More on Lingerie in Arab Cultures

Following the TLP article on Arab lingerie, a couple of other stories are worth noting.

Martin Asser, Middle East specialist for the BBC News website, reports from the workshop of one of Syria’s most established lingerie makers, Ali Nasser. Martin asks “Why is this so popular in Syria?” Ali Nasser answers, “it is a good thing for a husband and wife to have a healthy sexy life together.”

In other news, Joumana Haddad (pictured below) has launched a quarterly magazine. Haddad, whose day job is culture editor of Beirut’s famed An-Nahar newspaper, has chosen the name Jasad (“body” in Arabic). Jasad is meeting with polarized reactions. Jasad features articles and art that many feel are “haram” or forbidden. “Sexuality is a largely hidden topic in the Arab world, though attitudes vary according to social norms and regime. Lebanon is a liberal island in a conservative sea, but even there frank discussion of sexual issues is frowned on. Contradictions abound: Syrian women buy daring lingerie for their trousseaux, but suffer a high incidence of violence from husbands or fathers.”