Again and again and again, is it because we are not strict enough? is it because we are lenient and tolerant? Public decency in the UAE is known and clear and visible to all. Alot of articles, posts and talks has recently been initiated recently regarding public decency and how “its not clear”. EXCUSE me, what is not clear? All we ask for is decency we don’t force we ask respectfully, respect the country and people you are in!!
PLEASE WEAR RESPECTFUL CLOTHES ^^^ is this not clear enough? if you go to all the sites, read trillion of books about the UAE there is a WHOLE section about DRESS CODE (don’t anyone see it?) 1|2|3|4
Yet some just don’t respect that and still say “its not clear” … Few days ago we heard about an incident and honestly we felt proud of the action of the “Emirati Woman/Arabic Woman” who took action. Here is a brief of the story:
A British holidaymaker has been charged with indecency in Dubai after walking through the world’s largest shopping centre in a bikini. (hmmmm Bikini, in a shopping mall – How decent?) The woman was buying clothes and gifts in the Dubai Mall, fully dressed but in a low-cut top, when she was accosted by an Arabic woman and criticised for wearing ‘revealing clothing’. (well done to her, its about time that individuals take action), the pair then became embroiled in a heated row in front of hundreds of bemused shoppers and the British woman told her to ‘mind her own business’ before stripping out of her clothes and ‘taunting’ the locals by walking around in only her bikini. (O_O)
A source within Dubai police said: ‘The British woman was wearing a very low top and most of her legs were on display.”
‘The Arabic woman stopped to criticise her and that’s when she stripped off. That’s when things started to get out of hand.
‘We ended up questioning both women after receiving a call from the mall security staff.’
There are numerous signs around the Dubai Mall urging women to ‘wear respectful clothing-Similar messages are flashed up on LCD screens in most shopping malls across the United Arab Emirates. But do anyone see them? [source]
Dear UAE Visitor,
Welcome to our country and we wish you a pleasant stay. The UAE mixes the modern with traditional sensibilities. We look at what is acceptable, and what is not, in terms of decency and cultural sensibilities. We appreciate and respect the traditions and believes of other people, so we ask you to please do the same while you are here.
Regards,
And in-case of indecency watch you can call: 042661228, 046099888, 042036499
PS – It is social responsibility that requires each individual to have some respect to any country, its religion and local customs. Have some respect for the place and its people
i believe awareness in malls is not enough it has to be done everywhere, i was born and bought up in U.A.E and this was not the case so many years ago, i think people have taken advantage of the freedom they have been given.
You come to our country, enjoy the luxuries & everything it offers & end up disrespecting our culture and traditions as well as our people? How dare you?
Just the fact that she stripped off her clothes shows how disrespectful she is and thinks its okay. I’m glad she got arrested & I applaud the Emirati woman who took action.
The worst part of all this is they know what’s indecent in the UAE. They know. But they choose to ignore our norms. Sad. Disrespectful. We’re not even asking them to cover up their whole bodies, just wear appropriate clothing.
The security should be instructed to approach people wearing inappropriate clothes but no one’s directing them to do so.
I agree with Ben, it is our duty (locals & expats) to spread awareness about such issues.
I salute the Emirati/Arabic lady for trying to spread awareness about what ‘decent clothing’ means.
This is not the first case of such issues, previous incidents occurred as well.
I urge everyone (locals & expats) to talk to anyone who disrespects the UAE tradition and culture, and explain to them why we feel offended or disrespected .. do all that with a smile.
I also ask the media to help us spread this awareness.
I hope I haven’t offended anyone, but if I did I apologize.
Honestly I believe those incidents keep happening because of how contradictory things are in here. You can drink in a bar, but once spot outside a bar drunk you’ll be questioned by a police officer and probably escorted to the police station. Expats won’t stop challenging the laws because they can be bent and it’s up to the government to fix that.
How to make a middle eastern city westernized and an attraction cite for all nationalities & make it a better place for them whilst still maintaining cultural and religious rules? Hm.
That’s a tough one when you just want to keep the economics of the country running.
Maybe one day I’ll get to say I am proud to be an Emarati. One day.
@Sara, your submission here requires more logic. All across Europe, prostitution is legal, and there are parlours and areas where anyone can enjoy it, but do that on the street and you end up detained!
We are not after Westernizing Dubai … Modernization is NOT Westernization. It is the respect to the diversities that bars are available, pretty much like Churches and Temples for followers of other faiths.
@Abdulla and Ben, modesty does NOT require awareness! Dressing out like a slut earns the woman that label. In London this summer, Christian social workers were approaching women who were provokatively dressed, criticising, and reminding them of Christian values of modesty and propriety … Considerate women stopped and listened, while others just continued walking … What this Briton did in Dubai reveals the supremacist hate that fills her in the way that she reacted … This is an insult to all of us who reside on this land, whether locals or expats … She should be deported straight away, having thrown our values and the respect to our people overboard and against the wall! She is nothing but vermin! Worthless racist hater!
Who in their right mind would walk around in a mall in their bikini. She’s mental. Besides if she were in the US she would get arrested immediately.