Bisexuality in the Arab world - Definition and Overview

Bisexuality has a universal history. People in most known societies have exhibited varying degrees of bisexuality, and most of what is called homosexuality in previous cultures is in fact bisexuality (it should be noted, however, that the terms heterosexuality and bisexuality, and particularly homosexuality, may not be appropriate in the historical context. In most ancient societies, behaviour was considered homosexual while people were not labeled using such terms. Similarly, heterosexuality and bisexuality are also relatively modern concepts).

In the Arab world, same-sex sexual behavior between men is common; estimates of prevalence vary, with some sources describing it as near-ubiquitous. It is also a topos celebrated by some of the greatest artists of the Middle East, such as the famous poet Abu Nuwas and the Persian painter Riza Abbasi. This is despite prohibitions against homosexual behavior in the Qur'an and severe penalties for offenders in some nations, including the death penalty. The Qur'an however requires that the transgression be witnessed by four men or eight women in order to convict the participants. Therefore, while among Arabs bisexual behaviour is known to be common, and men are not given much trouble about these behaviors so long as they marry and raise families and fulfill other societal duties, it is something which remains very covert, and an open declaration of homosexual preference would be unacceptable. In this way, bisexuality in the Arab world is somewhat similar to the DL culture prevalent in some African-American communities.

It has often been hypothesized that this same-sex behavior may be a consequence of the sexual conservatism in Arab culture which results in women being partially or completely segregated from men, thus removing the opportunity for contact between the sexes prior to marriage.