Wio News: In a step that it said is aimed at upholding its commitment to preserving public ethics and cultural traditions, Kuwait has taken the decision to prohibit the screening of the films Barbie and Talk to Me. The news was reported by the country’s official news agency Kuna. This decision, by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information’s committee, was motivated by the “protection of public ethics and social traditions”. Lafy Al-Subeie, the Undersecretary of the Ministry for Press and Publication and also the head of the committee, explained that the committee observed that both of these films propagate ideas and beliefs that are foreign to Kuwaiti society and contradict established public order.
AI-Subeie further highlighted the committee’s customary practice of scrutinising foreign movies for scenes that might contradict prevailing ethical norms. “While deciding on any foreign movie, the committee usually orders censoring of the scenes that run counter to public ethics. But a film carries alien concepts, message or unacceptable behaviour, the committee decides to bar the stuff in question as a whole (sic),” he said. Kuwait’s action follows Lebanon’s ban on Barbie
While Kuwait’s decision to ban Barbie and Talk to Me didn’t explicitly divulge the specific reasons behind the prohibition, a glance at Lebanon’s concurrent move might offer some insight into the underlying factors. Lebanon’s Culture Minister, Mohammad Mortada, took a stance by prohibiting the film Barbie from being shown in cinemas, citing that the film “promotes homosexuality” and is in contradiction with the nation’s religious values.Barbie centres around its eponymous protagonist, the Stereotypical Barbie, as she embarks on a transformative journey of self-discovery in the real world.