29
Mariah Carey: Dude Looks Like a Lady >>
Sexist or Not? Saudi Charity Offers Men a Free Wedding If They Quit Smoking
9 Comments | Posted by Sasha in Riyadh, marriage, smoking
A new anti-smoking campaign by a Saudi charity called Purity has been taking some criticism thanks to an offer of an all-expenses-paid wedding in exchange for quitting smoking — an offer available to men only.
Banners in Riyadh are advertising the campaign slogan: “Kicking the habit is on you, and marriage is on us.” The grand-prize winner will be announced in August, and twenty runners-up will receive free furniture.
In contrast to the U.S. — where the bride’s family is traditionally responsible for the wedding — in the Arab world, the man takes on that cost. The expense for a wedding means that Arab men often put off marriage until they have saved enough money to “take a bride.”
Some critics of the program have said that it devalues what they consider to be a holy union, while others have noted that making the opportunity only available to men is sexist, and perpetuates the idea that a man needs to be the initiator of a marriage.
What do we think? Sexist? Sexist but worth it if it’s going to get people to quit smoking? Or totally reasonable?
How can they prove the winner has really quit? Are they doing blood tests? And maybe he’ll just start up again after the wedding…. seems stupid to me.
I’m not smoking and no bad habit of drinking / tobacoos etc. I can go for any kind of test. I’m against the man, those have such above the bad habits.
Considering men foot the bill, it makes sense to offer it to them, and if Saudi Arabia is like most countries in the world, men smoke much much more than women do.
The entire nation of Saudi Arabia is just one big hellhole of misogyny. I have the deepest pity for any woman forced to live there.
Well, I guess it’s possible that the women will think, “Awesome, he didn’t have to spend his own money on this wedding, so now he can afford a better house for us” or something.
This is Saudi Arabia. It’s probably the least sexist news I’ve seen come out of there in my entire life.
Someone made a point: if the men are paying for the wedding, it makes sense. Also, I think I read a statistic that shows the percentage of men and women smokers in various countries. I believe in Saudi Arabia, the difference was STAGGERING. Not many women smoke. If anything, they don’t have a market to convince women to smoke.
I think it’s reasonable. You’ve got a situation where the man always pays for the wedding and very few women smoke; it would make no sense to offer a free wedding to women who quit. I don’t think anyone is just going to decide to get married because they win the prize. I’m betting it will be someone who is ready to marry anyway and just didn’t have the funds.
I think the idea of the man paying for the wedding is less sexist than the idea of the brides family paying for it. Proving you have the ability to save enough to take on the responsibility of a wife and presumably kids makes much more sense than proving you have enough money to sell your daughter off!
They should choose someone who is totally proven to have quit smoking and has been in a long term relationship with someone they planned to marry anyways. This idea is obviously a bit far-fetched but heck, if it gives someone that extra incentive to stop smoking and helps a happy couples wedding dreams come true, it’ll work out as long as the contestants intentions are good. As far as his sexist goes, i really don’t see it. I mean traditionally the guy is the one to ask for a woman’s hand in marriage, especially in SAUDI ARABIA, so I guess it makes sense.
Sexist? What about all the foods and other produces aimed exclusively at women in the Western world? Not long ago my best friend applied for a job at a sweet shop and they rejected it because he is a lad and they will only take girls. I think we should just shut up and stop complaining when something is exclusive for men, because there are chocolate brands (Nestle’s Red Box), drinks (Light Coke, Bacardi Breezer) and culture (my very much hated “chick lit” and “chick flicks”, some pop artists) which are shamelessly directed towards women, and I’m still to hear a lad complaining, except for my poor best friend.
I think it just makes sense for the culture, isn’t it called advertising demographics or something? I don’t think it’s bad, remember it takes two to tango and if the man gets the wedding paid that means a woman will be able to get married as well so everybody benefits!!
Hope I made sense there.