Ghostly Ambiguity

Not a day goes by lately without gay matters making headlines on the global news channels.

The same can be said about the newsstreams coming out of Lebanon, except in our case it’s not about another country opening up marriage rights to same-sex couples or the world’s first official coming out of a major sport’s professional athlete.

On the contrary. As the world progresses steadily on same-sex issues, Lebanon keeps on regressing, one little step after the other.

The top gay-related headline these last few days is about the violent police raid of the Ghost Bar nightclub (the little brother of belated Acid nightclub) that took place last week.

The short-term arrests of 3 people and the humiliating treatments that followed have spurred all kinds of reactions in the media – a mixed bag nicely covered in G-Azzi’s post “With or Against Us”.

Photo taken from L'orient le Jour's website

But as gay rights defenders counter-attack, and as the issue spills over into the broader gay-friendly and human rights community, it does seem that the officials involved such as Dekwaneh Mayor Antoine Chakhtoura  and minister of interior Marwan Charbel are not getting away without virulent criticism on their homophobic attitude.

One of these media reactions I find particularly interesting: Murr TV. Why so, because (it might just be a rumor but) word has it that its presenter Joe Maalouf JUST GOT FIRED from MTV. 

The irony being that, for once, Maalouf had taken in his latest show “Enta Horr” a relatively moderated, less homophobic stance on the Ghost intervention than he had in the past - a new episode well covered here by the folks at Blog Baladi.

This time again, in what is probably a perfect reflection of the society's reaction in general, MTV has just blown away every possible record of ambiguity. 

A humoristic picture that's been circulating. But what if
it's true the guy just got fired?

Or, perhaps one could argue it's actually the exact contrary of ambiguity: 

That by firing Joe Maalouf, MTV management has decided to get rid of any left ambiguity (remember the “counter-accusations” of Joe Maalouf being gay) on where it stands on gay matters. 

I just wish we, as a people, would get even the slightest opportunity to express ourselves on the Big Gay Question through a national vote or something. 

I know the results would probably be bitter to swallow, but nevertheless sweeter than all this media and political nonsense we're  having to take in.