New StatesmanBrian Whitaker
Published 19 July 2007
There is no doubt that many traditional societies feel challenged by new (largely western) ideas about sexuality, gender identity, sexual orientation and the like. There was a time, of course - not very long ago - when such concepts were new in the west, too, but in many parts of the world, especially the Middle East, they have become so closely associated in the popular imagination with "western values" that it is difficult to separate them from broader political conflicts.
