It appears that, after the legendary Margaret Atwood threatened not to show up at Dubai's upcoming International Festival of Literature, the National Media Council has "clarified its stance" regarding the supposedly banned book featuring a gay character. The media council stated:
"It is not our policy to ban any book unless it's crude pornography or it's contemptuous of religion-- whether it's Islam or any religion. Our country is known to be open. More than 70 percent of the population are [non-locals]. They're living freely and openly."
The media council asserted that the book has *not* been banned in the UAE; rather, the decision not to "feature" it in the upcoming festival was the decision of the festival organizer alone.
I'll let you know if Atwood shows up. I always liked that lady!
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