I cannot imagine Iranian teens actually admitting to being homosexual on a government survey...
This is the must surprising fact for me. It must have been convincingly anonymous.
Now watch anti-gay government figures blame the decrease in chastity on LGBT.
On a related note, an Indian/Middle Eastern guy (couldn't tell exactly) gave me the most lustful look ever me while I was shopping at Target a month ago.
Homosexuality is more than common in Arabian countries actually... earlier this year I went to Turkey with my family and some dude tried to flirt with my dad. He was like
I think that's the highest percentage I've ever seen
I had a class where they say 1/3 of people are homosexual. And that homosexuality is more common on women. The source was the WHO, I don't know if it's true tho.
I know the UK has a somewhat high percentage when it comes to University students, I believe Cambridge University has around 20% of their students who identify as gay. But for a country such as Iran it is much more shocking, you do find that the younger generations of these countries are far more liberal and open with their sexuality, which is a great sign.
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I go to a Catholic sixth form and 27% of students identify as LGBT. Change is slow, but it's so great to witness.
The notion of homosexuality in the Middle East is different from that in the West. The fact that a man has sex with another man has little to do with his sexual orientation or “gayness.” Homosexual act only fulfills a desire or a need, but it doesn’t constitute an identity nor it strips a man of his masculinity, as long as he is in the “top,” or active role. Not all Middle Eastern mem that have sex with another men label themselves as homosexuals. Many of them are just simply hard up for sex, looking to break their abstinence in whatever way they can.
I'm not sure if that would be entirely accurate. I think a lot of gay supporters would have identified as gay in the survey to make their friends' presence seem stronger, so that laws regarding homosexuality can become more liberal.