Beauty Queens & Women's Rights in Nigeria

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights in Nigeria
From: Wolfgang
Date: 27 Nov 02 - 08:15 AM

Mohammed had many wives, as far as I know at one time in his life more than the four allowed in Islam.

Sympathetic biographies mention that most of these wives were widows of killed comrades and that by the marriage he only protected them and supported them.

Other biographies paint him as a womaniser.

Since the first written reports about him date from long after his death, at a time where hagiography had already started, we shall never know for sure.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights in Nigeria
From: Sorcha
Date: 26 Nov 02 - 04:46 PM

And, the entire pagent has been moved to London

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights in Nigeria
From: Amos
Date: 26 Nov 02 - 04:41 PM

I don't much about Mohammed's marital or conjugal history -- was he a womanizer in actuality? Anyone know?

A

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights in Nigeria
From: mack/misophist
Date: 26 Nov 02 - 03:54 PM

Mr Magaji does not have the authority to issue a fatwa. He considers Ms Daniel's death a 'fait accompli' because of the public outcry. Her remarks were stupid, perhaps, but hardly insulting. My understanding is that she said Mohammed would have approved of the contest.

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights in Nigeria
From: Wolfgang
Date: 26 Nov 02 - 02:41 PM

One more follow-up:

You may have read that more than 200 have been killed and several churches burnt in sectarian outbreaks of violence (Christians against Muslims) in the North of Nigeria following a newspaper article that was critical of the Muslim fundamentalists attack on the beauty contest.

Now, Mr. Magaji, information minister of the Nigerian country Zamfari, has called for killing the journalist responsible for the article: "Everyone who insults Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, has to be killed." He calls this a fatwa, "based on the wish of the people."

The journalist whose life is now in danger is a woman, by the way, Ms. Isioma Daniel.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights in Nigeria
From: Wolfgang
Date: 14 Nov 02 - 04:57 AM

Of course, I was for this boykott immediately when I read about it, last but not least for I consider beauty pageants in general completely unnecessary. Now, after having read more, I'm less sure I'm for the boykott.

The very strange bedfellows who are for the boykott are the North Nigerian Muslim fundamentalists, the very same who give those sentences of stoning women for the sole reason of giving birth out of wedlock. They have declared they'd be pleased if the boycott would be successfull.

Ms. Armina Laval, one of the sentenced women, has asked the beauty queens to cancel the boykott for two reasons:
(1) Everything that angers the fundamentalist Mullahs pleases that part of the population who do not want to give in to every whim of the fundamentalists (stopping a beauty contest at their wish is one first step, accepting stoning sentences comes further down the road)
(2) International publicity during the pageant may be more helpful for the fight of South Negeria against Islamic law than a boykott.

As so often, a second glance at a complicated situation provides a less unambiguous picture.

Should we really support doing what the Mullahs want in order to protest against them? I don't know.

Five beauty queens by the present count are still willing to boycott.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights in Nigeria
From: NicoleC
Date: 31 Oct 02 - 01:09 PM

I'm impressed, although I'm skeptical. It's 100% a step in the right direction, but will people die because of sentences enacted before they could appeal to federal courts? So hopefully this will lead to better things down the road. One step at a time.

Kinda sick that they'll stone a woman for getting pregnant, but the father goes free?

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights in Nigeria
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 31 Oct 02 - 07:33 AM

My sister's in Nigeria & I've sent her the link. She's a journalist, tho she is not in paid work in Nigeria because my brother-in-law works for an American company & she often sends us snippets from the news to show us how different life is there.

She is very impressed with ordinary Nigerians & might not be surprised to hear what these young women have done.

I haven't heard anything here on our national radio, which is where I get my news.

sandra

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights
From: JudeL
Date: 30 Oct 02 - 11:20 AM

I admit I never before had much time for beauty pagents mostly because of all the hype and media pressure that it puts on women and young girls to try to conform to some standard idea of size and shape, but I am very impressed with the way that these young women have used the power of public prominence and the economic advantages of hosting a high profile event to put pressure on the nigerian givt to save others from what must be a truely horrific death.

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights
From: mack/misophist
Date: 30 Oct 02 - 10:15 AM

It's not enough but it's a start.

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights
From: InOBU
Date: 30 Oct 02 - 08:13 AM

Wow

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights
From: Bagpuss
Date: 30 Oct 02 - 08:07 AM

found it

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights
From: Bagpuss
Date: 30 Oct 02 - 07:58 AM

Keep us informed!

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights
From: InOBU
Date: 30 Oct 02 - 07:47 AM

It is... the new story is not on line yet, it might be breaking news, as it came over the TV. Print takes a little longer. I think I needed a better tag line for this post, only you and I know the good news here! Cheers Larry

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights
From: Bagpuss
Date: 30 Oct 02 - 07:43 AM

Larry, that story didnt say anything about the stoning being overturned. Looks like its a link to a previous story.

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights
From: InOBU
Date: 30 Oct 02 - 07:39 AM

According to the TV the Nigerian government promices there will never be another stoning. God, I hope so. Cheers Larry

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights
From: InOBU
Date: 30 Oct 02 - 07:36 AM

http://iafrica.com/news/worldnews/149208.htm Here we go B-pus! Cheers Larry

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights
From: InOBU
Date: 30 Oct 02 - 07:34 AM

Not yet, it came over the morning news about 20 minutes ago! All the rights groups could not do what these brave young women have done. What a world! Larry

Subject: RE: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights
From: Bagpuss
Date: 30 Oct 02 - 07:30 AM

Do you have a link for this story?

Subject: Beauty Queens & Women's Rights
From: InOBU
Date: 30 Oct 02 - 07:26 AM

THEY DID IT! 8 Beauty Queens said they would boycott the Nigerian Beauty pageant, Ms World or something, and they saved the woman who was to be stoned! I am not kidding, no one would kid about this! WOW! That is the last time I am going to scoff at a Beauty Pageant. Great News! BOY does that call for a song! I may even write it! Larry