In a July 15, 2019 article in the Qatari daily Al-Sharq titled "Trying to Look like Women," journalist Ahmad Al-Mohannadi warned against what he called the "moral perversions" of homosexuality and transgenderism that he said were spreading in Qatari society. He attributed these phenomena to young people keeping "bad company," being indulged by their parents and particularly by their mothers, and living extravagantly. He warned especially against young people spending time away from home, at hotels, house parties or on trips abroad, which provide opportunities for engaging in homosexual behavior. Al-Mohannadi urged to promote awareness of this phenomenon by turning a media spotlight on it, and called on all relevant elements – parents, schools and even the security apparatuses – to fight it by every possible means.

The following are excerpts from his article:[1]



Ahmad Al-Mohannadi (Source: alyoum.info)

"Sadly, some moral perversions that society opposes have begun to appear in our [country], and have become a phenomenon that must be fought by every possible means. I refer to the phenomenon of 'ladyboys' or of 'the third gender.' We know that in all societies there are transgressions by individuals, but when these transgressions multiply and become a phenomenon that keeps families awake at night, the relevant authorities must fight it in every possible way. Children in high school and even middle school fall victim to this spreading phenomenon, and in some cases their only crime may be that they fell into bad company. If we survey high and middle schools, we hardly find a single school that does not have some teen boys who try to look like girls, and many of the [other] students know them and can point them out. These homosexual [teens] rent holiday villas in which they engage in singing and dancing, and in the fornication that follows such activities. But a teen's recognition of these inclinations [become evident] when he begins to wear tight clothing, and later advances to wearing a wig, styling his eyebrows and wearing makeup, until he eventually starts dressing like a woman... buying evening dresses and covering it all up with an 'abaya [a traditional robe worn by both men and women]. Sometimes he wears these clothes [only] outside the home, prowling the markets and malls hunting for [other] teens.

"The more dangerous stage [comes] when he spends more than one day away from home, on a vacation or weekend at a hotel or in the home of one of his friends. Some [young people even] travel abroad to undergo plastic surgery [such as] breast enhancement and the like...

"Some families are unable to deal with this issue or else discover it late, when their son is already badly afflicted with this illness and can no longer shake it off, or when he is afraid of his friends' [reaction] because his name has become associated with shameful acts from which he cannot dissociate himself.

"Why have we reached this point? The reason is [teens falling into] bad company, as well as excessive spoiling by their parents, usually by the mother, because the father is busy. [Other causes are parents'] divorce, [parents'] inability to raise their children properly, extravagant lifestyle, lack of self-reliance, wastefulness, introversion, avoiding male company, and other factors.

"What is the solution? I believe we must keep a close eye on our boys and verify who their friends are, and if we notice that these friends wear tight clothing we must nip the friendship in the bud... In addition, [we must] forbid them to receive gifts or money from anyone, for [people's] image can change and someone we regarded as an angel can reveal his true face and immediately become a devil and bloodsucker.

"In addition, the role of the school is to be strict, rather than lenient, with any student it suspects [of such leanings], and to monitor him. If he turns out to be a 'homosexual,' [the school must] not only suggest he see a social worker but also refer him to a psychologist and suggest [that he consult] a religious mentor, and finally take deterring action against him as a lesson to others.

"As for the other relevant authorities – the Preventive Security Department and the authorities in charge of fighting this disease – they must raid [the homosexuals'] hideouts, even if they are on someone's private property, no matter who he is, for the good of the collective supersedes the good of the individual. I hope that religious awareness of this phenomenon will be spread and that the media will turn a spotlight on it..."