Iraqi media commission orders 'sexual deviance' replace 'homosexuality' in all coverage

On August 9, 2023, the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission (هيئة الإعلام والاتصالات) issued an official directive to all licensed media outlets in Iraq, ordering them to:

1. Replace the term “homosexuality” (المثلية الجنسية, al-mithliyya al-jinsiyya) with “sexual deviance” (الشذوذ الجنسي, al-shudhūdh al-jinsī) in all news, programming, and social media output.
2. Replace “gender” (الجندر) with “sex” (الجنس) — flattening the linguistic distinction that allows discussion of trans identity.
3. Avoid coverage that “contradicts public morals” or “promotes” what the directive describes as deviant behavior.

The directive applied to print, broadcast, and online media operating under Iraqi licenses. Penalties for non-compliance included license suspension or revocation. Foreign correspondents covering Iraq were not directly bound by the directive but face informal pressure from the same authorities.

Why this matters

Beyond the obvious censorship, the terminology shift accomplishes several things:

• Re-pathologizes LGBTQ+ identity in the public language. “Deviance” is not a neutral category; it is a moral verdict baked into the word itself.
• Removes “gender” from public discourse. Without the word, trans identity becomes harder to even discuss in Arabic-language Iraqi media. Readers searching for affirming content in Arabic find only condemnatory framing.
• Sets the rhetorical stage for the legal criminalization that followed in April 2024 (see Law No. 14). When a population is consistently described as “deviant” in mainstream media, criminalization becomes politically easier.

Impact on practical safety

• Search engine results in Arabic for queer-related terms increasingly return only hostile content. Readers in Iraq searching for affirming information have to use English or VPN-routed queries.
• Social media moderation in Iraq has shifted to flag the older neutral term as “appropriate” only in negative contexts. Posts using الشذوذ in supportive framing have been reported as violations.
• Journalists who continue to use المثلية without modification have faced pressure, and some independent outlets relocated their hosting and editorial operations outside Iraq.

What you can do

• When sharing or producing Arabic-language content about LGBTQ+ topics, use المثلية (or كوير for queer broadly) and refuse the deviance framing.
• For accessible affirming sources in Arabic, see our guide to LGBTQIA+ basics and the Arabic neopronoun guide.
• If you are a journalist or content creator: consider hosting outside Iraq if your work covers LGBTQ+ issues in Arabic.

The directive remains in force as of this writing.