by dropoffyourkeylee 10 Replies latest social current
I follow chess players news, and there is an interesting development at a women's chess tournament in Iran. All the women, whether Muslim or not, are required to wear a headcovering. The news story and reader comments are at:
http://en.chessbase.com/post/tehran-wgp-rd5-keeping-the-status-quo#discuss
It really looks strange to western viewers to see the European women with the traditional garb, but is it wrong? Considering the WT's past stand on headcoverings, it is an interesting story.
is it wrong? - yes, it is. The key phrase being 'forced to' - women should have a choice what to wear. I think women chess players should boycott this pathetic event.
At least people are allowed to play chess in Iran.
Chess has been banned in Saudi Arabia.
Even though I am glad to see a chess tournament being held, if I were in that position I think I would boycott it and decline to participate.
If there were a tennis tournament in Iran, would the best women players agree to participate if they had to wear traditional garb while playing? Seriously, I doubt it.
I don't know what they are thinking, but to me it is outrageous.
It is outrageous however I am not knowledgeable about the quality of chess in Iran, nor the prize money at sake. The Ladies looked comfortable at least in the pictures.
I appreciate the information and will study the Boards to see if there is anything I can steal...lol.
By the way Lee I play chess once a week at our local library with a small group of chess warriors. To my knowledge we are the only Chess group to be thrown out of a library for rowdyism. They let us back after a year. We keep it down now but we still trash talk one another which has attracted a wide following especially High School students who find our put downs and comments hysterical. Mostly we try to crack one another up and take advantage of the other player's lapse in concentration.
The diversity of our players is amazing. We have a Harvard recruiter who speaks five languages, a bluegrass banjo player whose group performs throughout the USA. A construction worker, a retired special ops military person, a former college dean and me a professional artist. We have also mentored children who have played with us after school all the way into their college years.
Why is this surprising news when woman are to wear their heads covered with a hijab in Iran anyways ?
@Finkelstein
Because it seems as if non-Muslim foreigners must adopt the wearing of the head covering.
It's bad enough that Iran forces Iranian women to cover the head, it's even worse to force outsiders to cover the head.
It would be ridiculous - it most certainly would. Serena Williams is a great tennis player.
But, more than this, Serena Williams has great curves - lots of in & out bits - a fantastic ass, and beautiful black skin.
I am I alone in wanting Serena Williams to play competitive tennis in a string bikini?
