Inappropriate clothing

I do think it's a bit weird judging others for what they are wearing. BUT the problem is that Qatar is a very conservative country, with Wahabist Islam being the dominant "force", the same as in Saudi. There is already a proportion of the country who are getting increasingly despairing of Western influence and this is starting to show in very real effects such as a restriction on immigration and the recent clampdown on rules and regulations designed to restrict people coming in. HH The Emir is treading a very fine line between progress and conservatism. If people start openly taking the p*ss, it's only going to lead to more anti-Western sentiment and that could have consequences for all of us. For instance, the more common it gets to see scantily dressed women around, the more the covered women in the malls are going to start thinking they need to say something, or worse, spit on us. While I resent the fact that my legs, not previously considered sexy anywhere else in the world, have suddenly taken on some kind of new sexual status in Qatar, I also think that people shouldn't openly flout the 'rules'

flower33 the incident you describe has nothing to do with inappropriate clothing. which is what we were talking about. what you describe happening on a bus is in fact against the law. it can result in the persons involved going to jail (at the very least). it is not actually against the law to wear sleevless shirts etc etc. it is culturally insensitive yes. but not actually against the law. you also ask, why not? why wouldnt you want to police others dress? well, on the first hand, i am not muslim and i dont like assuming things about the people around me as to what they may or may not be sensitve to. or care about personally. i mean, someone may be muslim and just not care how others not of their faith dress. they may feel that they are mostly concerned with their own conduct, not others. i dont know. or they may indeed be very unhappy about how someone is dressed. the thing is, as a non muslim i have no right to moral outrage based on religous faith to be upset by someone wearing a sleevless top and short shorts. so on what basis would i approach someone? isnt it hugely presumptious to assume the role of moral police when i am sure the qataris are more than capable of deciding that would be neccessary in the first place, and then enact as they see fit? isnt it fake righteousness when you are judging based on someone elses religous beliefs? not even your own? just thinking out loud P.S flower33 i hate to bring it up, im not sure if you are aware, but this is the qatar board not the dubai one

I would say that someone brushing off a comment about inappropriate behaviour or dress because the commentator was Muslim in a Muslim country is an idiot to the nth degree. Indeed it happened when one of my friends mom ( elderly woman) approached a couple as the wife ( i assume) was dressing see through clothing. She was told mind ur own business or else he will call the police. I am sure she didnt tell them in a rude way, as she is highly educated nd knows how to deal with people gently. Just remembered one more incident in dubai we were at the Walk nd a teenage girl was walking to home or hotel in a bikini! Personally i have no problem with peoples dressing, but when i see a teenage girls dressing unappropriatly i feel sad for them as there r many men (without families) nd will b looking at them in an unappropriate (or even sick mind) way! I just want them to protect themselves from strange looks.

I nearly didn't reply to this thread as I have snack bags, etc to do for tomorrow but being as you all have your soap boxes out I thought I'd plop mine down and give my penny's worth. Whilst I do agree that visitors should show some understanding of local culture, Qatar is putting itself on the tourist map and, as a result, has to adapt to some extent. And there should be some responsibility on the airlines part to educate temporary visitors. However, there are not many places in the world where woman are expect to cover up so much therefore it can be difficult for visitors to appreciate the 'conservatism' here. For example, if you were driving in a western country with a veil over your head, you'd probably be prosecuted for dangerous driving. Or, if you'd paid to visit a beach in most other parts of the world and were then told you had to cover up from knees to neck, you'd demand your money back (imagine them trying that stunt in Brazil where the flesh is on full show and the thongs are so tawt you could strum the bosso nova on them). I find it quite incongruous that a lady should cover herself so much but underneath it all she is dressed as if she's visiting a nightclub - especially at 10 am in Landmark! Of course, not all are like this...and not all expats/vistors dig out their tightest cut off shorts just to provoke.......So, who's right and whose wrong? And who's the hypocrite? I too, Mary Catherine, have a friend who was spat at ...and then hit with a stick by the mutaween in Saudi because he caught a glimpse of her ankle under her abaya - why should a woman be made to feel that she should cover her body so much? Just a little bit of leeway and tolerance would go a long way. As I said before, if Qatar is competing to be a big player on the global map they have to show some tolerance to what is accepted, appropriate practice in the rest of the developed world. Anyhow - that's my penny's worth. BTW.....anyone seen ReadyBrek on the supermarket shelves of late......?!

