Stories about Women & Gender from July, 2008
Malawi: Introduction of female condoms
Stories on Malawi reports the introduction of female condoms in the Malawian market.
Syria: Nudity and Moral Decay
How much nudity on television can be considered as art, and how much of it contributes to moral decay? Syrian blogger Emad [Ar] tries to answer this question in the following post.
Saudi Arabia: Segregation on the blogroll?
It is well known that segregation of the sexes in Saudi Arabia exists in everyday life - but what about online? Can the names of male and female bloggers exist together on a blogroll? One Saudi blogger is amused at the thought.
Haiti: Woman PM?
kiskeácity reports that the woman to be nominated for the post of Haitian Prime Minister is battling “a vicious campaign of innuendo and allegations about her sexual orientation”, but her supporters are hopeful: “The final word is now in the hands of the Senate which will vote on the nomination...
Afghanistan: Women Shot by Taliban
The Rumi reports that two women who had been returning home from shopping in the Kandahar province of Aghanistan, were abducted and shot to death by Taliban insurgents.
Afghanistan: Eve teasing
Joshua Foust looks at the problem of eve teasing in Afghanistan, an abhorrent tendency of young men to sexually harass women on the street.
Saudi Arabia: What's Your Mother's Name?
“What's your mother's name?” Thamer Al Marzooqi [Ar], from Saudi Arabia, challenges his readers – in a culture where women's names are considered to remain in the private domain.
Arabeyes: Moroccan woman refused French citizenship for burqa
Last week a French resident was refused citizenship on the grounds that she was “insufficiently assimilated.” The woman, referred to in the Press as “Faiza M.,” is a Moroccan citizen but has lived in France since 2000 with her husband, a French citizen, and three children, all born in France. The incident has set a precedent and has stirred up the feelings of bloggers around the world, reports Jillian York.
Bahrain: Obsessed with a Turkish soap opera
A Turkish soap opera, Noor, has become a hit in the Arab world, with reports of fights and even divorces occurring because of the obsession of many women with the handsome male star, Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ, who plays Muhannad. Some Bahraini bloggers have been examining the popularity of the drama series amongst Arabs.
India: Should Pre-Marital HIV Testing Be Mandatory?
In an attempt to lower HIV rates, the Indian state of Maharashtra introduced a controversial proposal earlier this year, which would make it compulsory for couples to undergo an HIV test before getting married. Our new Public Health Editor, Juhie Bhatia, makes her debut.
Madagascar:Fistula and Early Marriages.
Mialy, a blogger in Antananarivo, describes the plight of young married girls in rural areas who are subject to health and social concerns stemming from early pregnancy (fr). She explains that fistula, a consequence of giving birth at an early age, results in incontinences and therefore health complications compounded with...
India: Married in the Gulf
Achelois writes a poignant post on young South Asian women who marry men in the Gulf and end up losing their identity.
Pakistan: Violence against Women
The Pakistani Spectator on the increasing levels of violence against women in the country.
Dominica: Tattoo You?
“An adult’s desire for body art should be respected. However a misinformed obsession for tattoos, especially among Dominican and other Caribbean teenage girls…should be a cause for deep concern”: Dominica Weekly guest blogger guest Danielle Edwards thinks that West Indian women are being judged by their tattoos.
Saudi Arabia: The Black Garbage Bag
American Sabra is in Saudi Arabia … and has to do what the Saudi women do when it comes to covering up from head to toe when outside her house. See what she thinks of the black garb worn by women and how Saudi men react when they come face to face with flesh.
Morocco: The Reality of Prostitution
Prostitution is the oldest profession in the world. Jillian York tunes into the Moroccan blogosphere to see how some students and women make ends meet.
Malawi: new treatment protocol to prevent mother-child HIV transmission
Le Pangolin writes about a new HIV treatment being tested in Malawi [Fr] that might be even more effective than the current standard at preventing mother-child transmission.
Trinidad & Tobago: Now Hair This!
“I’m a twenty-something overachieving chick with dreadlocks and a predilection for wearing Converse to work”: Trinidadian blogger The Liming House says her hair “is about defying stereotypes.”
Korea: Nurses and Sex Symbol
A recent music video of a popular and sexy female singer Lee Hyo-lee in Korea has been a hot issue. Maybe in other places as well as in Korea, the nurse costume has been sometimes used as a sex symbol and the singer used the concept for her new music...
Uganda: Interview with singer Omega Bugemba Okello
Pamela Stitch has an interview with Ugandan singer Omega Bugemba Okello at the African Loft, which includes one of her music videos. She talks about why she sings in Luganda and her difficulties in a male dominated industry, among other things.
France: Morrocan Woman Denied Citizenship
Blogger Sabria Jawhar writing for Arabisto comments on the recent French ruling denying citizenship to a Moroccan woman for wearing a “burqa”.