Saudis. Don't mention the war

Posted on October 19th, 2006 by martijn.
Categories: Gender, Kinship & Marriage Issues.

One of the best shows ever is Fawlty Towers’ The Germans. In that episode Basil Fawlty goes at great lenght to avoid the topic of the second world war while he has german guests in his hotel:

Basil Fawlty says to Polly in conspiritorial toens “Don’t mention the war. I did it once but I think I got away with it” (which he delivers to his off-screen wife Connie Booth who plays the chambermaid who in effect runs the hotel)

He returns to the dining room and the older German says “Please stop mentioning the war, you’re upsetting the girl” (who is in tears)

Fawlty says “You started it” and then the rebuff “No we didn’t” from the German triggers the line

wait for it

“Yes you did – you invaded Poland” (cheers and applause!!!!)

I had to think about that scene while reading Gender Relations, Sex and Perversion: The Dark Underside of Saudi Arabia at SAFspace with an interesting account of her stay in Saudi Arabia:

One of the puzzles that arise out of the Muslim’s obsession with modesty is that in a rather subverse manner it breeds an over-sexualized, perverse society. Women wear the veil and stick close to home, and yet Saudi society places the imperative on women to observe modesty, to keep themselves in check so that men don’t have to do so. Well, how far will we go? There are parts of Medina where young men with gelled hair and tight shirts stand about idly and whistle at any black veil that walks by. Sadly, the only body parts visible are the eyes. So what must we do? Hide ourselves away from sight lest the men, God forbid, find themselves unable to control their insatiable urges?

This strange contradiction, a society that has become oversexualised by banning all kinds of possible references to sex (with the burden on the shoulders of women), brings disgust and fascination: (more…)

0 comments.

Saudis. Don’t mention the war

Posted on October 19th, 2006 by .
Categories: Gender, Kinship & Marriage Issues.

One of the best shows ever is Fawlty Towers’ The Germans. In that episode Basil Fawlty goes at great lenght to avoid the topic of the second world war while he has german guests in his hotel:

Basil Fawlty says to Polly in conspiritorial toens “Don’t mention the war. I did it once but I think I got away with it” (which he delivers to his off-screen wife Connie Booth who plays the chambermaid who in effect runs the hotel)

He returns to the dining room and the older German says “Please stop mentioning the war, you’re upsetting the girl” (who is in tears)

Fawlty says “You started it” and then the rebuff “No we didn’t” from the German triggers the line

wait for it

“Yes you did – you invaded Poland” (cheers and applause!!!!)

I had to think about that scene while reading Gender Relations, Sex and Perversion: The Dark Underside of Saudi Arabia at SAFspace with an interesting account of her stay in Saudi Arabia:

One of the puzzles that arise out of the Muslim’s obsession with modesty is that in a rather subverse manner it breeds an over-sexualized, perverse society. Women wear the veil and stick close to home, and yet Saudi society places the imperative on women to observe modesty, to keep themselves in check so that men don’t have to do so. Well, how far will we go? There are parts of Medina where young men with gelled hair and tight shirts stand about idly and whistle at any black veil that walks by. Sadly, the only body parts visible are the eyes. So what must we do? Hide ourselves away from sight lest the men, God forbid, find themselves unable to control their insatiable urges?

This strange contradiction, a society that has become oversexualised by banning all kinds of possible references to sex (with the burden on the shoulders of women), brings disgust and fascination: (more…)

0 comments.