Campaign against masculine women

[cynical lady]

Lets blame the west and globalisation?

 

Cross about cross-dressing

Is it a wicked Western habit that should be stopped?

 

Jan 28th 2010 | DOHA | From The Economist print edition

 

CROSS-DRESSING is on the rise among young Qataris. The local press says that more tradition-minded locals are upset by the growing number of young women affecting a masculine style of dress, baggy trousers, short hair and deep voices. These women, who call themselves boyat, which translates as both tomboy and transsexual (and is derived from the English word boy), are being seen in schools and on university campuses where some are said to harass their straiter-laced sisters.

 

In an episode of a talk show on Qatari television, called Lakom al Karar (The Decision is Yours), a leading academic said that the “manly women” phenomenon was part of a “foreign trend” brought into Qatar and the Gulf by globalisation. Foreign teachers, the internet and satellite television have been blamed. So have foreign housemaids, for badly influencing children in their care.

 

The studio audience was divided over how to respond. Some called for the death penalty for cross-dressers, while others favoured medical treatment. A rehabilitation centre for Qatari boyat has been set up, but a local report says that as many as 70% of them refuse to give up their “abnormal behaviour”.

 

It is not just Qataris who are rattled. A year ago the ministry of social affairs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched a campaign against “masculine women”. The project, entitled “Excuse me, I’m a girl”, involved workshops, lectures and television programmes, stressing the virtues of femininity and raising awareness of the presumed dangers of women looking like men. An emirates’ foundation is helping to fund a research project on “gender identity disorder among Emirati youth”.

 

One official describes the “deviant behaviour” of the boyat as a “menace” to society. But others sound less fazed. An American university lecturer in the region says the short hair and gym shoes worn by these young women would look perfectly normal on an American campus. That is just what unnerves the traditionalists

[N.O.R.F]

^It is due to western influence and globilisation.

 

A little bit of rabble rousing by the Economist there :rolleyes:

[cynical lady]

Care to explain how so @Norf

[Eng.Cadde]

Hey,wait a sec! You almost lost me there! What about the equality of both genders? If a woman decides to dress like man at her own will then we shouldnt condemn her for that? right! There is a lot of hypocrity there,for example,Girls who want to sleep around and do some dirty crazy things are criticized by the society for such behavior.They call them all sort of abnoxious names imaginable on the other hand,when boys go about screwing up they are called "REAL MEN".isnt that an Ugly hypocritical stand? I think that we need feminists to "Enlighten" these Girls of the equality of sexes.

[N.O.R.F]

Originally posted by cynical lady:

Care to explain how so @Norf

This wasn't the case 20 years ago. In that time MTV, the internet and ease of movement has influenced what people wear and how they think (the generational gap?). Western clothes have made their way into the shops and people are buying their clothes. This includes the men as well.

[Maxaatiri]

How short is short hair? How baggy are these trousers? What exactly is wrong with wearing trainers? A part from the deep voice, they could be talking about me, and believe me , noone confuses me for a man just because of some baggy jeans!

 

I think its Arab hot air, the women there are having an allergic reaction to the horrendous Arab garb (which forces all women to look like identikits of one another) and gender defined roles in society. If they stop blaming foreign house help and look a little closer to home, maybe they can treat the allergy.

[cynical lady]

it always amazes me how society is soo acceptable of men adapting to modernity and when women do so its viewed as a process of westernisation/cultural crisis.

 

Norf- By western clothes you mean trousers, shirts, jeans etc?? And in this case will i be right to say...We’re questioning this surge of westernisation process because it’s the women who are wearing them? And we shouldn’t question/mount similar campaign to bring back men cultural attire?

 

I agree 20yrs this wasn’t the case. But 20yrs ago women’s rights/mobility and rights over what should go over their own bodies was severely regulated. Thus weren’t allowed to exercise their right of choice in all sorts of matters, let alone what they should wear. Wouldn’t you agree?

 

And yes i do agree the process of cultural globalisation isn’t a new phenomenon, but rendering all social/cultural changes as “western” is a bit redundant in my books. Men have long recognised that some cultural clothes are best left for cultural events/at the past but similar considerations are denied for women. Women are still forced to adhere to restrictive cultural norms that dictate what women ought to wear/not.

 

P.s waiting to see a fraax in macawis out and about

[ailamos]

I never thought I would say this but I completely agree with Eng.Cadde here.

[Chocolate and Honey]

The studio audience was divided over how to respond. Some called for the death penalty for cross-dressers, while others favoured medical treatment. A rehabilitation centre for Qatari boyat has been set up, but a local report says that as many as 70% of them refuse to give up their “abnormal behaviour”.

