Male belly dancers considered "shameful" by ME males - Page 3

Recnadocir · 09-01-2006, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demelza

Sorry guys ! but I have to agree with A'isha on this one......I do understand that coming from a society where free speach, free will, free expression, free EVERYTHING is the norm, you are under the assumption that anything goes, however I believe that as you are performing what you call 'Belly Dance', you should respect the fact (or at least be aware of the fact) that in parts of the middle east (can't speak for all of it as I've only been to Jordan, Palastine, Libya and Egypt) it is classed as taboo.

I understand this quite well, but I don't respect people that are haters, though, and bashers, etc. Their attitudes toward male belly dancers are, I think, perfectly in line with the deeply ingrained chauvinism of the culture, which holds that women are sexual objects and second class citizens. I absolutely disrespect this aspect of the culture, it is flat out wrong, and needs to change, pronto!

I have no desire to visit or perform in places where there is such an attitude about male belly dancers, or women. I don't care what they do in their country, but they won't tell me what to do in mine, or in other, progressive countries I might visit.

Aisha Azar · 09-01-2006, 07:24 PM

Dear Rico,
Just because someone understands the world differently than we do does not mean they are "haters and bashers". It means they do not live their lives by the same cultural mores that you or I do. A hater and basher would do more than disapprove of male dancers. They would express their disapproval by hurting male dancers instead of merely leaving the room. they woudl respond like the American men in Wyoming who tied a poor man to a fence with barbed wirte just becasue he is gay. Regardless of my own opinion that it is extremely narrow in focus to think that men should not belly dance, I still understand that not everyone sees the world in the same way that I do. I can only try to persuade them, as I am trying to persuade you, that not all people see things in the same way. So far, they have not accused anyone of being a hater or a basher who do not share their viewpoint. Tolerance is a two way street.
Regards,
A'isha

Moon · 09-01-2006, 07:31 PM

Rico, I understand your point about don't respecting haters etc. I don't respect them either. I also agree with you that you don't have to agree with every aspect of Middle Eastern culture, just because you're dancing a Middle Eastern dance.

However I think you can't judge all Arabs as one. I'm sure there are Arab men that don't have problems with male dancers, but they probably won't show this opinion in public. But to be honest I think there are people in Western countries who, for example, agree with ideas derived from communism, but those people won't all clearly show their opinion either. I also doubt all Arab men see women as sexual objects. I think there might be more Western men who see women that way.

I agree opinions based on hate have to change, but we probably have to give it some time. Emancipation of Western women was also not accepted in two days time.
And please don't forget that not every aspect of Western culture is great and fantastic either. (Just think about the fact that there are really a lot of Western men that think male bellydancers are shameful and gay.)

09-01-2006, 07:24 PM	#22 (permalink)
Aisha Azar V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest USA Posts: 4,516	Males etc. Dear Rico, Just because someone understands the world differently than we do does not mean they are "haters and bashers". It means they do not live their lives by the same cultural mores that you or I do. A hater and basher would do more than disapprove of male dancers. They would express their disapproval by hurting male dancers instead of merely leaving the room. they woudl respond like the American men in Wyoming who tied a poor man to a fence with barbed wirte just becasue he is gay. Regardless of my own opinion that it is extremely narrow in focus to think that men should not belly dance, I still understand that not everyone sees the world in the same way that I do. I can only try to persuade them, as I am trying to persuade you, that not all people see things in the same way. So far, they have not accused anyone of being a hater or a basher who do not share their viewpoint. Tolerance is a two way street. Regards, A'isha

09-01-2006, 07:31 PM	#23 (permalink)
Moon V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 3,642	Rico, I understand your point about don't respecting haters etc. I don't respect them either. I also agree with you that you don't have to agree with every aspect of Middle Eastern culture, just because you're dancing a Middle Eastern dance. However I think you can't judge all Arabs as one. I'm sure there are Arab men that don't have problems with male dancers, but they probably won't show this opinion in public. But to be honest I think there are people in Western countries who, for example, agree with ideas derived from communism, but those people won't all clearly show their opinion either. I also doubt all Arab men see women as sexual objects. I think there might be more Western men who see women that way. I agree opinions based on hate have to change, but we probably have to give it some time. Emancipation of Western women was also not accepted in two days time. And please don't forget that not every aspect of Western culture is great and fantastic either. (Just think about the fact that there are really a lot of Western men that think male bellydancers are shameful and gay.)