Jezebel: arabian+nights

Strict Rules In Saudi Arabia Render Romance Elusive, But Not Dead

Dodai — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:00:00 EDT

The New York Times has a series of articles on Love in Saudi Arabia. That's capital L "Love," the romantic kind of love as seen in movies and sung about in pop songs. The articles focus on Riyadh, which has strict Islamic laws. Women and men are severely segregated. Women are not allowed to be in a public place alone, without a man. Men are not allowed in malls because they may see women shopping. Women have only recently been able to drive; they are usually driven around the city in cars with tinted windows, attend girls-only schools and universities, and eat in "family" sections of restaurants, which are partitioned from the sections used by single males. But in a country where half of the population is under 25 years old, hormones and dreams are flourishing. So how do you fall in Love?

Love finds a way. The teenage girls interviewed for this story are sneaky and clever, as teenage girls are. Some dress up as men and visit men-only establishments. And while unmarried men and women may not speak to each other because Islam forbids a stranger to hear your voice, this is the era of Facebook and cell phones. Instant messaging and text messaging bring some young people together. Not everyone is comfortable with it, however. Sara al-Tukhaifi, 18, says: "One test is that if you're ashamed to tell your family something, then you know for sure it's wrong. For a while I had Facebook friends who were boys — I didn't e-mail with them or anything, but they asked me to "friend" them and so I did. But then I thought about my family and I took them off the list."

While there are penalties for being caught with an unrelated member of the opposite sex (arrest, flogging) — the worst is the dishonor that would be invoked. Explains Enad al-Mutairi, a 20-year-old police officer: "One of the most important Arab traditions is honor. If my sister goes in the street and someone assaults her, she won't be able to protect herself. The nature of men is that men are more rational. Women are not rational. With one or two or three words, a man can get what he wants from a woman. If I call someone and a girl answers, I have to apologize. It's a huge deal. It is a violation of the house." Enad's cousin, Nader al-Mutairi calls himself "a romantic person." He feels that the way things are set up in Saudi Arabia, "there is no romance." Yet his ring tone is a love song; he is engaged to Enad's sister and they text message each other. When she calls, or writes a message, his phone flashes "My Love" over two interlocked red hearts.

Meanwhile, the Times also interviews a 17-year-old girl named Shaden (seen veiled in the photo above). Her favorite DVD is Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet. "It's a bit like our society, I think," She says. "It's dignified, and a bit strict... When Darcy comes to Elizabeth and says 'I love you' — that's exactly the kind of love I want."

One has to wonder: In a country which offers young men very little in the way of entertainment — no movie theaters, few sports facilities and with shopping malls off-limits — couldn't Love be a worthwhile pastime? If only it were not so difficult to find? As one commenter on the Times blog noted, "[It] is dangerous... to have too many young men in their twenties who have too little to do. They become prey to ideologues of seventh-century political cults, and ultimately, willing cannon fodder." When you don't take Love for granted, when Love is all you need, can Love save the day?

Love On Girls' Side Of The Saudi Divide, Q&A: Love in Saudi Arabia, Young Saudis, Vexed And Entranced By Love's Rules, Love In Saudi Arabia (video) [NY Times]

Saudi Women Now Permitted To Stay At Hotels, Drive By Themselves

Jessica — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:30:00 EDT

A new hotel has opened its doors in Saudi Arabia, and it is managed, staffed and designed for females only. The Luthan Hotel & Spa, owned by 20 Saudi princesses and businesswomen, is meant to be a luxury respite for women, who until recently were not allowed to stay by themselves in coed hotels (the law was relaxed in 2008, but in practice, few hotels allow women to register solo, says Reuters). Though the Luthan Hotel is in one of the more conservative countries in the world, it sounds like it was decorated by a bordello madam: the rooms are reportedly "delicately adorned with incense candles, rose-red fabrics and bas-reliefs of cherubs." Luthan executive director Lorraine Coutinho boasts, "Inside this physical structure, we are all women. We even have bell-women. We are women-owned, women-managed and women-run, from our IT engineer to our electrical engineer,"

Despite the rose-red fabrics, the reviews from the few female journalists attending the hotel's opening ceremony aren't completely rosy. They are miffed that the hotel was inaugurated by seven princes, instead of one of the many princesses who actually own it. One female journalist says there is already a backlash forming. "You know what they're saying about this place," she says. "That it's the hotel for lesbians."

