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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

"Tourism pushed women out of Zanzibar's public spaces – but now they're taking them back"

2 replies

QuietContraryMary · 11/10/2018 14:10

www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/oct/11/tourism-pushed-women-out-of-zanzibars-public-spaces-but-now-theyre-taking-them-back

Somewhat interesting article here. The claim is that 'tourism pushed women out of Zanzibar's public spaces', which is obvious nonsense, it was MEN who did this. Men kept their spaces with no disruption whatsoever, and women's spaces were lost.

I find it slightly disappointing when people in these sectors are very keen to blame the generic 'tourist', when local stakeholders hold all the power.

A quick Google suggests that this is rather misleading also:

" Near the coast, the Old Fort, built by the Omani empire when they expelled the Portuguese in 1699, used to belong to women. But today, instead of women gathering to socialise and share problems, the grassy gardens of the Old Fort are filled with vendors hawking tourist trinkets."

www.zanzibar-travel-guide.com/bradt_guide.asp?bradt=1799

"In the early 20th century, the fort was also used as a depot for the railway line which ran from Zanzibar Town to Bububu. In 1949 it was rebuilt and the main courtyard used as a ladies' tennis club, but after the 1964 Revolution it fell into disuse."

This was presumably a tennis club for mostly/all white British colonial ladies. (The 1964 Revolution followed independence from the British in 1949.)

It is unfortunate that the journalist/subeditor fails to properly recognise that the men of Zanzibar pushed the women of Zanzibar out of public spaces.

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DisrespectfulAdultFemale · 11/10/2018 17:35

I read that article, too, as I am planning a holiday in Zanzibar.

Seeing men in the evenings, smoking shishas, playing dominoes or cards, watching television in cafes etc while women are at home taking care of the children is a common sight in many countries. It has everything to do with structuralism and nothing to do with tourism.

Typical Guardian bullshit.

QuietContraryMary · 11/10/2018 17:51

I found a bit more about the supposed Ladies Fort.

www.academia.edu/23947437/The_Lost_Library_of_the_English_Club_in_Stone_Town_Zanzibar

"An oasis of European culture in the colonies, the Club with its libraries served to reproduce the comfort and familiarity of 'home'" "The Old Fort was appropriated for use by the Ladies' Tennis Club."

So it was quite literally an exclusive club for white women to play tennis in and literally nothing to do with the normal people of Zanzibar.

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