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‘Not Acceptable’: UAE Citizens Furious At US Embassy For Flying ‘Pride’ Flag

   DailyWire.com
UK Pride Month 2021
Edward Smith/ Getty Images

The American embassy in the United Arab Emirates drew criticism from residents of the Middle East for flying a rainbow “Pride” flag.

As CNBC reported, the United States and the United Kingdom are the first nations to fly a Pride flag at their diplomatic missions in the Arab Gulf. Currently, Article 354 of the United Arab Emirates’ criminal code states that “whoever uses coercion in having sexual intercourse with a female or sodomy with a male shall be sentenced to capital punishment.”

Earlier this week, the U.S. Mission to the U.A.E. tweeted that “on the anniversary of Stonewall, a milestone in the American civil rights movement, the U.S. Mission shows its support for the dignity and equality of all people.”

Middle Eastern social media users were not happy.

“More western cultural imperialism,” tweeted one commenter.

“I just want a reasonable appointment time to get a replacement visa,” quipped another.

A similar move from the United Kingdom’s embassy caused “a major stir,” as journalist Ashleigh Stewart reported. “The commentary is a real mix of ‘wow, proud’ and ‘this is a national disgrace.’”

 

“This is not acceptable,” replied one Emirati to the British embassy. “We consider this as an insult and disrespect.”

“Disrespect the whole country with this childish action,” said another.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken also announced that his department would fly the “Progress” flag — a variation of the rainbow Pride flag that incorporates black and brown stripes for ethnic minorities, as well as blue and pink for transgenderism — toward the end of June.

Although Blinken permitted the Pride flag and its variations, the Defense Department refrained from any such action on its bases.

“After some careful consideration, the department will maintain the existing policy regarding the display” at military bases, Defense Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters. “There won’t be an exception made for the Pride flag.”

Nevertheless, the Defense Department is now offering — at taxpayers’ expense — “medically-necessary transition-related care” for servicemembers identifying as transgender.

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