‘Barbie’ Movie Gets Banned in Lebanon for ‘Promoting Homosexuality’

'Barbie' Movie Gets Banned in Lebanon for 'Promoting Homosexuality'

The Barbie movie isn’t going to be found in Lebanon anytime soon.

The country’s culture minister decided to ban the billion dollar-making film from cinemas as of Wednesday (August 9), saying it “promoted homosexuality” and contradicted religious values.

Mohammad Mortada is backed by the powerful Shia Muslim armed group Hezbollah, whose head Hassan Nasrallah has ramped up anti-LGBT rthetoric, saying it poses an “imminent danger” to Lebanon and should be “confronted,” via Guardian.

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In his statement, he said the film was found to “promote homosexuality and sexual transformation” and “contradicts values of faith and morality” by diminishing the importance of the family unit.

He also asked Lebanon’s general security agency to take the necessary action to prevent the film’s screening.

Ayman Mhanna, executive director at the non-profit civic Samir Kassir Foundation, told Reuters that the decision circumvented the usual censorship process in Lebanon amid “a wave of bigotry.”

“This is part of a broader campaign that is bringing together Hezbollah, the Christian far right, and other top religious leaders in a focused campaign against LGBT people,” he said.

The Barbie movie is also causing a surge in searches for this topic!