10May
Women in Black
posted by Steve Bowbrick
Simple and fascinating cultural literacy doc. What’s it like for the women in a middle class Yemeni home? Clothes, hair, shopping, going out, getting high: it’s all here. British-Yemeni woman Amani Zain takes a camera crew back her family’s home in Aden and introduces us to the complicated habits and passions of the Muslim Arab women she knows and loves. Lovely programme.
12 comments
Amani zain is an embarrassment towards the Yemeni race. Even though she is one her self .why the hell does she make fun of Arabs. Her parent’s obviously never brought her up in a respectful manner.
As well as this the way she talks about the Yemeni abbayas is insulting. They are made to be plain and cover up. IT IS NOT A FASHION STATEMENT. She should get this through her thick head.
What’s sooo interesting Amani zain? .You’re just being pathetic. REMEMBER you are an arab your self.
these episodes are stupid, pathetic and irrelevant. AND you are acting brainless.
I think that’s a bit unfair Crystal, especially when you bring her parents into it and resort to insulting others. In what way is she making fun of Arabs? And even if at some point she points out the bad points of Arab culture, as long as she points out its the culture not our religion then so what?
I think the programme is very interesting and well-made.
so ill take it that you have not been watching her programmes then
How is it an embarassment to show people a different culture? Amani flags up a topic that many people have ridiculous prejudices against, and attempts to show us something about how things really are. The series is a starting point for debate, and I think it’s a good thing and that Amani herself is an interesting person.
It is also true that religion and culture are very very different things, and often confused by many people. I think you will find that it is certain cultural aspects only that many westeners have issues with.
I do however agree that the whole series was rather fashion obsessed. Yemeni abbayas are to cover up and are not a fashion statement. On the other hand in Dubai…. well that is rather a different story: abbayas with decoration, often worn open and with glizty heels: a contradiction in terms? Rather a lot of hypocricy going on there when you consider the purpose of an abbaya.
she’s just obsessed and gratfull of what the westren life made of her, and by the end of the day looks like the one who betrayed his country and people. if napilion is a live, he would slap her and never shake a hands for her her trison but he may pour some euros on the floor to make her knees to pick them up in digrace
Zain has made a brilliant series. She certainly has done nothing wrong here, nor has she ‘made fun’ of anyone. I can’t believe words such as ‘controversial’ are even being used against her or this programme that she has been part of. If anything, she has made the country [Egypt] and perhaps, to some extent, the religion, seem that little bit more ‘down to earth’. Amani Zain, thankyou, for such a refreshing approach.
Dr Noor Mohamad-Jones
I watched Women in black and enjoyed it a lot.It was a refreshing insight into Arab Islamic attitudes, she should know she is one, but when she started to bang on about indian muslims and that “like Arabs they do not wear second hand clothes” it really annoyed me.
Who in Islam is the clothes police?I am a muslim born in the uk and we along with others wore a mixture of home made and second hand clothes.Im proud of it. I cant stand all the clothing snobbery and mindless clothes buying endorsment in the program. yeh yeh alright some arab women spend a fortune on clothes big deal so do women in asia etc.
By the way in the 80′s you were posatively square if you didnt wear second hand clothes, and just for the record I STILL WEAR THEM.
OH and p.s. i saw a lot of hijabed women rifling thru childrens clothes section the cancer research and the help the aged shops . THEY WERE ARAB SPEAKING. Miss Zain should not generalize peoples circumstances, and jump to her often unsubstantiated conclusions.
Thanks.
I think Sabiha is getting a little too excited there. Zain was merely saying what the general view is, and was certainly did not say it with any malice.
You and the 20 or so women you’ve winessed in charity shops [I occasionally go in them myself], do not make up the 10% of the earths population – that is Muslim women.
This has been the most discussed programme we’ve ever put up at Watchification so I suppose the programme makers must have done something right! Thanks for all your contributions. I found this interview with presenter Amani Zain and writer Fadia Faquir from Woman’s Hour in May which might be of interest.
I was pleased to see another face presented to the world. Unfortunately wanted to catch the Yemen part of the program but got a few seconds only- however the Egyptian and Dubai sections were very interesting. I have been to all three countries and they are as dfferent from each other as they are from the UK or USA- so kudos to Zain for her work – fashionistas are most certainly happy and the promotional companies that paid for the trips(these things always come with a price tag)- but you got to hand it to the woman at least she drew up some new doors with ample rooms to explore for outsiders stuck in the “oppression”, “we are one homogenous group”, “and we won’t take a step forward if our lives depended on it” dialogue attached to being Muslim…whatever could be wrong in showing that we are human, with individual tastes, dreams, hopes and phobias as well? It shows we’re human…
I’m a bit late with this post but only just found the site.As a western woman,I found both Zain and her show absolutely fascinating and marvellous!I looked forward to all of the episodes.Zain showed me that behind those veils there were women just like me,with the same hopes and dreams for our children,families etc.They were interesting and made me feel that I would like to learn more.I really liked her family,what a lovely mum,her lnowledge of incense making was fascinating.I could say so much more! Zain gave an introduction that was not to heavy going,made me want to know more,was just right.I was surprised to see the criticism of her,I would have thought the women would be pleased that she gave such a positive,initial view of people western women know so little about.I hope she does more work of this nature,perhaps a bit more in-depth.Also,I agree with Dr Noor’s comments.Finally, I have been saving to visit Egypt for quite some time and now will have to wait a bit longer as I now want to see more of Arab culture and countries!