Malaysia’s Minister for Religious Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan, has drawn attention online after suggesting that work-related stress is one of the reasons people are drawn into what he described as the “LGBT lifestyle.” He made the remarks while responding to a question in parliament about LGBT-related issues and statistics in the country.
Hasan said factors such as job stress, social pressure, s+xual experiences, and insufficient religious practice may influence people, referencing a 2017 study. He also noted that the government does not have comprehensive data on the size of the LGBT community. His comments quickly triggered debate and jokes on social media.
