Omar Offendum - Destiny (Official Video HD)

Making Up Boys

An article about how some Afghani families, so pressured to have sons, make up ones by transforming one of their girls into a boy. It's as simple as a haircut and a pair of trousers!  The "lucky" girl gets to ride a bike, play football, and get into fights with boys.

Then, when marriage beckons, the girl-boy is ruthlessly expelled from boy paradise and is asked to be a girl again: shy, confined, and good at cooking. Is it surprising that some of these girl-boys are disappointed and do not want to be girls again?

All of this is done not for the sake of the child, but for the sake of the parents' pride: they are too humiliated to have only girls and their social standing suffers. So they invent a son, at least for a while. As we say in Arabic, "el reeha wala el 3adam." (Translation: "better than nothing").

Of course when a girl chooses to be or become a boy, hell break loose. And when a boy chooses to be or become a girl, then civilization as we know it is threatened with annihilation. Religion, law, science, and love of country are deployed to put boys and girls in their so-called "natural" places.

And let us not romanticize this practice by using it to  show how "queer" Afghanis can be. This is not about queerdom; it's about power and coercion.

Music: Beounce " I wish I were a boy"

Sabah and Mohammad Fawzy in "Masalan"

Queer Politics and the Question of Palestine/Israel

A new issue of the Gay and Lesbian Quarterly journal is out. It's about "Queer Politics and the Question of Palestine/Israel." Check it out here.

Princess Hijab Veils Paris

Princess hijab is a graffitti artist who goes around Paris drawing niqabs over advertisements. You can say the French brought this upon themselves for their ridiculous obsession with the niqab, whose ban has passed into law. So their deepest fears, of an Islam that takes over their cities and subways, is realized in the guerrilla art of Princess Hijab who draws niqabs over both women and men.

In addition to the scare it is supposed to give the city, Princess hijab's art reminds us that veiling women or baring them are connected. This is why I would like to see her set loose in places where niqabs are marketed as the only right thing for women, without which the Umma would disintegrate.

You can watch the video about this artist here. An article is here.

Shadia Mansour's Musical Intifada

An article and video about Shadia Mansour, who is rightly called the First Lady of Arabic Hip Hop.  

The Narcicyst "Hamdulillah"

Iraqi rapper The Narcicyst with Shadia Mansour.

Award for Most Moronic Song

I think the degradation of Arabic pop music has reached a new low. To know what I mean, you can listen (as usual at your own risk) to this new song by Rasheedy, another Rotana clone  (there are so many of them these days and they all look alike). His lowly masterpiece is called "Toz Feky."

I would give him some points for originality. For as far as I know there is no other Arabic song with this title or with this theme. Yes, there are plenty of songs bemoaning parting and accusing the lover of cruelty, coldness, betrayal etc. etc. Sure, things can get ugly, but this is something else altogether.

For this Karawan is so hurt for being dumped by his first love he sings about wanting to auction her. He will sell her because she's cheap, and he will make sure to tell buyers that she's good to play with but not to love. I guess he was so much in love that he didn't hear that slavery is OVER! (well, mostly). No wonder she dumped his moronic @##.

Then that brilliant climax: his last words to her are "Toz Feky." Buddy, that's what you say in the privacy of your fight, not to us, your poor listeners!

Now, I know that tastes vary and a jilted lover should be given some extra room to express his anger, disappointment, and heartbreak (future posts will show that you can have civilized break up songs). I also know that I'm getting old and may not appreciate the way members of the new generation express themselves. Still, I don't think talking to a woman as if she is chattel is cool regardless of your age, taste, or hate.

Lowkey - Tears To Laughter (Music Video) (Long Live Palestine)

Eid Ad: "Once Upon a Time There was a City"

It's about time that the Ghoul gets unothered!

Short Arab Films

You can watch many short Arab films online here.  There are films from Palestine, Morocco, the Gulf, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, and Lebanon. This is a project initiated by the Goethe Institute.

Digla: Egypt Rock 'n' Roll