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Sunday, August 14, 2005

Hamas Fashion Statement 

Click on picture for link to full size photo and original caption at Yahoo
  1. Miss November in this year's Women of Hamas calendar
  2. Anonymous Saudi feminist protests widespread misogyny in her culture by symbolically removing her eyehole covering moments before her arrest.
  3. Prospective shahid makes his last dry run, the "full dress rehearsal", before setting out for Israeli border security checkpoint.
  4. Two girls stare at each other in disbelief as they arrive at the Hamas High prom in the same outfit.
  5. Heavenly Virgins trading cards, #16/72.
  6. Winner of this year's "Wet Burka Contest" at Yassin's Bar and Grill.
  7. Recent meeting of the "Women in Green", Gaza City branch.
  8. Palestinian teen begins hour-long search for her sister in huge crowd at yesterday's giant Hamas demonstration.
  9. Young Palestinian performer in this year's Hamas Sisterhood Talent Show is stunned after crowd's negative reaction to her ventriloquist act.
  10. Palestinian actress starring in local version of Baywatch prepares to swap places with her body double, Mahmood.
Note: This is not intended as a condemnation or ridicule of Islamic women for their style of dress. I'd prefer to spin it as "drawing attention to the plight of Islamic women." I believe that we need to be declaring "freedom for Islamic women" in answer to those who accuse us of having only declared war on Islamic men. Of course there are many, many Islamic women who are perfectly happy and treated with dignity and respect (by that I am not referring to being beaten only when she really deserves it). Today large populations of Muslim women still live in fear of honor killings, FGM (* link opposes practice), or being married off at the age of 11 as a bribe to ensure election victory for her father. Pressing for their freedom should be at the top of human rights organizations' agendas, as well as President Bush's.

* This post as advertised on Point Five.
And congratulations to the Jawa Report on reaching 2 million visitors. Now that's stylin'.

One more update: If you think I'm exaggerating about the treatment of Islamic women and the standards of dress expected of them in order to carry the burden of family honor in many parts of the world, Dymphna at Gates of Vienna has the scoop on real Saudi swimsuits. Surely there must be some sane compromise hidden in that vast gray area between swimming in a bikini or in a radiation suit.

// posted by AbbaGav @ 8/14/2005 01:07:00 AM |  |  | Permalink | EmailThis!
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