keeping with the topic of 'bans' - i would like to report a recent ban that has been enforced here in doha - a banning of single males on fridays from not only entering the souq area as mentioned in my june 22nd blog but now also from shopping malls.
as previously mentioned, friday is the holy day here and the only day off for most, especially those in the construction sector as it is the only day that the 24 hour construction grids to a halt. most stores are closed until mid afternoon however, the main grocery stores and coffee shops in malls are open in the morning but close from 11-1pm when it is prayer time.
mike and i's friday ritual is usually a trip to starbucks first thing in the morning. for a few weeks now we have witnessed this human right violation. it started with the signs advertising 'friday as family day' but unfortunately it didn't stop there - security guards are now present outside of every entrance denying 'single bachelors' from entering the mall.
i type 'single bachelors' VERY loosely as it appeared from our seats in starbucks, the security guards were allowing single WHITE males and qataris to enter BUT everyone else who didn't fit the profile were denied! 
as you can imagine, this caused a bit of an uproar - for the first couple of weeks anyways. we have witnessed many altercations from our seats in starbucks!
will there be a revolt, you may ask? very unlikely as these workers earn 80% more money in doha than they would in their home countries - it is more important for them to send this money back to their families than to be able to shop on a friday!! as a result, many would not jeopardize this opportunity as they would face deportation. workers are a dime a dozen and they would quickly be replaced by one of many who are waiting in the wings!!!
why this ban? well, apparently it is said to allow families to shop in comfort and it is the mall's prerogative...??? quite frankly, we don't quite understand as we have always had a pleasant shopping experience here however, some people claim that they feel uncomfortable by the workers' leering stares...
mike and i's friday ritual is usually a trip to starbucks first thing in the morning. for a few weeks now we have witnessed this human right violation. it started with the signs advertising 'friday as family day' but unfortunately it didn't stop there - security guards are now present outside of every entrance denying 'single bachelors' from entering the mall.
i type 'single bachelors' VERY loosely as it appeared from our seats in starbucks, the security guards were allowing single WHITE males and qataris to enter BUT everyone else who didn't fit the profile were denied! 
as you can imagine, this caused a bit of an uproar - for the first couple of weeks anyways. we have witnessed many altercations from our seats in starbucks! will there be a revolt, you may ask? very unlikely as these workers earn 80% more money in doha than they would in their home countries - it is more important for them to send this money back to their families than to be able to shop on a friday!! as a result, many would not jeopardize this opportunity as they would face deportation. workers are a dime a dozen and they would quickly be replaced by one of many who are waiting in the wings!!!
why this ban? well, apparently it is said to allow families to shop in comfort and it is the mall's prerogative...??? quite frankly, we don't quite understand as we have always had a pleasant shopping experience here however, some people claim that they feel uncomfortable by the workers' leering stares...
1 comment:
It's a little unsettling when rules or laws are imposed and enforced without the public being able to challenge them—or at least in a climate where people can challenge the establishment but don't for fear of losing their job.
That being said, I do get a little uncomfortable when women leer at me.
Some say it's my own fault for insisting to wear a Borat Mankini whilst out and about in London.
Others say the vision of me in a mankini will haunt their dreams forever.
I just don't think people are ready for my celebration of the human form.
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Starbucks should start hiring-out wives and kids by the hour so single blokes can pick-up their Venti Soya half-caf lattes.
k.
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