Iranian Cleric Blasted For Alleging COVID-19 Vaccine Turns People Gay

The last thing that people need right now is misinformation on the different COVID-19 vaccines available in the market. With the pandemic getting out of hand, most want to read credible reviews tied to each one rather than criticism. Unfortunately, some remain negative about the potential cure and make outlandish claims.

This appears to be the case when an Iranian cleric made a claim that was deemed senseless. According to Ayatollah Abbas Tabrizian, people should not go near people who have been administered the vaccine because they have become homosexuals, the Jerusalem Post reported.

It was a claim that lacked backing and something that would usually be ignored. But the reality is that the Islamic had a large following on Telegram and one can imagine how this “false” information could radically spread on social media.

“Don’t go near those who have had the COVID vaccine. They have become homosexuals,” Tabrizian’s post on social media read.

With lack of backing, Tabrizian unsurprisingly got his share of criticism. That included Sheina Vojoudi, an Iranian dissident who fled the Islamic Republic of Iran due to repression. She feels that the cleric might be suffering from a shortage of knowledge and a lack of humanity. She also added that the cleric may be relating to the shortage of sexuality like other cleric regimes in Iran.

But most of all, the obvious intent is to scare people so that they would not take the COVID-19 vaccine. This is although leaders and other officials have already been vaccinated.

LGBTQ+ and human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell branded Tabrizian’s efforts are a combination of scientific ignorance and crude appeal to homophobia. Worse, he is putting lives at risk with his acts by creating misleading information that could hamper efforts to place the coronavirus under control.

“He’s demonizing both the vaccination program and LGBT+ people without a shred of evidence,” Tatchell said. “By seeking to scare the public into not getting vaccinated against COVID-19, he is fueling the pandemic and putting lives at risk.