This is the week when I have to draw a cartoon before Election Day that won't get published until after Election Day, so its topic is far afield from the narrowly averted (or at least briefly postponed) fascist take-over of the U.S. government.
News reports last weekend warned that LGBTQ+ fans attending the World Cup in Qatar might risk arrest and prison if caught kissing in public. Homosexuality is still a crime there, and officials caution that one must be "respectful" of local mores.
I generally try to have inclusivity in mind when drawing these cartoons. Setting this cartoon at the World Cup certainly opened the drawing up to a multicultural cast of characters. I wasn't sure, however, if the Qataris would allow female fans to sit in the same section as male fans. And of course, there's the whole matter of how covered up any women in the stands would be required to dress in the desert heat.
So maybe the Swede in the back is a woman. Or not. Or possibly yes now, but not from birth. Go ahead and write your own back story for every character shown. Last time I checked, it's still a free country.
But you might want to confirm that for yourself.
Since drawing this cartoon, I've seen reports that Qatar is promising not to imprison same-sex soccer fans caught sharing a little peck, or holding hands, or even waving rainbow flags.
Which still leaves open the risk from ticking off a bunch of Saudi hooligans, and you might want to steer clear of brick walls and piles of stones.
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