Your kidding about the last picture, right? For a pro-women's rights organisation, to stage such a prestigious event in a country where there are practically no women's rights is a joke.
Your kidding about the last picture, right? For a pro-women's rights organisation, to stage such a prestigious event in a country where there are practically no women's rights is a joke.
Don't feel sorry for them. I believe the dress code is in the Qur'an. I don't feel sorry for Jewish people having to eat Kosher, it's in the Torah, it's their religious law.
this is beyond one's personal religious belief. If they don't obey the dress code they are endangering their life.
people are forcing them to wear it, not god.
It's NOT A CHOICE for them
they have a choice, and they CHOOSE to dress that way...muslims here in the caribbean where it's hot as hell sometimes, dress with EVERYWHERE covered (yes even their eyes) and don't complain...their religious choice is theirs not yours...you observe the sabbath as a jew (if you are really a jew) and you don't eat pork as far as i remember, and you have to eat kosher at some times...and you do it all by choice
they have a choice, and they CHOOSE to dress that way...muslims here in the caribbean where it's hot as hell sometimes, dress with EVERYWHERE covered (yes even their eyes) and don't complain...their religious choice is theirs not yours...
I do think these events can have an influence. I hope with this, more women in arabic countries will stop seeing themselves as wallflowers, and realise they can have succesful carreers as well. Before you flame me, I do realise that many arabic women have succesful carreers as well, but I don't think there's enough of them. I do wish we could see arabic women become a more integral part not only of sports, but of the international scene in general. Hosting events such as this one is a tiny step in that direction...
I visited the Doha tournament in February 2008 and I could not help wondering what those burqua dressed women were thinking when they were watching those quite sexily dressed female players run around on court. I hope they were thinking something like "I hope my daughter might be able to that one day."
The pic with Caro is a major LOL pic, she is showing her legs and everything something that definatly would not be tolerated. :lol:
Women should have the option to wear the burkha however in some cases were it is optional husbands force their wives to wear them. Aren't they actually banned in Turkey.
Yes, women's rights need to improve in the Gulf area and in lot of places in the world, but Western arrogance on this issue is not warranted. Most of the improvements happened in the last 40/50 years, so get over yourselves.
When women are outside the home, or present with non-male relatives, their hair will normally be covered, obeying Mohammed's command to cover your shameful parts. The interpretation of what is shameful is very broad. Some of the more liberal Qataris have started to wear hijab far back on their heads, others allow a fringe to peep through; some cover their hair completely, while others cover their whole face. Even here there is variation; eyes may be open (and heavily decorated with makeup), or closed with sunglasses, or even with thin, see-through cloth. There is debate in the Muslim world over whether covering your face is allowed under Islam, and certainly when women perform the Haj: a pilgrimage that forms one of the five pillars of Islam it is forbidden to cover the face.
Re: Wearing the veil is their culture, therefore, we should respect it.
True. If EVERY woman in these fundamentalist Muslim countries want to be fully covered, we should totally respect that. But the fact is, there are many women in these countries who don't want to go to that extreme. There are moderate Muslim women FORCED by law or by religious establishment to be fully covered. That is a violation of their basic human rights to choose to how they wish to adhere to their religion or what they wish to put on their own bodies. Unfortunately, there are Muslim nations who are extremists and are oppressive to women.
To think that EVERY SINGLE woman in these countries want to be fully covered is ridiculous. Women who don't wish to be fully covered might be in the minority. So does that mean that the minority should be oppressed?
To think that EVERY SINGLE woman in these countries want to be fully covered is ridiculous. Women who don't wish to be fully covered might be in the minority. So does that mean that the minority should be oppressed?
A lot of them really do have a choice. It's so easy for Europeans to stereotype and make your own assumptions but you don't live there and you don't know the whole story.
This coming from a Lebanese person and I do know a fair bit about the Middle East.
A former cashier for The Home Depot who has been wearing a "One nation under God" button on his work apron for more than a year has been fired, he says because of the religious reference. The company claims that expressing such personal beliefs is simply not allowed.
The question "do they have a choice?" is a very wide one. Choice and freedom are on a very broad scale, ranging from:
1. The woman has to wear a veil and her freedom of movement is extremely limited. Her only chance would be to escape the country but she is illerate, doesnt have money, doesnt speak other languages and she would risk severe punishment.
2. The woman has to wear a veil but she is allowed to move around freely and speak to other women. She knows how to read and can gather information from other countries. However, she would still not cope her own and her options are extremely limited.
3. The woman is not legally obliged to wear a veil but there is strong social pressure, maybe also pressure from religious police. Women who dont wear veils risk harassement.
4. The woman is not legally obliged to wear a veil and does not risk any physical harm. However, she is financially and socially dependent on her surrounding and feels strong social pressure.
5. The woman lives in Holland, Sweden or similar country. She could manage on her own but she would risk social exclusion from family and friends if she didnt follow Arabic traditions. She might also receive threats.
But conditions can also vary a lot withina country. In Istanbul, there are many modern Muslim women who enjoy a large degree of freedom. In Eastern Turkey, womens freedom is a lot more limited.
There are no laws in Qatar that says a woman HAS TO wear a veil. In fact there are no laws in Qatar that says a woman has to wear a hijab even. :shrug:
I am sure there are no laws in Qatar saying that the wife has to do the cooking at home. Do you think a Qatar woman can tell her husband: "I dont feel like cooking, you do the cooking!"
Originally Posted by bjurra
3. The woman is not legally obliged to wear a veil but there is strong social pressure, maybe also pressure from religious police. Women who dont wear veils risk harassement.
4. The woman is not legally obliged to wear a veil and does not risk any physical harm. However, she is financially and socially dependent on her surrounding and feels strong social pressure.