The support for Minister Mohammad Mortada’s decision comes from the influential Shi’ite armed group Hezbollah, led by Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who has recently expressed stronger opposition towards the LGBT community by referencing Islamic texts that call for severe punishment, including death, for offenders.
In Mortada’s ruling, it is stated that the film promotes homosexuality, sexual transformation, and undermines the significance of the family unit, thus contradicting values of faith and morality.
Following Mortada’s action, Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi has requested the censorship committee of General Security, which falls under the interior ministry and traditionally handles censorship matters, to review the movie and provide their recommendation.
Later on, Kuwait followed Lebanon’s footsteps and announced that it had banned “Barbie” and the supernatural horror film “Talk to Me” in order to preserve “public ethics and social traditions”, according to the state news agency.
Lebanon became the first Arab country to host a gay pride week in 2017 and has generally been viewed as a safe haven for the LGBT community within the conservative Middle East. However, the matter has recently gained more attention, leading to increased tensions. Last year, Mawlawi issued a ban on events that “promote sexual perversion” in Lebanon, which was understood to include LGBT-friendly gatherings. In a speech last month, Nasrallah urged Lebanese authorities to take action against materials promoting homosexuality, even advocating for their complete banishment.
Nasrallah argued that homosexuality posed an “imminent danger” to Lebanon and should be “confronted”. He further stated that engaging in homosexual acts, even if unmarried, would result in death.
On Tuesday, after a meeting with the country’s top Christian cleric Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai, Lebanon’s cabinet called on citizens to prioritize family values, although no specific mention was made regarding the LGBT community.
Ayman Mhanna, the executive director at non-profit civic organization Samir Kassir Foundation, suggested that Mortada’s ban was part of a broader campaign fueled by “a wave of bigotry”.
“This campaign is bringing together Hezbollah, the Christian far right, and other religious leaders in a concentrated effort to target and discriminate against the LGBT community,” explained Mhanna.
The movie “Barbie,” starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, respectively, portrays Mattel Inc’s popular doll entering the real world on an adventure. Since its release on July 21, the film has generated over $1 billion in worldwide box office sales.