In other gender news in Saudi Arabia, although the Saudi Government has announced that women will be able to drive by themselves without a male relative in the car, the law will not be passed without a number of caveats. The Saudi legislature, the Shura Council, has recommended that women be permitted to drive, but only if the following conditions are met, says the Middle East Media Research Institute:

The female driver must be under 30.
The female's driving is conditional upon the permission of a relative [father, husband, brother, or son].
The female driver must obtain a driver's license from the center for teaching women to drive.
The female driver must be modestly dressed.
The female driver will be permitted to drive alone in the cities, but outside the cities she must be accompanied by a relative.
The female driver will be permitted to drive Saturday through Wednesday between 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM.
The female driver must have a cell phone with her, so she can call for help in an emergency.
The female driver must pay a certain sum when her license is issued; this sum will be set aside for car repairs.

Those conditions sort of make the expression "open road," seem like an oxymoron, don't they? On the flip side, the Shura Council is recommending that anyone who sexually harasses a female driver get 8 months in prison and a fine.

Saudi Arabia Opens Its First Women-only Hotel [Reuters]
Saudi Shura Council Recommends Allowing Saudi Women To Drive With Limitations [MEMRI, via The F Word]

Earlier: Milestones
Safe Driving Is A Rare Luxury For Many Iraqi Women

It seems like we're not the only ones worried...

Jennifer — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:45:00 EDT

It seems like we're not the only ones worried about Marc Jacobs' new blue hair. New York magazine is playing social worker, and has taken to reminding everyone that Marc has proclaimed himself in the midst of a mid-life crisis — and they see this as the scariest sign yet of his spiral to the bottom. (Rehab? No big whoop. Blue hair, however: Better call the shrink.) But most importantly, they debunk the theory we were floating around amongst ourselves yesterday, that perhaps this was just some early preparation for his "Arabian Nights"-themed Christmas party. But as our friends at New York point out: "[E]verybody knows all Arabians have black hair, even the genie from Aladdin who WAS BLUE." Oh yeah. We forgot that. [NYMag]

Marc Jacobs To Host Aladdin-Themed Halloween Party

Jennifer — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:00:00 EDT

Those invited to Marc Jacobs' annual holiday costume party (aka - not us) need to start preparing their costumes now. The theme has finally been announced! "Arabian Nights." We double-dare someone to go as Edward Said. [WWD, 2nd item]
The most important movie of all time, the Sex and the City movie, shot at the offices of the most important magazine of all time, Vogue. My god, how did the world not combust when these two forces joined powers? Also, Anna Wintour will not be appearing in the movie. But Andre Leon Talley will! And we hope that Jennifer Hudson, who is playing Carrie Bradshaw's assistant in the movie, manages to restrain herself re: that whole idiotic bolero-from-Mars thingy he made her wear to the Oscars. [WWD, 1st item]
Why we love Barneys New York's Creative Director Simon Doonan, reason #482: "Everyone in the music industry looks like a hooker. Let's call it porno-chic. It seems to me nowadays that Janis Joplin wouldn't be able to get her clog in the door without a full makeover!" [Fashion Week Daily]

Aerin Lauder's new line of products for Estee Lauder has nary a cosmetic in it. No, no: It's a full-fledged line of hostess gifts. Gag! [Fashion Week Daily]
Bono's eco-aware fashion line with Rogan Gregory, Edun, is once again making T-shirts to help African children and also the images of certain highly-remunerated celebrities who will be endorsing it i.e. Gwyneth Paltrow, Liv Tyler and Ben Affleck in ads shot by Helena Christensen. The stars even styled themselves to help cut back on costs. [Vogue UK]
Tennis star Andre Agassi has filed an injunction against Target for selling sandals with his name on them without his permission. Huh. Is Agassi still a big draw? [MSNBC]
California-cool fashion line Trovata joins its fashion brethren in claiming that Forever 21 copied their designs and is now also suing their fundamentalist Christian asses blah blah take a number folks. [NY Times]
French Vogue: Still a gajilliony times cooler than American Vogue. (This is why we're going as Carine Roitfeld for Halloween.) [Radar]