Friday, April 06, 2007

An update on S and her family

S is home again. She walking with Z on the streets of Cairo, taken by her father and put in the backseat of her father's car. Now she is "visiting" with him and his family in the country. Some of us at school think she is being married off. The taming of the shrew lives.

When D returned to school the following workday a teacher said "So is S dead yet?" D responded "No, of course not. You know, A is a good father and a good husband. He's a good man." Right, what has she been telling everyone since the school started 3 years ago - he was abusive to the entire family when he comes to Cairo from the US.

D has been going around school trying to repair the lies she says S has been spreading about her father. Again, right. How can you believe someone who has told you stories time and time again about how her husband abuses the family.

Now D is a "religious" Muslim. She prays, fasts, and lets you know it too. (Something that is very contrary to what Islam proclaims -- modesty and humility). OK enough of my personal opinions here, but I can't stop now.

She has been called the "modesty police" by some of us at school. You know the type - the kind of person who wraps themselves so tightly in their abaya and hijab but then tells other women that their skirts are too tight, their cleavage is showing, their nipples are showing through their sweater, and more. Don't talk to a man, don't shake a man's hand, don't have a conversation with a man - my God if you do they'll think you want to have sex with them.

Most of the comments D has made concerning women's dress has been aimed at me, except the cleavage comment. That comment was directed at the School Coordinator; she picked the wrong woman to say it to. When comments like that are aimed at me, I want to do more to throw her off.

Last year she complained to the principal that the 3rd grade teacher and 5th grade teacher were holding hands and it gives the wrong impression to the students. (Again, practically having sex.) So to get back at her, there were some teachers who would make eyes at each other and blow kisses at each other in the morning staff meetings just to piss her off. Well, the two teachers were reprimanded and asked not to hold hands in public anymore.

How are teenagers supposed to act when their parents repress everything and keep their children from going out and exploring the world. "If you pull too tightly, you'll lose control."

I think if I were D's daughter I would have run away too.

Ma'salaam,

~Marian

2 comments:

Nora said...

I second your personal comments.. but maybe I should not say that outloud...
Other than that, pulling too tight and restricting your children too much definitely will cause you too lose control.... and "s"`s parents definitely lost control...

Marian said...

I don't think we have to worry about them reading this blog; seeing that S's mother doesn't know how to use the internet, but that's another story, isn't it. Considering everyone has a past, it would help them to understand their daughter if they reflected on their own misgivings.