Teenage girls as boys

Bachus
By Bachus

Yesterday I was shopping at City Center and came across a group of trendily dressed teenage Arab boys. Not causing trouble but a giggly. On second glance something seemed a little odd and then I realized that they were girls. They finished their shopping, left the store went on their way.

They weren't causing trouble, and I'm from a culture in which how you dress is your business, but I was pretty shocked. I haven't been here long, so I'm wondering if this is a regular thing. A colleague told me she sees it all the time, but I can't tell if she is joking or not. Just curious and wondering if it is frowned upon by local custom and parents . . .

By frenchieman• 24 Apr 2011 11:36
Rating: 3/5
frenchieman

It's all about socially repressed young girls flirting with freedom. Boys have a lot more freedoms here and so they act like boys to see what it is like. Can't blame them. Minorities throughout history and the world over do this. Think of all the people who changed their names and stories when they immigrated to the US, how many immigrants added 'Al' to their names when they came to Qatar in the 1970s, and how many South Asians born in Qatar and tired of being second class try and pretend they are Qatari on the road and in QL.

By lpagaling• 24 Apr 2011 11:33
lpagaling

girls can wear boys clothes like jeans, shorts and tee shirt... and that doesn't make them lesbo or tomboy... while on the other hand its awkward if boys are now wearing girls clothes... lol and thats i think the sign... ):

By britexpat• 24 Apr 2011 11:28
britexpat

You can call it what you want - I personaly don't see any real difference between the two.

The article says "..a leading academic said that the “manly women” phenomenon was part of a “foreign trend” brought into Qatar and the Gulf by globalisation. Foreign teachers, the internet and satellite television have been blamed. "

Well, ofcourse it is. Qatar is changing. Just about anything here can be blamed on the above.

By Bachus• 24 Apr 2011 11:24
Bachus

Britexpat I found this article helpful when I learned the term boyat.

http://www.economist.com/node/15403091?story_id=15403091

Although it sometimes translates into tomboy, I don't think it's the same thing because tomboy also covers young girls who are particularly sporty and are boyish in outlook. Boyat is mostly about teenage girls and young women and is more specific a term.

By asif_khan• 24 Apr 2011 11:14
asif_khan

you know more than me rizks LOL

By smoke• 24 Apr 2011 11:13
smoke

Girls in boys outfit = Cute

Boys in girls outfit = Chute = not cute

By britexpat• 24 Apr 2011 11:13
britexpat

So, what's the difference between "tomboy" and "boyat" ?

I don't think there is any ...

By Rizks• 24 Apr 2011 11:11
Rizks

as what asif_khan ?

By asif_khan• 24 Apr 2011 11:10
asif_khan

strange things yet to be seen

By Bachus• 24 Apr 2011 11:08
Bachus

Thanks for the comments. They weren't in thobes, just dressed in what was clearly boys clothing including ball caps to swoop up the hair. Not just a tomboy thing, but Arab girls cross dressing and trying to pass as male. I googled 'boyat' and I think that fits.

I don't have a problem with it. Just curious as to why, if it is common, and how local respond. I just wondered if it is a rebellious sort of thing.

By Milky_BarKid• 24 Apr 2011 10:58
Milky_BarKid

Ok City Centre is my next hangout area..:)

By anonymous• 24 Apr 2011 10:37
anonymous

Ahh. The Day of Judgement. Yes. Cause god cares if women have short hair and wear sneakers.

By anonymous• 24 Apr 2011 10:37
anonymous

It will also cause earthquakes in Iran!

By britexpat• 24 Apr 2011 10:35
britexpat

Day of judgement...

I told you that this a sign :O)

By Minoush• 24 Apr 2011 10:34
Minoush

So girls with short hair can't wear t-shirts, jeans and sneakers? Yikes! I need to throw away most of my daughters' clothing!!

By Lili.Rochefort• 24 Apr 2011 10:34
Lili.Rochefort

giRls dRessEd aS b0ys c00l I sAy gUd 0n tHem..

By anonymous• 24 Apr 2011 10:33
anonymous

What is QIYAMAT?

By anonymous• 24 Apr 2011 10:30
anonymous

You will find things like that as a sign of QIYAMAT (a friend told me)

By asif_khan• 24 Apr 2011 09:49
asif_khan

one gay oh sorry guy told me to buy skinny jeans for eid and it was a pure gay styled.

white colored jeans with black pockets LOL

By Rizks• 24 Apr 2011 09:46
Rizks

asif_khan tat gay style jeans is in Fashion these dayz, no matter if u look gay or lesbo in it....lol

By asif_khan• 24 Apr 2011 09:41
Rating: 3/5
asif_khan

actually its the fashion now adays to be blamed some years back we used to get a veriety of jeans known as boot cuts and they were the real jean now there is a new fashion called skinny jeans which is purely gay by style and hate it.

By anonymous• 24 Apr 2011 09:06
anonymous

Not Play boy - they were called you the "Sh**t Boy"

By _noms_• 24 Apr 2011 09:05
_noms_

How were they dressed as boys?

...& what did you observe on second glance to note if they were girls?! xD

By seantrump• 24 Apr 2011 09:00
seantrump

boyat sounds more like Borat.

By Rizks• 24 Apr 2011 08:56
Rizks

dont know about Tomboy but during my school days students use to call me Playboy....:(

dont know why ? :(

By anonymous• 24 Apr 2011 08:54
anonymous

share the photos

By Khanan• 24 Apr 2011 08:47
Khanan

can be refers as Tomboy...

By edifis• 24 Apr 2011 08:35
edifis

They are little Borats from Kazakhstan.

By britexpat• 24 Apr 2011 08:34
britexpat

Something is seriously wrong then..

A group of teenage girls get together and NOT giggle ....

Impossible...

By britexpat• 24 Apr 2011 08:31
britexpat

Did you giggle also ? :o(

By anonymous• 24 Apr 2011 08:28
anonymous

Damn...so I was a boyat when I was a teenager?!! :S

By britexpat• 24 Apr 2011 08:26
britexpat

Short hair, jeans , t-shirt, boots/trainers ..

Definitely a sign of the end of the world :o(

By anonymous• 24 Apr 2011 08:21
anonymous

I don't understand how they're dressing like boys? Are they wearing thobe? Or just Western men's clothing?

By Rizks• 24 Apr 2011 08:03
Rizks

where they wearing Lungi's and net banyans ? :(

By Khanan• 24 Apr 2011 07:59
Rating: 5/5
Khanan

in local dailect and refers to cross-dressers.

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