Gay rights jordan
Grindr blocked in Jordan: Shrinking LGBTQ spaces
Maria Xynou (OONI), Arturo Filastò (OONI), My Kali Magazine2023-09-20
Jordan recently blocked access to Grindr — the world’s largest social networking app for gay, bi, trans, and gay people — adding to the list of social media apps banned in the country, including TikTok and Clubhouse.
OONI network measurement data collected from Jordan suggests that ISPs started blocking access to Grindr on August 8th 2023, and that the block remains ongoing.
This report shares OONI data on the blocking of Grindr in Jordan.
Background
Jordan is one of the several Middle Eastern countries where consensual queer sexual acts are not criminalised. Previously, the colonial-era Criminal Code Bill (1936) banned same-sex relations, but this was repealed in 1951 with the enactment of the country’s Penal Code. While queer conduct is technically legal in Jordan, the General Iftaa Department issued a religious ruling (Fatwa) in December 2021, declaring that “homosexuality is illegal under Islamic law”. Such religious rulings are not legally binding, but the General Iftaa Department acts in an advisory capacity to government branches a
Advice for Travelers in Jordan
Whether you are traveling to Jordan with children, with a disability, as an LGBT couple, independently or as part of a voluntary project, we have gathered all the advice for travelers in Jordan and put it into one place.
Travelling with Children
Families are a central part of Jordanian culture and children are highly valued in the community. Foreign visitors with children are equally valued so families should await to be greeted with a big smile on a regular basis. Jordan is a harmless destination for children and local kids often walk to institution and play on the streets unaccompanied.
Most hotels in Jordan cater for young children but always check before booking. Of course, the weather can be intense particularly in summer so families should keep well hydrated and protected from the sun, or, visit during a cooler season. There is plenty to perform for adults and children of all ages including camel rides across the desert, wild camping experiences, snorkeling in the Red Sea and lots of castles and museums to explore.
LGBT Travellers
Jordan is one of the only Middle Eastern countries where homosexuality is legal. That said, same-sex attracted relationships are sti
What's life like for Jordan's LGBTQ community?
Amman, Jordan
Jordan’s stance on LGBT issues is considered one of the more advanced in the Middle East, as criminalization of same-sex relations was removed from country's the Penal Code in 1951. However, decriminalization alone has not ensured complete freedom for members of Jordan's LGBT community. Article Six of the Jordanian Constitution protects citizens from discrimination on the basis of race, language or religion, but these protections do not extend to people of variant sexual identity.
This gray area is where discrimination still manages to compete out in the daily lives of LGBT persons. Nasser*, a 23-year-old who moved to Jordan about a year ago and identifies as a homosexual, has experienced being asked to leave an establishment for displaying affection publicly. “The manager of the prevent approached us and told us that what we were doing is not allowed. I told him that that I understand the laws, and that this is not illegal in Jordan,” he told Global Voices. “He told us, ‘it may be allowed in Jordan, but it’s not allowed in here,’ and then we f
Jordan
In 1951, Jordan abolished a colonial-era ban on same-sex relations, and in 2013, it criminalized honor killings, which may goal LGBTIQ people. Trans person people have been allowed to modify their legal gender markers in some cases, although there is no dispel legal pathway. Jordan allows gender-affirming surgery for intersex individuals but criminalizes such procedures for trans person individuals under Article 8 of the Medical and Health Liability Law (25) of 2018. Jordan’s Cybercrime Law (17) of 2023 criminalizes the “creation, promotion, instigation, or sustain of immorality” online, posing a potential threat to LGBTIQ people. Public decency laws provide legal cover for police and government officials to arbitrarily arrest LGBTIQ Jordanians and shut down events associated with sexual and gender diversity.
There have been numerous reports of discrimination and abuse against LGBTIQ people, often with minuscule legal recourse. Loath speech by politicians is rife, and media depiction of LGBTIQ people is often negative. Common opinion about LGBTIQ people is predominantly negative. According to a 2019 survey, only seven percent of people in Jordan believed that “ho