their heterosexuality?
I can’t say that I’ve ever heard the mention of such an absurd
thought, but I unfortunately can’t say the same for
homosexuality.
A 21-year-old boy, Makvan Mouloodzadeh, was executed in Kermanshah,
Iran on December 5th because of the following: he supposedly had
sex with another boy when he was 13 years old. (I know, oh
gasp….execution for things like mass murder or genocide are
apparently so out of style) In Iran, it’s common to accuse
individuals of rape as a cover for homosexual sex. This boy’s
parents weren’t even notified until after the hanging. I imagine
that most of you reading are parents or will soon be…..how
backwards of a case is this? As the article states, “Some international gay
rights groups believe that more than 4,000 lesbians and gay men
have been executed since the Ayatollahs seized power in 1979. The
government in Tehran has repeatedly denied the reports.” While I
attempt to keep an open mind that all cultures have different
languages, customs, and traditions—is it so crazy to expect that
respect and humility could and should cross those borders?
It’s unfair that children have to die for absolutely ridiculous
charges like these…. simply because some powerful people in Iran
learned to hate.
“This is a shameful and outrageous travesty of justice and
international human rights law,” said Paula Ettelbrick,
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission’s executive
director. We can start making changes by learning more about the
LGBT issues that we face around the globe. Learn more about the
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission by clicking
here.