News and Events => People news => Topic started by: Shana A on July 06, 2011, 09:08:59 AM Return to Full Version
Title: The Gulf's gender anxiety
Post by: Shana A on July 06, 2011, 09:08:59 AM
Post by: Shana A on July 06, 2011, 09:08:59 AM
The Gulf's gender anxiety
Moral panic over transgender men and women is symptomatic of the Gulf's problem with shifting gender roles
Rasha Moumneh
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 6 July 2011 11.18 BST
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/06/gulf-gender-anxiety-transgender (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/06/gulf-gender-anxiety-transgender)
As women in the Gulf become more visible, both socially and politically, and as migrants bring with them different ways of living, the region's governments are stepping up their gender policing. To allay fears among conservative elements, they are regulating more tightly what is deemed acceptable behaviour for men and women.
The direct targets of this backlash are those who visibly challenge gender norms – in particular, boyat (an Arabisation of the English word "boy", generally referring to women with a masculine appearance) together with transgender men and women.
Moral panic over transgender men and women is symptomatic of the Gulf's problem with shifting gender roles
Rasha Moumneh
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 6 July 2011 11.18 BST
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/06/gulf-gender-anxiety-transgender (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/06/gulf-gender-anxiety-transgender)
As women in the Gulf become more visible, both socially and politically, and as migrants bring with them different ways of living, the region's governments are stepping up their gender policing. To allay fears among conservative elements, they are regulating more tightly what is deemed acceptable behaviour for men and women.
The direct targets of this backlash are those who visibly challenge gender norms – in particular, boyat (an Arabisation of the English word "boy", generally referring to women with a masculine appearance) together with transgender men and women.
Title: Re: The Gulf's gender anxiety
Post by: spacial on July 06, 2011, 09:26:31 AM
Post by: spacial on July 06, 2011, 09:26:31 AM
These are indeed, interesting times for the ME. It seems, in many areas, the deminishing minority of traditionalists are finding the struggle to control the thoughts and actions of the majoirty, increasingly difficult.