The illegal thobe

30 Jul, 2008  Uncategorized

A bit of discrimination is normal, but imagine being discriminated against in your own country because you wear a thobe.
It happens sadly. However no matter who it happens to, it’s not a nice feeling at all to be turned away at a door because you’re wearing
a thobe.
After a very lengthy meeting, it was decided that all the parties would head off to the Cigar Lounge to chat and get to know each other better. I thought it would be a great opportunity to meet people and to improve ties.

As everyone walked in I followed naturally but was stopped by a manager/security man who said “I’m sorry sir but you can’t come in because you’re wearing a thobe. It’s the law.”. “What law?” I asked. “We received a letter from the Tourism Authority which states that we’re not allowed to let anyone wearing a thobe in. It hurts my heart to turn away a Qatari in Qatar, but I have to”.
I felt sorry for the guy. I was ready to make a big fuss but I couldn’t. I asked if I could enter for two minutes to say good bye and he repied with “Absolutely, please”.

My mind kept thinking about this stupid law. There is no purpose for this law except to fool people into thinking that Arabs don’t drink and are only religious. It’s true, if you saw more people in thobes in a bar or a club, you’d think that Arabs did that too and would probably break away from the stereotype they have that we all think, act and ‘dress’ the same.
However, it seems the law is in place to ensure that the image of the thobe is not ‘tainted’. Why is it ok for a Bahraini in a suit to enter but not in a thobe? Is the thobe religious? No. Is the thobe a symbol? No. The thobe is cultural. It’s as simple as that. You can’t hide the truth and sadly there are those that drink.

I personally don’t. If I entered a venue like the Cigar Lounge at the Four Seasons, I’d probably have a coke or a redbull, but I guess it doesn’t matter what my intentions are. In fact, I probably wouldn’t have gone to the Cigar Lounge if the other parties hadn’t suggested it. Oh well, we all have to get used to the rules that don’t make sense, but we don’t have to like it.

Freedom?

  • Abuamerican

    They told me I couldn’t go bowling in my thoube. I always wear jeans under my thoube so right in front of the guy I stuffed my thoube into my pants and told him I want to bowl.

    My “shirt” had an odd collar but.. I got to bowl that night.

  • Kei

    loool! Always??

  • Abuamerican

    heh, yep always, either jean shorts or pants. Never know when I am going to have to ditch the thoube and duke it out. Happened in KSA Medinah during ramadan. Friend got attacked by a crowd and I could’t fight effectively since I only had an izar on under the thoube. lol couldn’t kick if I wanted to without falling down or even run away really fast.

    More practicality than anything else. oh and I always wear tennis shoes with my thoubes too..
    :)

  • novita77

    Abuamerican … good idea. Lol.

    Kei … i hv seen arab in thobes in Intercon and the italian restaurant drinking beer.

    I do heard about ‘no thobes entry rules’ some years back.

    Btw … do you mind to turn up on the 11th with your thobe pls? Dont worry, i will make sure we have plenty of soft drink for you :) X

  • Kei

    lol why do you want me to wear a thobe?

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