From: ravi@pinot.frec.bull.fr
Newsgroups: soc.culture.pakistan
Subject: Re: Ladies in Cinema Halls (was Re: Mr. In article <1992Sep30.021835.936@leland.Stanford.EDU>, usman@leland.Stanford.EDU (Usman Hameed) writes:
Date: 8 Oct 92 15:29:32 GMT
Reply-To: ravi@pinot.frec.bull.fr ()

|>Subject: Re: Mr. 420 (a movie by Omar Sharif)..
|>Summary: 
|>Expires: 
|>References: <1992Sep19.230102.18210@engr.uark.edu> <1992Sep24.014725.29131@cronkite.ocis.temple.edu>
|>Sender: 
|>Followup-To: 
|>Distribution: 
|>Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
|>Keywords: 

|>
|>In article <1992Sep24.014725.29131@cronkite.ocis.temple.edu>
vinny@astro.ocis.temple.edu (Vinit Karandikar) writes:
|>
|>>: people are flocking to see the movie, even ladies were coming
|>>                                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|>>: to see the movie in the cenima halls.
|>>  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|>>
|>>I don't mean to be sarcastic but is that an event ?
|>>
|>>Is it that bad for women in Pakistan.
|>>
|>>I had assumed as all Indians do that women have it pretty bad
|>>in Pakistan and for that matter most if not all countries
|>>practicing Islam as the State religion.
|>>(one man witness being equal to 2 or is it 3 women witnesses)
|>
|>
|>It is generally frowned upon for women of 'respectable families'
|>(with all the allusions that conjures up) to be seen unescorted,
|>in public.  During the Zia years women were first made to cover 
|>their heads, then wear 'chaddars', and finally stay at home
|>as much as possible.  This wasn't a government policy but more 
|>a self-imposed concession to the religious right which gained 
|>official patronage at the time. Contributing specifically to the
|>reduction of women in the cinema-going audience, was the 
|>proliferation of VCR's, and the availability of more interesting
|>fare on VHS cassettes, e.g. Indian and American films. 
|>
|>Another contributing factor is the lack of entertainment for our 
|>youth.  You go to a movie theater and people make annoying noises
|>and suggestive comments, which makes it a stressful situation for 
|>women, if the intent is to enjoy the movie.  There was one play
|>held at the Alhambra Arts Center in Lahore, where some people in
|>the audience continually taunted the actors.  It eventually 
|>dissipated into open swearing between the actors and the hecklers.
|>I went to a play at the Alliance Francaise in Karachi, which was
|>free and open to the public.  A bunch of rowdy college students 
|>disrupted the entire evening, for no other purpose but to get
|>the attention of the women in the audience.  What we in Pakistan
|>need are more coed schools, so men and women can be socialized
|>with each other at an early age, and not acquire this attention
|>seeking, impress-the-other-sex chauvinism.
|>
|>So this new movie by Omar Sharif has succeeded in overcoming
|>women's (justifiable) reservations about going to cinemas.
|>That in itself is high praise.
|>
|>>I am astounded at this however whatever my previous bias.
|>>
|>>I'd appreciate if you could either justify the situation
|>>or deplore it as something that could and should be 
|>>improved upon.
|>>
|>>
|>>--==(Vinit Karandikar)==--
|>
|>Although the situation is generally suppressive for women,
|>the system develops other offsetting domains of influence
|>for them.  For example, if you are a woman, you do not have
|>to stand in line, but can go to the head and you will be 
|>helped.  Some places have separate lines for women, which are
|>usually much shorter, except if you go to pay the phone or
|>electricity bill on the due date.  Then everybody brings their
|>female family members to stand in line.  However, this is indoors
|>which is air conditioned, while the poor men are standing outside 
|>in the blistering Karachi heat.  Also in matters of domestic and 
|>matrimonial decisions, women usually play a leading role.  I don't
|>claim that this completely offsets their suppression in other
|>spheres, but it is no doubt there as a concession.  
|>
|>An amusing observation is the practice of holding the door, after
|>you have passed through it, for the person following you.  First
|>of all people keep passing through, instead of grabbing hold and
|>saying thank you.  When 5 or 10 people have passed through without 
|>the hint of acknowledging this sucker who's holding the door, I just
|>release it in their faces.  The other point to note is that women
|>probably think I'm trying to make a pass at them, because instead
|>of saying 'thanks', 'shukriya', or giving a nod, they will scowl
|>at you.  This is probably dictated by the culture which encourages
|>women not to encourage men.  I found it amusing and a little sad,
|>that people have to play these games to project purity of character.
|>
|>I've rambled a bit, but hope Vinit gets the general answer to his
|>query.
|>
|>Usman

Some of the these attitudes exist even in India though
limited to small cities and towns.

Ravi
                                                                        
Newsgroups: soc.culture.pakistan