Women-only city planned - What do you think?

[Reader]

Women-only city planned - What do you think?

http://www.rt.com/news/women-city-saudi-sharia-339/

[Linus]

Ya.. I dunno. Rather than this being something of women, by women (which is what I expected from the title) I see this as a "Men have decided you can work but only where and when we say it's ok" kind of thing.

But despite the degree of emancipation, women's rights in Saudi Arabia are still defined by Islam and lack basic freedoms found in many Western cultures. For instance, Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that prohibits women from driving.

Yet recently efforts have been made to change the societal structure in the kingdom.


Last September, King Abdullah announced that women will be able to vote and run in the 2015 local elections, and be appointed to the Consultative Assembly.

AFAIK (and I admit to not being muslim/Islamic and my knowledge is from reading) that women are not prohibited by the Qu'ran from working outside of the home. So not sure why the Saudis feel the need to do this, other than to remind women that it's men who grant them the right to do things (my interpretation of the Saudis actions).

This July, women also obtained the right to represent their country at the London Olympic Games.

Uh huh. And then only to be mocked and insulted for doing so (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ahmed-...b_1709873.html)

[Reader]

Originally Posted by Linus

Ya.. I dunno. Rather than this being something of women, by women (which is what I expected from the title) I see this as a "Men have decided you can work but only where and when we say it's ok" kind of thing.


AFAIK (and I admit to not being muslim/Islamic and my knowledge is from reading) that women are not prohibited by the Qu'ran from working outside of the home. So not sure why the Saudis feel the need to do this, other than to remind women that it's men who grant them the right to do things (my interpretation of the Saudis actions).

Uh huh. And then only to be mocked and insulted for doing so (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ahmed-...b_1709873.html)

That's a really interesting point about it being the men's idea and decision. I would really like to know what these women think.

[aishah]

i'm not sure why the media hasn't asked any saudi women their opinion. it's not as though they're prohibited from speaking to the media, but i haven't seen much commentary in this or other news articles. i wonder what effect this could have on women who are already pursuing degrees and working elsewhere.

[Reader]

Originally Posted by aishah

i'm not sure why the media hasn't asked any saudi women their opinion. it's not as though they're prohibited from speaking to the media, but i haven't seen much commentary in this or other news articles. i wonder what effect this could have on women who are already pursuing degrees and working elsewhere.

Good questions. I find this really very intriguing. I really wonder why this isn't getting more attention, too.

[sharonsuburbia]

the entire idea is based on religous law that treats women like shit - this is not an empweremnet - it is a ghetto

[iamkeri1]

Well I take the opposite point of view. I think the men who thought this up will be sorry they "let" all these women run things.

Women are so fantastic at figuring out practical, innovative and inexpensive ways of doing things that the men will look up one day and find that the women are running the whole country. LOL
Smooches,
Keri

[Renj3]

Honestly? It sounds like an anime I watched once a long time ago called Vandread...only more space battles and robots.

Seriously though, it could work...in a way but hmm... it's a mixed bag. I also state this under a headache...

[Glenn]

[QUOTE=Renj3;632253]Honestly? It sounds like an anime I watched once a long time ago called Vandread...only more space battles and robots.

LOLOL! Or an underground city with only young, attractive, healthy, women and children, to keep isolated, yet happy, until...

[*Anya*]

At first glance, it sounded like a good idea. For the severely oppressed Saudi women, it may give them a chance to breathe.

On the other hand, when one reads about human and women's rights under Sharia law, it gives another perspective on why women would even have more segregation than they already experience in this all women city.

Women under Sharia Law

http://www.targetofopportunity.com/W...Sharia_Law.pdf

Social Institutions and Gender Index

http://genderindex.org/country/saudi-arabia

World Report Human Rights

http://www.hrw.org/world-report-2012...2-saudi-arabia

[mariamma]

It's a great idea...let the women separate and do things independent of men. Women will discover that they have more energy, are able to be happy without reproach or critique and eventually will live longer, happier lives. But as soon as the rug munching starts, the men will bust it all up....that's what I fear at least.
What I don't get is, I get how there will be women-led businesses, food processing, textiles, etc. Are these women expected to never be married and have children? Will some leave the women's city in order to bear a family? Will this be a place of refuge for the women who do not want to have children/families?

[The_Lady_Snow]

Originally Posted by mariamma

It's a great idea...let the women separate and do things independent of men. Women will discover that they have more energy, are able to be happy without reproach or critique and eventually will live longer, happier lives. But as soon as the rug munching starts, the men will bust it all up....that's what I fear at least.
What I don't get is, I get how there will be women-led businesses, food processing, textiles, etc. Are these women expected to never be married and have children? Will some leave the women's city in order to bear a family? Will this be a place of refuge for the women who do not want to have children/families?

