Saturday, October 25, 2008

Malaysia: Fatwa bans lesbianism and "tomboy" behavior among women

Dhimmi Watch

Short hair is out too. Saudi Arabia, of course -- always at the forefront of this sort of thing -- takes it one step further. Though many Saudi women are overweight, they are discouraged from going to gyms and disrobing around other women, as that too may transform them into lesbians. "Muslims Ban Lesbians In Malaysia," from Sky News, October 24:

The National Fatwa Council also forbade the practice of girls behaving or dressing like boys.

Lesbianism has been banned under an edict issued by clerics in Malaysia who ruled that "tomboy" behaviour was against Islam.

Abdul Shukor Husin, chairman of the council, said many young women admire the way men dress and behave - and branded it a denial of their femininity and a violation of human nature.

He said: "It is unacceptable to see women who love the male lifestyle including dressing in the clothes men wear.

"It becomes clearer when they start to have sex with someone of the same gender, that is woman and woman.

"In view of this, the National Fatwa Council have decided and taken the stand that such acts are forbidden and banned."

Under the edict, girls are forbidden to sport short hair and dress, walk and act like boys.

Male homosexuality - specifically sodomy - is illegal in Malaysia and punishable with up to 20 years in jail.

Well at least they're consistent and not enforcing double standards on the sexes.

Accusations of sodomy have twice been levelled against the opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in what he says are politically motivated attempts to destroy him.

But lawyers say there is no provision banning lesbian sex in Malaysia's civil code.

The latest fatwa appears to be an attempt to push lesbianism towards illegality.

Harussani Idris Zakaria, the mufti of northern Perak state, said the council's ruling was not legally binding because it has not been passed into law, but that tomboys should be banned because their actions are "immoral".

He said: "It doesn't matter if it's a law or not. When it's wrong, it's wrong. It is a sin."

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