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As a gay person I can't safely visit Saudi Arabia either. International events should not happen there.

ghostbrainalpha 9y ago
Hypothetically, is a gay person allowed to visit Saudi Arabia if they don't do anything gay while in the country? Or is a simple history of homosexuality enough to fear imprisonment?
- aptidude187 9y ago
  As a person who visited SA I know for a fact that even among muslims who have homosexual inclinations, that it's not a problem unless one acts upon it or tries to 'propagate' against the established and accepted moral foundations. Not sure about the specifics of the visit rules tho, but I doubt that they would ask you about that, instead they would ask you about your religion.
  - addicted 9y ago
    Well Saudi hypocrisy does not make the Parent any more secure when visiting SA. The fact that they are hypocritical when applying rules to themselves is not really a defense now is it?
- rayiner 9y ago
  Saudi criminal laws aren’t codified. In theory, the Quran is the source of law, with various royal decrees layered on top. In the Quran, it’s actual homosexual acts that are the crime. So simply being homosexual should not, in theory, get you in trouble. But in practice, the CPVPV has wide latitude. People have been arrested for flying a rainbow flag: https://www.google.com/amp/www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-man-arrested-for-flying-pretty-rainbow-flag-unaware-it-symbolised-lgbt-pride-a6955886.html%3famp https://www.google.com/amp/www.independent.co.uk/news/world/.... People have also been arrested for their social media activity: https://www.google.com/amp/www.washingtonblade.com/2016/03/28/report-saudi-authorities-seek-death-penalty-for-coming-out/amp/ https://www.google.com/amp/www.washingtonblade.com/2016/03/2...
  - aptidude187 9y ago
    'People have been arrested for flying a rainbow flag' - Israel killed a wheelchair bound man for waving the Palestinian flag: https://www.rt.com/news/413393-palestinian-wheelchair-killed-idf/ https://www.rt.com/news/413393-palestinian-wheelchair-killed...
    - unbeli 9y ago
      This is bullshit, of course. He wasn't killed for waving a flag. He was killed because he was part of a violent group attacking Israeli soldiers.
      - aptidude187 9y ago
        'Social media have been flooded with videos and photos of Abu Thurayeh a few hours before his death, sitting in his wheelchair and waving a Palestinian flag' - The evidence is crystal clear and available for any honest and rational human being. Edit: 'Hacker News be like: all evidence goes against my narrative and my political views, so I am just gonna downvote and hope it goes away'
        deleted 9y ago
        [deleted]
        sshumaker 9y ago
        This is a war the Palestinians cannot win conventionally, so it is heavily waged through the court of public opinion. Hamas’s bread and butter is exploiting tragedies for propaganda wins, which is why they fire rockets from schools and hospitals. The Israelis for their part have strict engagement protocols, although the cynic in me believes avoiding PR issues is at least as big of a factor as avoiding loss of life. From that realpolitik standpoint, they screwed up here. The fact of the matter is - if you are part of violent protests, even if you are just sitting and waving a flag, you’re taking a risk. The fact that the propaganda machine is now spinning is business as usual, sadly. And gets neither side closer to a resolution.
- abusoufiyan 9y ago
  Keep in mind realities of class and power exist in Saudi Arabia as well. As a guest of the World Chess Championship, you'll be given much more leeway than a regular Saudi citizen.
  - creaghpatr 9y ago
    How rich and/or successful do you have to be to not be imprisoned for being gay in KSA? Is there a specific level of achievement or do you fill out a waiver application?
    - mcguire 9y ago
      Apparently, there is no level to avoid being imprisoned, but if you are suitably wealthy, you will be held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Detainment Facility.
ksk 9y ago
A lot of people can't visit a lot of countries. The list of people deported/denied entry into country X is too long. >International events should not happen there. Why? What is your rationale?
- kyleblarson 9y ago
  A pretty easy litmus test of whether a country is worth visiting: would you be comfortable standing on a corner in a major city with a sign critical of the dominant religion?
  - ksk 9y ago
    That is a poor test, and no travel website AFAIK uses it. Most people don't feel the need to offend someone over their personal beliefs. Its not a useful technique if your goal is to get people to be more inclusive. "Be more tolerant! BTW, F* your god ! "
- nugi 9y ago
  If the point is competetion between all coumtries, excluding some is directly contrary to the goal of an international contest. I find it quite clear.
  - ksk 9y ago
    Which country is being excluded? I have no idea what you're talking about. Are you talking about the article or the comment or some imagined point? The article is about a player voluntarily choosing not going to a country. Its important to note that people can disagree over methods being employed to reduce discrimination.
    - tzs 9y ago
      > Which country is being excluded? Until the very last minute, Saudi Arabia refused to issue visas to any players from Israel, Iran, or Qatar. At the last minute, they allowed players from Iran and Qatar in. They continued to refuse to allow any players from Israel in.

