I was watching al-Jazeera a couple days ago, and caught a report on AIDS. It was a small report, mostly a chat with an expert in the studio. They threw up a graphic on the sources of AIDS transmission (I don't remember if this was supposed to be world-wide or Arab world only). The sources included unknown, blood transfusions, gays (شذوذ), drugs, and by far the largest category: zena (زنا).
First of all, I was surprised that homosexuals were referred to as shuzuz, instead of مثليون, which is usually used in formal writing. The latter word refers to "similar" like the word homo, while shaz means different. Like irregular verbs in grammar are shaz. I thought that word was strictly 'ammiyya, and kind of an insult.
And on the sex. I thought the word zena meant "adultery" but have been told it generally refers to all extra-marital, harram sex. Fornication.
So much for de-stigmitization of HIV/AIDS. Why do you have this disease? Because of dirty, dirty zena, you whore. This despite one of the fastest-growing groups of HIV/AIDS cases is women in (supposedly) monogamous relationships (there's more recent links but I'm lazy).
Friday, December 19, 2008
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Mithliya (المثلية) is only used by Human rights and Homosexual rights advancement groups. The official word in almost all Arab countries would still be (Shuzooz), for no Arab government can afford to admit to the mere existence (let alone, actively stop the dehumanization of homosexuals). And that is obviously reflected in the mainstream media. Al-Jazeera being more conservative-leaning on social issues, comes as no surprise.
Even in official public pamphlets on HIV in Syria, you'll see the word (shuzooz) prominently represented. They do avoid to refer to adultery though, they call it, (Multiple, or numerous sexual relationships).
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