Homophobic, Misogynistic Muslim Singer From Lebanon Accepts Invitation to Sing in Ottawa

As long as he's not a white neo-Nazi, it's okey-dokey, right, Babsy?

In 2012, [homophobic Lebanese singer Mohamed] Eskander, he released yet an even bolder song “Dod El 3enf” (Against Violence) which is a slogan used by LGBT to promote awareness against discrimination; to the same extent that Iskander mocks the plight of women rights in Lebanon, he does the same with LGBT rights. The song portrays a fight between a parenting couple because of their son’s sexual orientation and blaming the separation of his parents on the son’s homosexuality.

He goes on further to ridicule the young man with feminine mannerisms and suggests that men lost their masculinity since they stopped enlisting in the army. The song further encourages violence against boys displaying any feminine traits and the video clip features a wide array of gay stereotypes, including sexual intercourse in washrooms and boys wearing women’s heels and playing with dolls.

It is unsurprising then that in Mr. Eskander’s country – where he is of course not censored for any of the above – homosexuality is a considered a crime under article 534 of the penal code, and recently it was reported on BikyaMasr.com that security authorities raided a cinema frequented by gay men after another media celebrity – MTV channel host Joe Maalouf – demanded authorities to act upon it in live television.
This sparked outrage and protests because of the “tests of shame” performed on the detainees to determine their homosexuality, yet two more men were arrested later in the month under suspicion of homosexuality, at the same time that Beirut was being terrorized by an armed gang with the purpose of kidnapping Syrian and pro-Syrian activists and the authorities stood idly watching.

None of this would be of interest outside Lebanon, weren’t it for the fact that Mr. Eskander, who has a standing record of homophobic and sexist slurs, was invited to perform in Canada, at Place Vertu Center on September 1, 2012 and at restaurant Mazaj in Ottawa on September 2, 2012. Lebanese LGBT-advocacy organization HELEM – that has a chapter in Montreal, Canada – has strongly condemned the invitation in the strongest terms.

And if any chicks or lesbians happen to heckle his performance, he's allowed to heckle right back (because he's not, you know, a white guy who's inherently racist by virtue of his skin colour*).

*As our "human rights" dogma sees it.