It appears to be a generally accepted idea that Islam increases intolerance of homosexuality. The more devout the Muslim, the more intolerant they are of homosexuality. According to Glas and Spierings, the reality is more nuanced.
Distinguishing between homosexuality and homosexuals
In their research, they made a distinction between attitudes towards homosexuality and homosexuals. Most of the survey respondents (48%) condemn homosexuality and object to having homosexual neighbours. However, about one in five would not object to having homosexual neighbours.
The average Arab Muslim clearly has a more negative view of homosexuality than homosexual people. “It’s a fairly common religious belief to see homosexuality as a sin, but that doesn't mean you don’t tolerate homosexual people in your environment,” explains sociologist Saskia Glas.
Different religious aspects
As part of their research, Glas and Spierings examined whether different religious aspects could explain these attitudes. This revealed more differences in the way someone expresses their faith and their opinion on homosexuality and homosexuals. “But one aspect of being religious – piety – makes Muslims more negative about both homosexuality and homosexuals. The other aspects of religion we examined resulted in more positive views of homosexuality or homosexuals,” says Glas.
Interestingly, Muslims who visit mosques regularly prefer not to have homosexual neighbours but don't have a problem with homosexuality in general. However, devout Muslims often condemn the very notion of homosexuality. And Muslims who believe that Islam emphasises altruism over ceremonies are far less concerned about having gay neighbours yet still condemn homosexuality.
Obstacle to tolerance?
The results show that Islam can be an obstacle to tolerance, but not always. The devoutness of Arab Muslims does not always translate into a more negative view of homosexuality and homosexuals. “It's unfair to say that Islam breeds antipathy towards homosexuals, as some social public debates suggest,” says Glas. “The way you experience and live your faith affects your views on homosexuality.”
The debate in the Netherlands often suggests that Islam and homosexuality are like oil and water, with specific reference to Arab countries. This research demonstrates how short-sighted this opinion is. “By assuming that Islam and acceptance of homosexuality are fundamentally opposed, we are suppressing alternative interpretations of Islam and making life harder for homosexual Muslims,” says Glas.
The research is based on the World Values Survey. In this survey, which has been administered since 1981, people are asked to complete questionnaires in person about their views on issues like male-female relationships, homosexuality, religion, politics and other social matters. This study surveyed 9,000 participants in eight Arab countries (Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Tunisia and Yemen) from the period 2012 to 2014.
The study was financed by the NWO.
Photo: Jennifer Griffin via Unsplash.