Rug munching? You're kidding right?

[Words]

Originally Posted by sharonsuburbia

the entire idea is based on religous law that treats women like shit - this is not an empweremnet - it is a ghetto

And here we go again with the Islam bashing.

Okay, so do tell...which Islamic Law, exactly,k do you think this idea is based on? (That's Islamic Law, not Saudi Law, and yes, they're two different things.)

Words

[lusciouskiwi]

I'm by no means an expert (nor am I Muslim), but in Malaysia a Muslim woman cannot divorce her husband unless it's under "extreme" circumstances, so it does happen but it's difficult. I had a young married Iranian woman stay with me for a short while to work on her English. Her husband signed a document - can't remember the exact details - that if she wanted to divorce him, she can.

Also under Sharia law, if it's Ramadan and you're Muslim, not fasting but can't produce a medical certificate or some other appropriate document, you can be arrested.

And finally, but not least, a couple of years ago, a young Muslim woman was caught drinking beer and was lashed - that got huge media attention because she was also a part-time model. What didn't get media attention is around the same time, two or three women from the northern part of Malaysia were whipped for having babies out of wedlock. I asked one of my Malay colleagues about the men. She shrugged and said that perhaps the fathers were foreigners.

And in Kelantan ... http://www.welt.de/english-news/arti...mous-yoga.html

The new ruling comes hot on the heels of another edict against young Muslim women wearing trousers. The National Fatwa Council said that by wearing trousers, girls risked becoming sexually active "tomboys." Gay sex is outlawed in Malaysia

[aishah]

nowhere in islamic law does it say that women should not be able to get divorced, or that fasting should be compulsory. it disgusts me that there are countries that enshrine that in law and call it islam. and it frustrates me that people use that as a reason to talk about how terrible islam is.

[aishah]

lusciouskiwi asked me to post this publicly so i'm posting it here. (it's a pm i sent.)

fasting isn't obligatory if someone is elderly, sick, pregnant, menstruating, etc. that's why the laws making eating during ramadan illegal make absolutely no sense to me. i can't fast because of health reasons. there are about a million reasons why someone could be exempt from fasting - and islam is not supposed to be compulsory. it makes me angry that it's shoved down anyone's throat.

nowhere did i say i was angry with you. i said i was disgusted with countries that take things that are not islamic at all and enshrine them in law and call them islam. (probably about how moderate and progressive christians in america feel towards people who are busy getting completely unchristian things enshrined in american law.) and i'm frustrated that every discussion about anything remotely related to islam devolves into a discussion of how awful the laws are in certain countries.

to clarify the last comment - i mean - it is really frustrating that everything related to islam has to be about how awful islam is (or certain countries are), and how discussions about one particular issue in saudi arabia mean that a million other things are brought into the conversation.

[aishah]

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headline...heir-own-city/

this article has an interview with samar fatany, who is a prominent saudi woman.

eta: apparently the project itself was proposed by a group of saudi businesswomen.
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-e...cle3765551.ece

[Words]

Originally Posted by aishah

nowhere in islamic law does it say that women should not be able to get divorced, or that fasting should be compulsory. it disgusts me that there are countries that enshrine that in law and call it islam. and it frustrates me that people use that as a reason to talk about how terrible islam is.

Exactly.

All of a sudden, everyone's an expert on Islamic Law...yet in most cases, they can't be bothered to actually read up on it and see what it actually says.

Which begs the question...why?

Words

[SugarFemme]

Yes, there is HUGE difference between Shia and Wahhabism (Saudi Arabian, Orthodox branch of Sunnism) Islam beliefs and ideaology. People have a tendency to lump all of them together. And to wrongly assume that Islam is all about terrorism and women-hating. Just as Judeo-Christian religions have reformed, conservative and orthodox groups, so does Islam. IMHO, instead of people making incorrect, and uneducated blanket statements, people should do their research before spewing hate rhetoric.

Originally Posted by Words

And here we go again with the Islam bashing.

Okay, so do tell...which Islamic Law, exactly,k do you think this idea is based on? (That's Islamic Law, not Saudi Law, and yes, they're two different things.)

Words

[lusciouskiwi]

Ok, so is the reaction about what sharonsuburbia wrote or what I wrote? If you have questions for me based on my experience of living in Malaysia for nearly four years, feel free to ask. I'm not Muslim - I don't follow any faith.

But instead of using comments like "anti-Islam" please make specific comments that someone can respond to.

Cheers