cta-image

Donate

Donations from readers like you allow us to do what we do. Please help us continue our work with a monthly or one-time donation.

Donate Today
cta-image

Subscribe Today

Subscribe to receive daily or weekly MEMRI emails on the topics that most interest you.
Subscribe
cta-image

Request a Clip

Media, government, and academia can request a MEMRI clip or other MEMRI research, or ask to consult with or interview a MEMRI expert.
Request Clip
memri
Apr 19, 2015
Share Video:

Egyptian Actress Mona Hala: People Are Free to Be Homosexuals; It Is Not My Place to Judge Them

#4891 | 03:14
Source: ON TV (Egypt)

In a recent TV interview, Egyptian actress Mona Hala said that people were free to be homosexuals. "It is not my place to pass moral judgment on people," she said.


Following are excerpts from the interview, which aired on the Egyptian ON TV channel on April 19, 2015.


Mona Hala: I have never classified myself as a "woman." Quite the opposite. As far as I'm concerned, they should delete that filed from our ID cards.


Interviewer: Delete what?


Mona Hala: The "gender" field, where you have to write "male" or "female."


Interviewer: Why?


Mona Hala: Why shouldn't I be treated as a human being? Why does my sex have to be recorded? Why does the government have to know it? Why is it so important whether you are male or female?


Interviewer: Let's say that somebody, because of some interest or another, dresses in woman's clothing, even though he is actually a man. Don't you think it would be better if we knew what his gender is?


Mona Hala: No. I really don't think that it is the government's business.


Interviewer: Why not?


Mona Hala: Because I think that constant labeling of people causes problems.


Interviewer: Somebody might be a homosexual.


Mona Hala: He is free to be one. It is not my place to pass moral judgment on people. It's none of my business.


[…]


[Homosexuality] has existed since ancient times. [Homosexuality] has existed since ancient times. Many people throughout history have been like that, so who are we to judge them? Alexander the Great, who built Alexandria, was [homosexual]. Is that a reason to destroy Alexandria or to change its name?


[…]


Many people, throughout history, were [homosexual]. There are many actors – even here in Egypt, without naming names… Many people [homosexual]. That's the way it is. That's how nature created them.


Interviewer: You mentioned people who are internationally renowned, like Oscar Wilde, Alexander the Great, and others, but when you talked about Egypt, you refused to mention names. I'm not asking for names, but it is because they live in Egypt and you are afraid to mention names?


Mona Hala: Of course I'm afraid, because this is considered slander, and I don't want…


Interviewer: Are you afraid of them or afraid for their safety?


Mona Hala: I'm afraid for them.


[…]


I am opposed to discrimination against any human being, whether on the basis of skin color, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. Anything. It is the same as if, after the [Charlie Hebdo attack] in France by Muslim terrorists, they have prevented all Muslims from entering France. It's not fair.


Interviewer: But they just want to prevent terrorism.


Mona Hala: It doesn't matter. It's the same as preventing all homosexuals from entering Egypt. It's the same point.


Interviewer: You're against this? Have you heard of such a move being planned?


Mona Hala: Yes I have, and I'm against it.


Interviewer: Why?


Mona Hala: Let's say that someone has [homosexuals relations] in his country, and he wants to come to Egypt to see the antiquities and so on – what right do you have to prevent him from doing so? I don't get it.


[…]


[A viewer asks]: "Are you for or against one's religion being recorded in ID cards?" I'm against it, of course.


Interviewer: Why?


Mona Hala: Because I think that the issue of religion causes many problems. One of the reasons for discrimination, and the reason why I cannot live in peace with people, is that they keep asking me about my religion. I don't see why it should bother them.


[…]

Share this Clip: