Kuwait bans Barbie movie, Lebanese minister urges response to the film

In a recent development, Kuwait has enacted a prohibition on the screening of the film Barbie, with the intention of upholding "public ethics and social traditions."

This move closely follows a plea from a Lebanese minister, urging authorities in his nation to prevent the movie from being shown in theaters, citing concerns about its purported "promotion of homosexuality."

Kuwait's decision to ban the film from Warner Brothers, which has achieved global box office earnings surpassing $1 billion since its release, is based on claims that the movie propagates concepts and ideologies that are considered foreign to Kuwaiti society and disruptive to public order, as reported by the official KUNA news agency.

Alongside the Barbie ban, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information also imposed a similar prohibition on the Australian supernatural horror film, Talk to Me.

Meanwhile, in Lebanon, Culture Minister Mohammad Mortada took a stance on Wednesday, disclosing that he had formally appealed to the Lebanese Ministry of Interior to undertake all necessary measures to prohibit the exhibition of Barbie within the nation.

The minister asserted that the film "encourages homosexuality and transsexuality," further alleging that it challenges paternal guardianship, belittles the maternal role, and casts doubts upon the significance of marriage and familial bonds.

In response to Mortada's request, Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi called upon the country's censorship committee, an entity operating under his ministry and traditionally responsible for evaluating censorship-related determinations, to critically evaluate the film and deliver its recommendations.

The movie's scheduled release in Lebanese cinemas, initially planned for August 31, now hangs in the balance as the nation deliberates over its fate.