Hypothetically, is a gay person allowed to visit Saudi Arabia if they don't do anything gay while in the country? Or is a simple history of homosexuality enough to fear imprisonment?

aptidude187 9y ago
As a person who visited SA I know for a fact that even among muslims who have homosexual inclinations, that it's not a problem unless one acts upon it or tries to 'propagate' against the established and accepted moral foundations. Not sure about the specifics of the visit rules tho, but I doubt that they would ask you about that, instead they would ask you about your religion.
- addicted 9y ago
  Well Saudi hypocrisy does not make the Parent any more secure when visiting SA. The fact that they are hypocritical when applying rules to themselves is not really a defense now is it?
rayiner 9y ago
Saudi criminal laws aren’t codified. In theory, the Quran is the source of law, with various royal decrees layered on top. In the Quran, it’s actual homosexual acts that are the crime. So simply being homosexual should not, in theory, get you in trouble. But in practice, the CPVPV has wide latitude. People have been arrested for flying a rainbow flag: https://www.google.com/amp/www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-man-arrested-for-flying-pretty-rainbow-flag-unaware-it-symbolised-lgbt-pride-a6955886.html%3famp https://www.google.com/amp/www.independent.co.uk/news/world/.... People have also been arrested for their social media activity: https://www.google.com/amp/www.washingtonblade.com/2016/03/28/report-saudi-authorities-seek-death-penalty-for-coming-out/amp/ https://www.google.com/amp/www.washingtonblade.com/2016/03/2...
- aptidude187 9y ago
  'People have been arrested for flying a rainbow flag' - Israel killed a wheelchair bound man for waving the Palestinian flag: https://www.rt.com/news/413393-palestinian-wheelchair-killed-idf/ https://www.rt.com/news/413393-palestinian-wheelchair-killed...
  - unbeli 9y ago
    This is bullshit, of course. He wasn't killed for waving a flag. He was killed because he was part of a violent group attacking Israeli soldiers.
    - aptidude187 9y ago
      'Social media have been flooded with videos and photos of Abu Thurayeh a few hours before his death, sitting in his wheelchair and waving a Palestinian flag' - The evidence is crystal clear and available for any honest and rational human being. Edit: 'Hacker News be like: all evidence goes against my narrative and my political views, so I am just gonna downvote and hope it goes away'
      - deleted 9y ago
        [deleted]
      - sshumaker 9y ago
        This is a war the Palestinians cannot win conventionally, so it is heavily waged through the court of public opinion. Hamas’s bread and butter is exploiting tragedies for propaganda wins, which is why they fire rockets from schools and hospitals. The Israelis for their part have strict engagement protocols, although the cynic in me believes avoiding PR issues is at least as big of a factor as avoiding loss of life. From that realpolitik standpoint, they screwed up here. The fact of the matter is - if you are part of violent protests, even if you are just sitting and waving a flag, you’re taking a risk. The fact that the propaganda machine is now spinning is business as usual, sadly. And gets neither side closer to a resolution.
abusoufiyan 9y ago
Keep in mind realities of class and power exist in Saudi Arabia as well. As a guest of the World Chess Championship, you'll be given much more leeway than a regular Saudi citizen.
- creaghpatr 9y ago
  How rich and/or successful do you have to be to not be imprisoned for being gay in KSA? Is there a specific level of achievement or do you fill out a waiver application?
  - mcguire 9y ago
    Apparently, there is no level to avoid being imprisoned, but if you are suitably wealthy, you will be held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Detainment Facility.

ksk 9y ago

A lot of people can't visit a lot of countries. The list of people deported/denied entry into country X is too long. >International events should not happen there. Why? What is your rationale?

kyleblarson 9y ago
A pretty easy litmus test of whether a country is worth visiting: would you be comfortable standing on a corner in a major city with a sign critical of the dominant religion?
- ksk 9y ago
  That is a poor test, and no travel website AFAIK uses it. Most people don't feel the need to offend someone over their personal beliefs. Its not a useful technique if your goal is to get people to be more inclusive. "Be more tolerant! BTW, F* your god ! "
nugi 9y ago
If the point is competetion between all coumtries, excluding some is directly contrary to the goal of an international contest. I find it quite clear.
- ksk 9y ago
  Which country is being excluded? I have no idea what you're talking about. Are you talking about the article or the comment or some imagined point? The article is about a player voluntarily choosing not going to a country. Its important to note that people can disagree over methods being employed to reduce discrimination.
  - tzs 9y ago
    > Which country is being excluded? Until the very last minute, Saudi Arabia refused to issue visas to any players from Israel, Iran, or Qatar. At the last minute, they allowed players from Iran and Qatar in. They continued to refuse to allow any players from Israel in.