Alla beerkaa i xanuunay LMFO!! Carabta waa dad waalan walee. Death penalty for wearing baggy jeans and a short hair?

But to be fair, some do look a little too masculine with short, short hair, "boyfriend" trousers and the "boyfriend" shirt. I find a bit repulsive but hey, it is their choice.

[Blessed]

The Economist is simplifiying the issue as it's mostly lesbians / laymoonaat who dress like that, it's not just about baggy jeans and trainers.. I remember reading something about them harrasing other women on ladies only days @ the beach. LOL.

[Geel_jire]

Originally posted by cynical lady:

it always amazes me how society is soo acceptable of men adapting to modernity and when women do so its viewed as a process of westernisation/cultural crisis.

are you serious ? war ilayn no matter how absurd the cause, you will find someone to champion it.

 

Modernity ? this is deviant behavior nothing modern about it. This is not specific to women they have all been cursed (men who dress/act like women and women who act/dress like men)

 

not every issue is about how the evil men are subjugating poor women you know.

 

 

1631. Ibn 'Abbas said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, cursed effeminate men and masculine women."

 

In one variant, "The Messenger of Allah cursed men who made themselves look like women and women who made themselves look like men." [al-Bukhari]

 

1632. Abu Hurayra said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, cursed any man who wears women's clothes and any woman who wears men's clothes." [Abu Dawud]

[N.O.R.F]

Norf- By western clothes you mean trousers, shirts, jeans etc??

Yes.

 

And in this case will i be right to say...We’re questioning this surge of westernisation process because it’s the women who are wearing them?

According to this article the Qatari people are questioning it yes. They have their reasons (religion and culture) and are entitled to express their opinions. However, I doubt the article is accurate in that people are calling for beheadings (a predictable nugget inserted to entertain it's uninformed readership).

 

And we shouldn’t question/mount similar campaign to bring back men cultural attire?

The men in Qatar are still wearing their dishdasher/khamiis. The ones in Kuwait have been wearing jeans and western clothing for years. They were also scrutinised in the same way.

 

All in all, such issues boil down to the perceived modesty Muslim women are expected to keep/adhere to in a Muslim country. The laws are different to the EU, the culture is different (more conservative) and the older generation (who control the media/cultural establishments) didn't go through the same process when they were younger.

 

The country has developed more in the last 10 years than it did in the previous 200.

[5]

Originally posted by chocolate & honey:

But to be fair, some do look a little too masculine with short, short hair, "boyfriend" trousers and the "boyfriend" shirt. I find a bit repulsive but hey, it is their choice.

My sister once said of a girl: "he's very cute". The "boy" in questin was a girl who looked and even sounded exactly like a boy. I think 'repulsive' is a little too mild an expression.

 

Besides, short hair is only acceptable if you look like Amelle Berrabah, ie have stunning features. And lets be honest Qataris, you don't.

[cynical lady]

Hello Blessed…hope all is well on your end and not being harassed at the beach.

 

I know its simplifying the issues, its Economist after all. But that doesn’t wash-out the issue all together does it. Anyhow I refuse to believe that lesbians are the only sect of women who dress like that; I for one could wear something along those lines and not be a lesbian. A dress code doesn’t define one’s sexuality. Yes they might be a strong tendency for women of such to dress in manly fashion…but I question the definition of “manly” in this case. Anyhow did you see the severity of the punishment?

 

As for the “harassment” come on there only doing what men have done for centauries. Nayaaa caali is equally harassing.

 

GJ- I make a point not to respond to people who frame their responses around religion.

[Chimera]

Originally posted by Eng.Cadde:

Hey,wait a sec! You almost lost me there! What about the equality of both genders? If a woman decides to dress like man at her own will then we shouldnt condemn her for that? right! There is a lot of hypocrity there,for example,Girls who want to sleep around and do some dirty crazy things are criticized by the society for such behavior.They call them all sort of abnoxious names imaginable on the other hand,when boys go about screwing up they are called "REAL MEN".isnt that an Ugly hypocritical stand? I think that we need feminists to "Enlighten" these Girls of the equality of sexes.

I have been wondering the same thing about certain double standards in males & females for a long time aswell. Women clearly have the same intellectual abilities as men, some might even say they are superior due to their multi-tasking and their high level of mental endurance, but do they on average have the same strength as men? I do know that they have the potential to become stronger than the average male(see female weightlifters/bodybuilders and what they can lift), but the average man is physically more powerful than the average woman, which is why most people would laugh if a man told someone that he was raped by a woman(despite the seriousness of that incident), or take for example Football, even in this day and age of equality women don't play in male leagues, because of the clear physical difference.

 

I'm personally not attracted to masculine women.