Stories about Women & Gender from June, 2007
Pakistan: Meeting women
Metroblogging Islamabad has an interesting primer for men looking to meet women in the city – venues range from coffee shops in book stores, gyms etc., with a note that the women you meet at parties may not be the ones you can “take home to mom”.
Nigeria: discussing Nigeria-Italy sex trafficking
Nigerian blogger, Leslie Ibeanusi, writes about Nigeria-Italy sex trafficking: “I continued. “Are we going to target traffickers who are luring these girls here?” The room really went quiet this time.”
Egypt: Fond Memories
Maryanne Stroud Gabbani, who lives in Egypt, shares with us her feelings on her husband's death anniversary. “June 10 is the anniversary of my husband's death, an occasion that changed my life and my children's lives irrevocably and with the impact of having a building fall on us,” she notes.
Turkey is Typing…Sex Matters
The equality of the sexes has been a topic on the fingertips of Turkish bloggers as of late. Even with reforms to the penal code about a woman's right to veil (or not too), a woman's freedom of body, and stricter repercussions for rape, the equality between man and woman in Turkey is still contested. The legacy of Ataturk's secular reforms when the Republic of Turkey was founded has given the country the veneer of female equality...but with probing questions does the polish wear away?
Guyana: Sex on Demand?
The Guyana Groove raises the question of “whether a woman should feel obligated to provide sex for her husband at anytime he requests it.”
Kuwait: Dream Lunch
“If your lady manager invited you for lunch in your dream, would you tell her the next day about it?” writes Purgatorian from Kuwait.
China: Chen Guangcheng beaten, on hunger strike
It's Dragon Boat time, nearly a year to the day since blind reproductive rights advocate Chen Guangcheng was taken in by police, and civil rights blogger Hu Jia makes his blogging return with news that Chen has been beaten while in prison.
Gay Pride in Brazil: 3.5 Million March and Government Sponsorship in São Paulo
There are controversies about the exact numbers — estimates range from 3 to 4 million people — but São Paulo's Gay Parade last week probably set a record as the world's most attended street event. In a country that prides itself for allowing the free flow of its cultural diversity,...
Kuwait: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
This week's Kuwaiti blog posts swing from good to bad .. sometimes just plain ugly, writes Abdullatif AlOmar. In good news, read how Filipinos in the Emirate celebrated their country's national day; in the bad see how Kuwaiti women are now banned from working after 8pm and in the ugly news, check out the horrible destiny of a police dog.
Khatami in Trouble
Former Iranian president Mohammed Khatami is in trouble back home for shaking “women's hands” while in Italy, reports …Or Does It Explode, which looks into human rights abuses in the Middle East.
Iran: Ortega in Tehran and Temporary Marriage Promoted
A few days ago, Daniel Ortega, the President of Nicaragua, went on a two day trip to Tehran to meet with Iranian leaders. According to media reports, Ortega said his country and Iran had agreed to “support each other to help Nicaragua” end its poverty. Several Iranian bloggers discussed this...
Serbia: “The Hidden Fascism”
Inspired by the legacy of an African-American activist Audrey Lorde, a Serbian blogger condemns her compatriots' tendency to keep silent about crimes taking place in their own backyard. Sinisa Boljanovic translates an excerpt from this passionate post.
Nepal: Trafficking and commitment
Nepal Monitor comments on a US report on Nepal's commitment to prevent trafficking in persons.
Bahamas: Where are we Going?
In the face of several troubling developments, Sidney Sweeting at WeblogBahamas.com asks the question, “Quo Vadis Bahamas?”
India: The Shah Bano legacy
The Social Blog reviews the legacy of an act, which ironically does the opposite of what it is called. “The Rajiv Gandhi-led Government in power, passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, to appease the outraged sentiments. The Act, quite ironically, curtailed the rights of Muslim women...
Nepal: Women and the State
Kathmandu Speaks asks why women commit suicide in Nepal, and points to the perceived lack of support for women.
Iraq: Battered Women
The plight of Iraqi women comes to life in this link provided by Salam Adil in the Iraq Blog Count.
China: The waltz arrives in Beijing schools
Joel Martinsen from DANWEI reports on the debate about waltz class in Beijing schools. One of the issue is about mixed sex dancing.
Saudi Arabia: Dotsson's Rant
“I can't stand girls with low self esteem. I can't stand shallow people who need to constantly be complimented. I can't stand people who play with others’ feelings to make themselves feel better. I can't stand weak people. I can't stand LIARS!!! I can't stand fakes. I can't stand people...
Libya: Wedding Bells
Libyan blogger Khadija Teri attended a wedding and gives us a sneak preview of what was on offer here. “I survived the wedding.. it was actually kind of nice because my friend asked that the music not be so loud and for the most part you could actually have a...
Iran:Hand Shaking with Women,Former President and You Tube
Conservative journals in Iran criticized the former president,Mohammad Khatami,for having shaken hands with several women in Italy.There is a video film on YouTube that shows he is shaking hands with a few ladies.The film was visited about 17000 times.Khatami's office talks about conspiracy against him and said he did not...