I would say that someone brushing off a comment about inappropriate behaviour or dress because the commentator was Muslim in a Muslim country is an idiot to the nth degree.

i dont know, i think if a local is sufficiently offended by someones dress, then they will say so. (have in fact, seen it happen) i am not sure that there is any need for westerners to police westerners on their dress. on the assumption that anthother culture might be offended. it might be better to let the locals make those sorts of disctictions and police them for themselves. Why not? I think in every culture, religion, country, advising good and forbidding evil is encouraged. ( i dont mean the unappropriate dressing is equal to evil, but to warn them of possible embarassment in a public place would b welcome). Few months ago we were in shuttle bus from metro to dubai mall. Nd there was a couple (westerners) hugging nd flirt kissing! Basically he was all over her! Poor single men standing by them were really trying hard to look away. My kids, i just turned them away, nd wished was closer to stop this behaviour. I did give him hard looks but he simply ignored and continued, no shame! I followed the couple and told HIM as he was the one wispering nd kissing, told him that we might get into trouble with police if someone snapped a photo nd reported to police. He said thank u nd wouldnt do in a public. If westerners advised them may b they will take it positively. Some might just brush it off if approached by muslims.

I could not care less about what other people wear, as long as I am happy with what I see in the mirror before I leave that house it's good enough for me. BUT, I have to say..was at The Mall the other day, saw a family there, I assume grandparents visiting. The guy, well over display age, was wearing a sleeveless top and some kind of not so long shorts...now, again, what do I care...but not only was the colour combi hideous, but the was also sporting some serious body fur.....eeeek!

I think we have to accept that this kind of inappropriate dressing is going to increase, what with the amount of tourists on stop-overs and with the general increase in population. However, I have seen many women (old and young) dressing in skimpy tops and shorts in the malls. Just today in Lagoona mall there was a family all in what I would consider `beach wear' - obviously from the hotels. Not only was it completely insensitive, they must have been freezing!! I was there with my jeans, scarf, long sleeved top etc!! It is a shame that some people are ignorant of the local customs and don't have the common sense to read up on place before they visit. Their behaviour is embarrassing to those of us who have lived here a while and shows a basic lack of manners in my opinion!

The worst I've seen in 12 years was a post pubescent girl (maybe 13/14 years old) in denim shorts of which the crotch was well in the ditch all the way from front to back and a cheesy string tube top, in Carrefour. Even in a Western setting she would have looked like a really cheap hooker, and she was accompanied either by her parents or grandparents (sometimes it's hard to tell). I've also been witness to a French speaking lady in a transparent top and skirt who felt it was quite OK to shop in a large hypermarket with all the goods on display, so to speak. I don't know about France but in my home country the mall police would have advised her to cover up. In my tenure in the GCC I know two people personally who have been spat on by locals seemingly because of their dress/behaviour - the former being running shorts, the second we still haven't decided. Yes it gets hot here. Yes there are cultural restrictions on what you should wear ( or not wear ). I really don't understand why people think they should be able to cross cultural norms just because it's hot. You're going from an AC car to an AC mall or wherever. Why can't you put up with a max of 60 seconds of heat? I

LOL!!!! thanks Amy, well I was blogging/speaking out about a tiny vest and shorts with huge knawks on display during Ramadan last year (I got quite a few thousand hits for that piece so I was happy to have pointed out a few things), plus there's a time and a place to see that and when I'm buying my fish in Dean n Delucas is not one of them :) The last few times I've been out, it's been like a coach has stopped off.......if I'd seen anyone wearing a knotted hankie on their heads and socks with sandals, I wouldn't have been surprised. I don't think it's offensive to show your legs or your arms but some people do like to push their luck, string tops and tiny shorts etc. Good luck to them, where I'm off to, I'll be keeping my thermals on :D

i dont know, i think if a local is sufficiently offended by someones dress, then they will say so. (have in fact, seen it happen) i am not sure that there is any need for westerners to police westerners on their dress. on the assumption that anthother culture might be offended. it might be better to let the locals make those sorts of disctictions and police them for themselves.

Yes! Especially since our very own clothing police lady Expatcookie (on here and on Twitter) is leaving! I was in the souk the other day and there were LOADS of in appropriately dressed women. I presume they were all long haulers on stop over, because they were dressed like it was really hot (it wasn't that hot for us hardened desert-dwellers) and a couple were dragging suitcases behind them and they all looked very touristy. I mean, yes you might only be here for a few hours, and this might not be part of your main holiday, and QA might have 'forced' you to stay here for a few hours, but come on! You're in a fecking souk in the middle east! I think I will have a quiet word next time, not with long-term residents, but if I see any stupid tourist types knocking around the souk/corniche again.