Thor's Ban In Bahrain: Religious Or Political?

In 2022, Bahrain banned the blockbuster film 'Thor: Love and Thunder' from cinemas, citing the need to safeguard society's moral values. The film features Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, who expresses romantic feelings towards another female character. This move follows similar restrictions on films featuring LGBTQ characters and relationships in other Gulf countries, including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Thor features LGBTQ+ characters and relationships

Thor: Love and Thunder features LGBTQ+ characters and relationships, which has resulted in its ban in Bahrain and other Middle Eastern countries. The film includes Tessa Thompson's character Valkyrie, who is bisexual and has clear romantic feelings towards another female character. In interviews, Thompson has stated that she portrayed her character as bisexual, and director Taika Waititi shot a brief scene (later deleted) hinting at her sexuality. Valkyrie is one of the MCU's longest-standing and least closeted LGBTQ+ characters.

The film also features Korg, a gender non-specific rock being who has two dads. In the film, Korg reveals that rock babies are born when two rock men hold hands over molten lava, creating new life. This scene is the closest the film comes to a same-sex kiss and has been described as a stand-in for gay love.

While some conservative groups have criticised the film for its LGBTQ+ content, some LGBTQ+ audiences have found it lacking in punch, with no explicit same-sex relationships. However, the film does make explicit that Valkyrie's girlfriend was killed by Hela, which explains her disillusionment in Thor: Ragnarok. Valkyrie is also shown to be interested in the new Jane Foster incarnation of Thor (Natalie Portman).

Bahrain is an oil-rich but conservative Gulf state

Bahrain is a Gulf state with a population of about 27 million, including 7 million expatriate workers. It is a small but oil-rich country, with oil first discovered in the country in 1931. Bahrain has the lowest amount of proven oil reserves by the end of 2020, at 0.007% of the world's total. However, it is also an exporter of natural gas, with its gas reserves being negligible in comparison to other Gulf states.

Bahrain is a conservative Gulf state, with a quasi-monarchical form of government. In recent years, it has experienced political turmoil, with pro-democracy protests taking place since 2011. The country has also faced economic challenges, as it attempts to diversify its economy away from oil. Bahrain's economy is highly dependent on oil exports, which range from about 70% to 90% of total exports.

In terms of foreign relations, Bahrain has been a part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) since 1981, along with other Gulf states. However, there have been internal contradictions among the GCC member states, with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates withdrawing their ambassadors from Qatar in 2014 due to disagreements over Qatari meddling in their internal affairs and support for the Muslim Brotherhood.

In terms of social values, Bahrain, like other Gulf states, considers the topic of sexual freedom highly taboo. This is reflected in its decision to ban the Hollywood blockbuster "Thor: Love and Thunder," citing the need to "safeguard society's moral values." The film features a character who expresses romantic feelings towards another female character.

The country is seeking to modernise its image

Thor: Love and Thunder, the fourth instalment of the Thor franchise, has been banned in Bahrain. The film features Tessa Thompson's character "Valkyrie" expressing romantic feelings towards another female character. The ban has been implemented by the Information Affairs Ministry, which has cited the need to preserve and protect societal moral and religious values.

This ban aligns with similar decisions made by other Gulf states, including Kuwait, which cited "scenes involving homosexual characters" as the reason for prohibiting the film. The UAE, however, has chosen to continue screening the film, despite also imposing restrictions on LGBTQ+ content in other films.

While the Gulf region is known for its oil wealth, it is also conservative in its social values and attitudes. The topic of sexual freedom, in particular, remains highly taboo in these countries. Despite this, there is a concurrent desire to modernise their international image, which has resulted in a complex dynamic between tradition and innovation.

Bahrain's decision to ban Thor: Love and Thunder reflects a tension between these two impulses. On the one hand, the country seeks to present itself as a modern and progressive nation, open to international investment and tourism. On the other hand, it must also navigate the cultural and religious values of its society, which remain highly influential in shaping policy.

The country's leadership has embarked on a series of communication campaigns aimed at showcasing Bahrain as a forward-thinking and dynamic nation. However, when it comes to issues such as LGBTQ+ representation in media, they have had to balance this modern image with the conservative values of their constituents. This has resulted in a cautious approach, with some concessions to progressive values, but also a willingness to impose restrictions when certain topics are deemed too sensitive or controversial.

MPs in Bahrain called for the ban, citing the country's constitution

In 2017, the release of *Thor: Ragnarok* caused controversy in Bahrain as the film was banned from cinemas across the country. The call for the ban came from Members of Parliament (MPs) in Bahrain, who cited the country's constitution as the basis for their decision.

Bahrain's constitution guarantees freedom of expression and thought, but it also places restrictions on this freedom to protect public morals and maintain respect for religious sentiments. The MPs argued that the portrayal of the god Thor in the movie violated these provisions. They claimed that the character, based on the Norse god of the same name, was a "mockery of divine beings" and could lead people astray from their faith.

The MPs took issue with the light-hearted and comedic tone of the film, which they saw as making a mockery of religious beliefs. They believed that the depiction of Thor, a god with superhuman strength and control over lightning, was not true to the original Norse mythology and was instead a distorted representation that could mislead viewers, especially younger audiences, about religious concepts.

Furthermore, the MPs emphasized that Bahrain is a Muslim-majority country and that Islamic teachings prohibit the worship of any deity other than Allah. They saw the film as promoting polytheism and potentially confusing or influencing viewers, particularly the youth, to stray from Islamic teachings. By citing the country's constitution and emphasizing the protection of public morals and religious values, the MPs asserted that the ban was necessary to uphold the religious foundations of the state and maintain respect for Islamic beliefs.

The decision to ban *Thor: Ragnarok* in Bahrain highlights the country's efforts to navigate between providing freedom of expression and maintaining cultural and religious sensitivities. While the ban was specific to this film, it set a precedent for considering the impact of media content on the country's societal and religious fabric. The incident sparked discussions about the balance between artistic freedom and cultural sensitivities, with some Bahrainis expressing support for the ban to protect their religious values and others advocating for more inclusive and open interpretations of artistic expression.

Other Gulf states have also banned the film

The ban on the film "Thor: Love and Thunder" in Bahrain is part of a wider pattern of censorship in the Gulf region. Other Gulf states have also banned the film, with Kuwait's information ministry ascribing the decision to "scenes involving homosexual characters".

In April 2022, Saudi Arabia requested cuts to "LGBTQ references" in Disney's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness", which was ultimately not screened in the country. The topic of sexual freedom remains highly taboo in Gulf countries, even as they seek to modernise their images through communication campaigns.

In June 2022, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) banned the animated film "Lightyear", which features a same-sex kiss between two female characters. The UAE is the only Gulf nation that is still showing "Thor: Love and Thunder".

These bans reflect a tension between traditional conservative values and the desire to modernise and present a more progressive image to the world. The Gulf states are not alone in their censorship of LGBTQ content in films. In 2022, Malaysia also banned the film "Lightyear" due to a same-sex kiss, and Indonesia cut the scene before releasing the film in theatres.

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