In July of 2014, a 24-year-old Saudi man was sentenced to three years in jail and 450 lashes after he was caught using Twitter to arrange dates with other men. In November of 2014, another Saudi man, 30, was found guilty of having nude photos of himself and sharing those photos with men on social media. He was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay $26,000. In February 2015, a group of young men in the 20’s were arrested for playing loud music and dancing “inappropriately” at a private party. An unnamed official stated that such behavior can “lead to immorality and even homosexuality.” As late as August 2014, several men were executed in Iran. While the exact reason for their execution remains unknown, it has been suggested that they were hanged because they were “sodomites.” These are just a few examples of the unconscionable treatment of homosexuals by the state. Rest assured that private entities also discriminate against the LGBT community in these Islamic countries. Yet, when it comes to the punishment of real criminals, these nations are often much more forgiving.
As I mentioned previously, two Saudi police officers raped two young pilgrims, ages 14 and 15. As punishment, these two rapists were sentenced to one thousand lashes and four years in jail – sentences on par with those handed to those accused of homosexuality. It is important to keep in mind that while these punishments may be comparable, the “crimes” were not. On the one hand, there are two pedophilic-rapists who actually committed a crime. On the other hand, there are consenting adults who did nothing more than embrace their identity and express their affection for other consenting adults. Pedophiles and rapists deserve the harshest of punishments. Homosexuals, bisexuals, and transgenders, however, deserve the same respect and treatment as every other lawful individual in a society.