No Kissing at the Mall
Interesting policy implemented at the Mall of the Emirates last month. If you're feeling amorous with your shopping partner (or someone you meet there :) you should take note of the second prohibition listed... "No Kissing or Overt Displays of Affection". You might also get stuck at "Please Wear Respectful Clothing" too.
This raises a number of questions. Does this apply to all kissing? Like the "peck on the cheek" kind? Or just the 'extended lip-lock' kind? Who makes this decision? Is hand-holding an overt display of affection? Is an arm around the shoulder? Exactly where can a hand be put?
And what is respectful? Of course I assume they mean respectful to the host culture. But that is a tough thing to do when you (Dubai) are setting your goals on drawing hundreds of thousands of tourists to your country. Tourists by definition almost always see themselves as not a part of the culture they are visiting. It's as if they think of themselves as viewing everything from behind a glass window.
When I first moved here I used to not wear shorts except to the beach and to the park. But I've loosened up about that over the last 5 years. I wonder if I ever offend anyone when I go to the store.
As a Christian I'm eager to keep the commandments of the Bible as an act of gratitude to God for what he's done for me through Christ - the forgiveness of sins and the adoption into the his eternal family as a son of the King. The Bible would teach "let there not be a hint of immorality among you." (Ephesians 5:3) But the real challenge is that immorality has some culturally defined boundaries. Or at least the "hints" are culturally defined often.
So, even when I take my family of all women (4 daughters, 1 wife) to the mall they don't go in shorts or sleeveless shirts just out of respect for the host culture in which we live. But even then I wonder if people see my daughters, know we're from the west, and then just assume they are immoral. What can I do about that? Nothing I think. Other than to live it down among the people who really know us.
When we go though, we'll just have to make sure... no kissing!
What do you think?
1 comment:
My friend and I were at the Mall of the Emirates last night and this notice of No Kissing was something we both noticed on the sliding doors as we entered the mall (we had a hearty laugh over it). Obvisouly the situation at the mall must've have gotten out of control that the management had to put a No Kissing warning sign.
I kissed my friends who I met up with (guys and girls), the Arabic style, cheek to cheek. I don't see anything wrong with that. But yes, I have seen some people kissing lips to lips and hugging and embracing each other passionately, and that can create an awkward situation, especially when you have elders with you.
M
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