Rainbows, drag shows, movies: Lebanon's leaders go after perceived symbols of the LGBTQ+ community
In recent weeks, Lebanon's sharply divided political and religious leaders have come together to fight the LGBTQ+ community BEIRUT -- Rainbows, school books, movies and drag shows have all been targeted in Lebanon in recent weeks as politicians, religious leaders and vigilante groups step up a campaign against the LGBTQ+ community in a country that has long shown relative tolerance. At a time when Lebanon is in the grips of one of the world’s worst economic meltdowns in more than a century, the country and its leaders have been deeply split on how to deal with the crisis. Political factions have been so divided they haven’t been able to choose a new president for 10 months. But in recent weeks they united to fight the LGBTQ+ community. Politicians and religious leaders have intensified a campaign that in many ways mirrors the culture wars in the United States, raising alarm over symbols and trends that might normalize queerness as an existential threat to society. It comes at a ti...