This came in the wake of a local media campaign accusing Netflix of promoting homosexuality, which is criminalized by many countries in the region.
The writer says that the differences are particularly acute in the Emirates, which has large numbers of expatriates. The government there has drawn up liberal laws on alcohol and divorce to attract foreign workers, but it also needs to take into account the concerns of conservative Emiratis who fear the decriminalization of homosexuality.
He adds that the UAE, one of the more liberal Gulf states, has largely adopted a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that is tolerant of homosexuals who hide their sexuality, but that growing demands for equality in Western businesses and societies in the country have pushed the issue into the open.
He says multinational companies are asking the government to decriminalize homosexuality in an effort to expand the pool of employees willing to move to the UAE.
The writer says that the UAE does not allow any opposition to the country’s policies. As a result, it may be easier for citizens to express their anger over homosexuality and other social issues than overt political issues, such as normalization of relations with Israel, unemployment and the rising cost of living.
“Dubai’s thriving underground gay community fears a violent social backlash,” he added.
“People travel from all over the region to party and party here, as they considered it a more tolerant safe haven,” the newspaper quoted a gay resident in the Emirates as saying.
He added, “LGBT gatherings have decreased a lot in recent months, with attendees fearing to draw the attention of the authorities.”
‘The future of the monarchy is secure’
photo released, Getty Images
The queue to take a last look at Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin stretches for eight kilometers
We turn to the Daily Telegraph, whose editorial was titled “The future of the monarchy is secure.” The newspaper says that the huge crowds that came to bid farewell to Queen Elizabeth comes as an assurance to many of the future of the monarchy in Britain.
The newspaper says that the huge ranks of depositors indicate the determination of the British to express their loyalty to the Queen and the monarchy.
She says the crowds will flock to London over the weekend, hoping they can find a place on the waiting list to see the Queen.
The Telegraph added, “It is disturbing that there are left-wing voices calling for a discussion about the future of the monarchy at this time,” noting that these large numbers of depositors come in response to such demands.
photo released, Getty Images
far right
We turn to the Guardian newspaper, whose editorial was titled “Sweden’s Elections: Entering the Far Right”. During an election campaign dominated by themes of immigration, multiculturalism and violent crime, a spokesman for the far-right Swedish Democrats tweeted using an image of a metro train painted in the party’s colours, accompanied by an anti-immigrant message: “Welcome back home! This is a one-way ticket. The station.” Next is Kabul.
The newspaper says that “the Swedish Democrats seek to create one of the most hostile environments in Europe for non-Europeans and make obtaining asylum almost impossible, and it has its roots with the neo-Nazi movement.” “The party caused an electoral earthquake this week when it became the second largest party in the country,” she says.
It says the election results came as a loose coalition of Sweden’s Democrats and the three center-right parties with a three-majority majority in the 349-seat parliament. The newspaper adds that this electoral result allowed a party that the government considered a “neo-fascist” to move closer to power.
The Guardian expects the party from its new position of influence to continue its anti-immigration and anti-immigrant wars.