How do women square holidaying in Dubai with the lived reality of UAE women?

[Bouncealot]

Never understood a friend raving about the luxury, lack of crime, cleanliness, attentiveness of hotel and retail staff, when I had watched documentaries on slave labour, especially Philippine and Pakistani people denied passports, sleeping on kitchen floors and UAEs refusal to give stats on FGM to WHO. Just listened to Woman’s Hour discussion on the Princess Latifa case. It seems not a subject for discussion when people are planning ‘sunshine breaks’.
IABU judge other women’s holiday choices and experiences?

goes to show that sarcasm never works that well in print I suppose

No, it really doesn't. I've tried to be humorous on Mumsnet before and it's caused unintended offence.

I do agree that the sarcasm wasn't obvious, though it would be very unlikely for anyone to employ this defence of South African Apartheid, especially in this day and age,

I'm here all week folks.

(That is sarcasm as well, just in case you think I am going to be posting here for the next seven days).

@poppyzbrite4

I was being sarcastic. There have been accusations of racism when people have pointed out human rights violations.

But please, fire away.

Oh thank fuck for that.

YANBU, but it’s misogynistic to just blame women - men need to take their share of your ire too. Most enslaved people in UAE are men I think (Indian, Pakistani taxi drivers and builders etc).

I’d never holiday there - built on slave labour, roasting hot, no culture, and about as much character as an airport lounge. Not for me.

It’s stopped me going. As convenient as it’s often looked for the ‘perfect’ break o just can’t square it with the values I teach my children

@poppyzbrite4

I was being sarcastic. There have been accusations of racism when people have pointed out human rights violations.

But please, fire away.

I thought it was good!

A nice counter to the idea presented by some that you can't possibly ever say that there are standards of life that you reasonably want met. If that were true then as women here we'd have pretty much nothing. You can't have rights, its against our British way of life etc....

@poppyzbrite4

I was being sarcastic. There have been accusations of racism when people have pointed out human rights violations.

But please, fire away.

Ahhhhh Sorry!

@poppyzbrite4 the reason I didn't assume you were being sarcastic is that I have heard similar many times before from people who mean it- I remember having a screaming argument with a boyfriend in around 1999/2000 over the Taliban and Afghanistan and women's rights there, because he was of the view doing anything to try and influence change wrt would be racist, imperialist, overbearing westerners trying to impose cultural norms on others. So many people do genuinely trot out that sort of argument that you can't ever be sure it's sarcasm.

If someone has it in for you, they can dredge up stuff you posted years ago and have you arrested

That could happen here. If someone posted something racist then presumably they could arrested for hate crime.

Dubai is mentioned again and again in regard to a holiday destination that is off limits for to violation of human rights. But if that is your reasoning then you should be adding other countries to your list and also being critical of those that holiday/travel to other countries that also have appalling human rights records

I agree with this.

Been there many times, wonderful place. I go there on holiday and not to save the planet, nor am I interested in all this virtue signaling nonsense.

[quote toconclude]@Buccanarab
Yep. The snobbery, hypocrisy, islamophobia and borderline racism on this thread is both predictable and depressing./and no, never been. It looks boring.[/quote]
Agreed on all accounts At least you're honest about not wanting to visit.

It's like people who blithely use cocaine but make a show of clutching their pearls at reports of child trafficking.

Quite!!

tell me about cocaine use . You sound like twats.

@randomer

tell me about cocaine use . You sound like twats.

Nice!!

It's virtue signalling and islamophobic to not want to go somewhere it's illegal to be gay. Okay then.

Honestly I think so many are totally unaware

I go there on holiday and not to save the planet

Nice

Has anyone mentioned the Porta potty parties ?

@AnnaSW1

Honestly I think so many are totally unaware

I think people are aware, they just don't care. People buy meat from farmed animals living in awful conditions but, because they don't see those conditions, they eat the meat. People buy cheap clothes made by kids that will go into landfill and they then buy some more. They don't care. To try to discuss it is 'virtue signalling' and spoiling their vibe. The Queen doesn't care as long as she gets to chat shit about horses with a bloke who denies his daughter basic human rights.

@randomer

I go there on holiday and not to save the planet

Nice

I think so. Everyone to their own, I say.

I lived there. Lived in Sharjah and it was horrific.

@MaLarkinn,in what way

I think people choose to be unaware when it suits

And something we can all be guilty off

But the mere mention of Dubai doesn’t only raise the questions about the violation of human rights but also snobbery and yes some prejudice

I have never seen on MN a thread questioning those who go on holiday to others countries that are known for their poor human rights records, for the high levels of violence towards women and children what just because they have a richer and older culture that’s ok

Yes it’s hypercritical to only focus of Dubai as so many threads do