Shifting priorities: Debates over gender and identity take center stage in Lebanon

The global discourse surrounding gender identity, gender fluidity, and sexual orientation, particularly regarding their incorporation into educational curricula for children, has sparked extensive discussions worldwide.

However, the attention in Lebanon that could have been directed toward shaping the fate of the upcoming academic year – a critical decision affecting the future of 300,000 students in the public sector – has been diverted.

The focus has shifted to withdrawing a booklet by Lebanese Education Minister Abbas Halabi from summer school activities.  

The booklet featured the game "Snakes and Ladders" but was withdrawn due to its rainbow color scheme.

Nonetheless, did you know that a natural rainbow consists of seven colors formed by sunlight and rain, whereas the colors of the LGBTQ+ pride flag are six, not seven?

The "Snakes and Ladders" game, pulled by the minister's deputy for education, contained seven colors, akin to the natural rainbow that has appeared for millions of years. This game bears no relevance to the ongoing discourse about gender identity.

Instead of discussing critical reforms such as banking restructuring, financial discipline, or enacting laws to combat child marriage and rape, Lebanon is deliberating bills aimed at criminalizing homosexuality and prohibiting its promotion.

Rather than addressing food security and carcinogenic substances in our food, the discussion has shifted to banning bakeries from offering rainbow-colored cakes under the premise that the rainbow is not a natural occurrence.

Instead of prioritizing rural development, the talk is now centered on the decor of a festival in Faqra simply because it featured the seven-color rainbow.

Some in Lebanon attempt to replicate Western debates incongruent with our reality. They divert our attention from the fact that we reside in a stateless state.

Who in Lebanon is genuinely discussing integrating gender identity into educational curricula? So far, no one.

As autumn approaches, a pertinent question emerges: Will our lawmakers and ministers react fiercely when nature paints its rainbow across the sky during the first rainfall, attempting to stop the rain or dawn? Or will their reaction be fierce when the streets flood due to corruption and neglect?