Queers for Palestine Receive a Reality Check

Queers for Palestine got a little reality check today.

Our ambassador in Iran was given a dressing down for an Instagram post promoting homosexuality.

You see, homosexuality is illegal in the Islamic Republic of Iran. And by illegal, I mean, the Islamists will hang you by the neck for it.

And that might be considered lenient. 

In other parts of the Muslim world, they’ll stone you to death or throw you off a building for being gay.

As a side note, the gay community in Israel enjoy rights not even afforded in many Western nations. But, let’s not allow facts to get in the way of contempt for Israel.

Perhaps our ambassador in Iran, Ian McConville, had been drinking the Queers for Palestine cool aid.

A photo of McConville – wearing purple and sharing purple cup-cakes – was posted on the official “Australia in Iran” Instagram account in support of Wear it Purple Day.

Wear it Purple Day is an annual LGBTQIA+ awareness day to celebrate and promote all things queer.

The Instagram post was captioned, in Persian so the locals could read it …

“Celebrating Wear it Purple Day with a splash of purple in every corner, and some delicious cupcakes made with love.

“Today, and every day, we’re dedicated to creating a supportive environment where everyone, especially LGBTQIA+ youth can feel proud to be themselves.

“Let’s keep championing diversity and inclusion for a brighter, more inclusive future.”

The post, which naturally included a Pride Flag flown at so many Pro-Palestinian rallies around our country – was liked by about 3000 people.

But to the surprise, I am sure, of Queers for Palestine, the Ayatollah was not one of them.

Does the Supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran not like cupcakes? 

Maybe purple’s just not his colour?

The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned our embassy for promoting homosexuality which it described as “abnormal” conduct.

According to Iranian news agencies, our officials were told …

“The content published by the Australian embassy is insulting and contrary to Iranian and Islamic tradition, customs and culture.”

Well this news will surely come as an enormous shock to all those protestors we see on the streets of Sydney and Melbourne waving their rainbow flags alongside Palestinian flags as if they were bedfellows.

It seems gay rights and Palestinian rights are linked only in the fertile imaginations of those who enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought. 

This of course raises an awkward question for the LGBTQ community in this country. How do they reconcile their support for Iran’s proxy Hamas with Iran’s anti-gay laws?

Iran is happy to accept the support of gay activists on the streets of Sydney and Melbourne, but won’t accept even a gay cupcake on the streets of Tehran.

This should give Queers for Palestine something to ponder. 

I’m looking forward to seeing all those university students on campus tomorrow protesting the homophobic Iranian government.

Meanwhile, federal government Minister Murray Watt told the ABC he was upset by the Iranian reaction to our purple cupcakes …

“I am concerned to see this reaction from the Iranian government to the activities of the Australian embassy.

“We’re very proud about the fact that our embassies promote Australian values internationally.

“And I’m very concerned to see an overseas government seemingly take action against an Australian embassy that is upholding Australian values.”

Too right Mr Watt. You learn a great deal about the values of a nation by listening closely to what comes out of their embassy.

Speaking of which …

It’s exactly a month ago that our government summoned Iran’s ambassador to Australia to explain his social media post – calling, not for Wear it Purple Day, but for wipe out Israel Day. Cupcakes not included.

Iran’s Ambassador wrote that

"Wiping out the Zionist plague out of the holy lands of Palestine happens no later than 2027".

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at the time the comments were abhorrent, hateful, anti-Semitic, and had not place in Australia.

Well, unless you’re at one of the Pro-Palestinian marches that happen every other weekend.

But wait. When the Iranian ambassador posted that Israel should be eliminated, wasn’t that just Iran’s embassy promoting Iranian values?

We value tolerance. They value the wiping out of Israelis from the Middle East. 

And yet the Albanese Government continues to insist that Israel must negotiate a ceasefire agreement with Hamas – which as they know very well is nothing but an extension of Iran, whose spokesman here openly touts for the elimination of Israel.

Support for a Hamas-controlled Palestine is a very queer thing indeed.