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burka hurdle jumpers

Saudia Arabia allows women to compete
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After hearing today's news that Saudia Arabia is going to allow women to compete in the Olympics, I had to wonder just what sport would be suitable. I instantly imagined jumping hurdles wearing burkas! Seeing they are not ready for London - I propose that a team start to work now for the next Olympics. First team- The Burka Hurdle Jumpers will be ready when the Olympics are ready for them.

There will have to be Burka rules, such as leaving them exactly the way they are now. No shortening of the hem, or tieing up the length will pass.

xandram, Jun 25 2012

http://www.ahiida.com/ http://www.ahiida.com/
"Your N#1 supplier of high quality Burqini® Swimwear and Hijood® Sportswear that is in line with Islamic values, allowing Muslim women the choice to participate in sporting, swimming and day to day activities with confidence. All our products incorporate choice as well as pure functionality." [zen_tom, Jun 26 2012]

BBC: Muslim Dress in Graphics http://news.bbc.co....im_veils/html/1.stm
Aha, here it is - most informative. [zen_tom, Jun 26 2012]

[link]






       My horror at the whole concept does not allow for teasing.
WcW, Jun 26 2012
  

       //My horror at the whole concept// of the Olympics or of burkas?
MaxwellBuchanan, Jun 26 2012
  

       I'm no expert on women's Islamic dress - I can't remember what the difference is between a Burkha and a Hijab for example. There was a handy BBC link somewhere that went into more detail. Meanwhile, see link for some possible outfits Team Saudi might be sporting. (Though I suspect there might be some excitable clerics who might have a few things to say about that)
zen_tom, Jun 26 2012
  

       I don't know, but it's something that seems to have been common across the world - It's a kind of feudal "people-as-livestock" kind of mindset perhaps rooted in a system where someone who locally owns and works the land, perhaps owning a number of head of livestock, and who's organisation and division of local labour supplies food and shelter to those who depend on them. The chief and his menfolk are there to defend their cattle, borders and women from other societal unit's attentions. In this tribal arrangement, women are desirable commodities, to be traded (i.e. married off in exchange for other goods, lands or access rights) stolen or secured. If you own a bunch of precious gemstones, the last thing you want is for them to go around glinting in full view where they might tempt neighbours into some sort of raid on your village. It's like keeping your cash in your wallet, rather than flashing it around in full view.   

       Of course, as societies move away from this way of living, and the social environment becomes more modern, civilised and urban, those kinds of traditional social heuristics are put under greater stresses and ultimately dissolve altogether. That's what happened since the Industrial Revolution in Europe anyway.
zen_tom, Jun 26 2012
  

       I'm struggling to see how this whole idea and ensuing discussion isn't racism. Sorry, but it's not particularly funny.
UnaBubba, Jun 26 2012
  

       You're the one likening Saudi Arabian women to farm animals. If the Hijab fits...   

       Islam is not just a religion. It's an entire cultural, legal and religious system of societal organisation.
UnaBubba, Jun 26 2012
  

       I wrote a long diatribe on why religions of all flavours are essentially oppressive brain-washing claptrap, but deleted it because all the religions will die out over the next century or so; so, you know, who cares?   

       In the meantime, shall we just all be nice to each other for a bit? Maybe cut down on the honour killings perhaps, or the stringing up black folk in the name of Baby Jee? Allowing freedom of speech and granting rights to women sounds like a nice idea too, if we get a minute. Also, killing each other over your favourite prophet is getting a bit tiresome now. Whatever, in your own time.   

       Just thinking out loud. Ignore me.   

       As to the idea, I'm amazed this site doesn't have an entry called Ninja Olympics yet...
theleopard, Jun 26 2012
  

       //You're the one likening Saudi Arabian women to farm animals.// Oops, I think I might have started that - so just to clarify my take on this;
i) advancing a theory on the roots of a tradition isn't the same thing as agreeing with that tradition
ii) advancing a theory on the roots of a tradition doesn't mean that the current expression of that tradition today continues to be based directly on those original formative roots - traditions have this tendency to take on a life of their own and persist long after the original causes are long gone
iii) I think the same roots have applied across the world, across multiple cultures, peoples and races - Only very recently for example (by which I mean perhaps in the last 3 generations) flashing as much as an ankle might have provoked controversy in much of Western Europe. The point being that early tribalism/feudalism had different standards than we have today. As an example, talking about Roman, Greek or Egyptian slavery, does not mean equate to racism against peoples of the Mediterranean.
iv) Nuns
v) Also, the bit about excitable clerics was probably a little bit racist.
zen_tom, Jun 26 2012
  

       Excuse me, [UB] but the *idea* mentions no racism what-so-ever. They wear a certain style of clothing and that is all I was mentioning. Whatever others read into the idea is something else. (and I noticed there are many variations of the spelling of *burka*.)
xandram, Jun 26 2012
  

       // iv) Nuns // made me laugh out loud.
theleopard, Jun 26 2012
  

       // Islam is not just a religion. It's an entire cultural, legal and religious system of societal organisation. //   

       Actually, it is multiple variations on the above, dictated entirely by the variously interpreted tenets of a religion. Thus, it is a religion. Going by your definition, Judaeism, Roman Catholicism, and Hinduism are not "just" religions either.   

       Let me know when the angry mob arrives at your door. I've got a whole TEU full of torches and pitchforks I need to unload.
Alterother, Jun 26 2012
  

       Islam, in its power bases, is about where Christianity was in Tudor times... at the top of the sociopolitical heap in those countries where it has most influence.   

       That it took Christian nations 500 more years to throw off the backwards attitudes of religion and embrace relative freedoms, equalities and scientific advances should be a salutary warning to Islam. Sadly, dogma takes a long time to eradicate from a people. Look at Serbia and its 670 year issue with Kosovan and Albanian Moslems.
UnaBubba, Jun 26 2012
  

       People always find a reason to demonise the next group along the map, the eternal fear of 'the others'. Religion's one hat for that school of thought but take it away and it would be replaced by an equivalent. Back on topic, I read this as the hurdles wearing burqas, which is far more interesting.
Phrontistery, Jun 27 2012
  

       That link from zen tom makes me wonder why these head coverings are black; any reason why they can't at least be colourful/decorative like a quality sari? I've not been in a crowd of the wearers but it must feel like standing next to human chess pieces.
Phrontistery, Jun 27 2012
  

       It depends on which country/culture you're in; I've visited several countries that are predominantly Moslem or at least where Moslems constitute a major demographic. In Egypt, for example, Moslem women show their faces but their dress is quite drab, whereas in Morocco many devout Moslem women wear full burqa with only the eyes showing, but their burqas are often brightly colored and decorated with tassles and gold-colored braid.
Alterother, Jun 27 2012
  

       If by some quirk of history I were to be female and were required to wear a burka, I would be sorely tempted to conceal a Segway beneath it, to give the appearance of gliding effortlessly and supernaturally.
MaxwellBuchanan, Jun 27 2012
  

       Like the nun in Blues Brothers?
UnaBubba, Jun 27 2012
  

       No, I didn't particularly.
MaxwellBuchanan, Jun 27 2012
  

       [MB] That is a wonderful image you've conjured up in my mind's eye! Nuns can use hidden segways, too!
xandram, Jun 27 2012
  

       Wow, try saying the title of this idea even three times fast.   
      
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