Stories about Women & Gender from April, 2007
Egypt: Muslim Women Fashions
Writing in The Arabist, Ursula Lindsey discusses her views on an article on the way Muslim women dress up here.
Japan: Old pols, crimes and porn
Plenty of discussion on ComingAnarchy blogger Curzon's ‘Japan Roundup‘ post this week looking at three current stories: the fading popularity of Shintaro Ishihara, the recently-reelected governor of Tokyo, the hot-button issue of WWII comfort women, and navy officer's possible leak of information related to Japan's missile defense program.
Japan: Salarymen
In case you think a salaryman is the person in the accounting department on whose best side you want to be, the an englishman in osaka blogger brings us photos and metered prose that might clear things up.
Lebanon: Stopping the Cycle of Violence on Women
Lebanese blogger FaiLaSooF urges women who have had sexual harassment experiences to share them with her in order to begin a campaign against violence on women.
Saudi Arabia: Segregation of the Sexes
Saudi Jeans reacts to the recent public comment from Interior Minister Prince Naif in which it was announced “Segregation of men and women is not correct”.
India: Water and Women
A time to reflect on a place where water is everything. “This woman sits just otuside the main gate of the reserve, just off the dusty main road. She has pots of water filled and ready, and fetches them from near her home which is close to the main gate,,...
Pakistan: No Hugs please
To each its own on why women in Pakistan cannot get their hugs. “As per the fatwa, “hugging” was an illegitimate and forbidden act and Muslim women are expected to stay at home and never venture out uncovered. The fatwa demanded that Bakhtiar be fired, given another unspecified punishment and...
Nepal: Beauties and the Beasts?
As in earlier years, Miss Nepal 2007 contest drew protests from women activists and Nepali bloggers were not pleased. Even if Maoists minister in the interim government talked against it, some of them thought the protest was for nothing.
Jordanian Blogosphere: An Iris Also Blooms
The seasons are moving forward, the weather is moving forward, and the clocks have all sprung forward for spring. But controversy is in the air these past few weeks on the Jordanian blogosphere… The Arab Observer has a bone to pick with people who harass women on the street, while...
Touring Libyan Blogs:Nalut Spring festival, mountain bikes in Libya, maturity, headless a short story, abuse of maids, and true love
Another week in Libyan blogs, this week Khadijateri attended the Nalut Spring Festival, all I can say that it is incredible, the photos. the people, the adventures. I made a promise to go next year, how can anyone miss such beauty ? “Nalut is in the Nafusa Mountains and is...
Eritrea: Female Genital Mutilation Outlawed
Addax posts an article in English announcing the Eritrean government's decision to outlaw female genital mutilation. Adds the blogger [Fr]: “Note that this practice is now condemned by the African Charter of Human Rights in its Article 5.”
Egypt: The NYT Discovers Muslim Fashion
The Arabist comments on an article by the New York Times in which the “trials” of being fashionable and a Muslim woman are illustrated:” Ever since I read this New York Times article a few days back about the identitarian fashion issues of Muslim American women I’ve been trying to...
Eritrea:Eritrea bans FGM
Akin is happy to hear that FGM is banned in Eritrea: “Learning that Eritrea has banned the practice of Female Genital Mutilation or Circumcision (FGM or FGC) is definitely great news and to be celebrated. It marks a beginning of what should be a wave of the civilising of customs,...
Syria: Readdressing Sexual Harassment
Decentering Damascus gives an interesting wrap-up to an earlier post of her on sexual harassment, comments on her blog were enlightening.
Bahrain: Polygamy as a national duty
We start this week with politics, or rather politicians, and the comments of one particular politician that have riled some of Bahrain's bloggers. An Islamist representative urged Bahraini men (some say in jest) to take four wives (three Bahraini and one foreign) to reduce the number of spinsters in the...
Palestine: Internet Marriages
Rebellious Arab Girl deals with the frustration of her mother wanting to find her a husband….on the internet.
Ethiopian bloggers turn undercover court reporters
Ethiopia's bloggers turned undercover court reporters over the past weeks, giving daily commentary on a controversial trial of more than 100 opposition politicians, campaigners and journalists. Leading opposition figures were arrested and charged with attempted genocide, treason and a range of other serious offences in the months following the country's...
Japan: Kickboxing Geishas
Marie Mockett from Japundit introduces a new book, Kickboxing Geishas, about contemporary Japanese women's role in changing the society.
Saudi Arabia: Phone Stalkers
Saudi blogger Nzingha's Soapbox tells the story of dealing with a potential stalker: “Now that freaked me out, it sounds like he is calling from his car and he is asking me if I'm alone. I hung up called security let them know if this guy shows up to have...
El Salvador: Community Radio
“Radio Sumpul, like other stations in ARPAS, plays a variety of music, news and educational programs for all ages of listeners. The operation at Radio Sumpul is staffed by volunteers. One of the staff explained to me that the volunteers, most of whom are women, work at the station because...
Saudi Arabia: Phone Pests
Saudi-based blogger Nzingha regales us with her tales about phone pests and their annoying calls. “What is it with me and these perverts? Are there that many out there that I just can't seem to escape them, even when I don't leave the house?” she writes.
