newspapers ban pictures of new female PM
Not Arab, but Israeli:)
Outrage as Jewish newspapers ban pictures of Israel's new PM because she's a woman
Tzipi Livni is poised to become Israel’s next prime minister - but ultra-orthodox newspapers in the Jewish state are refusing to publish her picture for reasons of religious modesty.
Israeli feminists have described the ban as ‘laughably ludicrous.’
Only about 600,000 of Israel’s 7 million population are haredi, or ultra-orthodox, but they pack a strong political punch and include key officials including cabinet ministers and the mayor of Jerusalem.
Their lifestyle is governed by a strict code with regulations for food, clothes, reading material and education which many critics say goes beyond the rules of orthodox Judaism.
Signs hanging at the entrance to the ultra-orthodox neighbourhoods in Jerusalem warn women to dress modestly in the area.
‘No haredi paper will publish Livni’s picture,’ said Avraham Kroizer, a public relations adviser to the incoming premier.
‘Graphic artists will blur the faces of women that do make their way into pictures that the papers want to use.
‘They will also blur pictures of television sets or other items deemed improper to be seen by the wider haredi public.’
Naomi Ragen, author of The Sacrifice of Tamar and other popular novels set in the ultra-orthodox world, said the ban on Livni’s photograph was ‘over the top.’
‘But I’m not surprised,’ said Ms Ragen, who campaigns for equal rights for religious women.
‘The haredi newspapers never publish pictures of women. Women don’t exist. These papers are the equivalent of a boys’ club.
'Even when they are advertising for the female market, they won’t print a picture of a woman holding a baby.’
One ultra-orthodox paper also said it would not be using Livni’s name Tzipi - short for ‘Tziporah’ which means ‘bird.’
‘We might write "Mrs. T. Livni" or just "Mrs. Livni," but the name. Tzipi is too familiar. It is not acceptable to address a woman using her first name, especially when she goes by a nickname,’ said a senior editor at Hamodia, the oldest ultra-orthodox daily.
‘For us the newspaper is an educational device that not only informs but also teaches people how to behave,’ he said.
Livni would be Israel’s first woman prime minister since Golda Meir resigned in 1974. The Hamodia editor admitted their policy back then was different.
‘Golda was an institution. She was a respected figure with decades of political experience before she became prime minister. But in recent years there has been depreciation in the level of politicians,’ he explained.
Ms Ragen said it was ‘laughably ludicrous’ not to print Livni’s full name.
‘Why this would be a problem is beyond the grasp of an orthodox woman like myself,’ she said.
‘There is nothing in Jewish law that would remotely be able to excuse this behaviour.’
‘God has no problem putting the names of many women in the Bible. Why the ultra-orthodox world feel they have to improve upon God escapes me. They are getting more and more fanatical every day,’ she said.
Professor Galia Golan of the Inter-Disciplinary Centre University and a founder of the Israel Women’s network, said the ban was ‘like something from the middle ages.’
‘It’s ridiculous and it’s terrible,’ said Prof Golan.
‘They are more conservative than Islamic fundamentalists who have no problems seeing women in public life.’
‘To make a difference between Livni and Golda Meir is even more insulting. It suggests they had no problem with Golda because she was so manly, whereas Livni has honesty, intelligence, integrity – a different kind of politician who represents the feminine side of politics.’
revised
So... that is the ruler's right....
Like my Mom used to tell me if people don't like the way things are done here (USA) then they should get the hell out.... So I did.... =)
And I would advise any of the Arabs or other than them that do not like the way that the country is run... then do your best to leave....
They call it the American dream because you have to be asleep to see it... --George Carlin
you are right,
"we shouldn't let these 'minorities' views lead to the generalization of the whole.."..
Merry.. it depends on the country's policy. If the whole country follows the same policy in certain issues (like Media /speech freedom, etc.), that’s what we call totalitarian regime. In the first case, neither paper which posts her photo, nor the paper which doesn’t, won’t be punished. It is their internal choice to post her pic or not. In the other case the one who goes against the country’s policy will be punished.
“Totalitarian regimes or movements maintain themselves in political power by means of an official all-embracing ideology and propaganda disseminated through the state-controlled mass media , a single party that controls the state, personality cults, central state-controlled economy, regulation and restriction of free discussion and criticism, the use of mass surveillance, and widespread use of terror tactics".
So QS, let me make sure I grasp this....
A newspaper follows its policy: good juju...
A country follows its policy: bad juju...
hmmm....
They call it the American dream because you have to be asleep to see it... --George Carlin
You are right up to a point. The key issue is that in saudi for example a "minority" may voic an opinion about a matter and all hell breaks loose, here a "minority" paper is doing te same and we take it with a pinch of salt.
My point was that we shouldn't let these 'minorities" views lead to the generalization of the whole..
Brit, there is a huge difference. Here we are talking about may be couple of newspapers which won’t post her photo. So what? it is their policy and they have rights to follow their policies. But..It does not apply to whole country though. Her photo will appear in tens of other papers...There is nothing wrong with that! This is a Media freedom... Some papers don’t want to post something and they don’t… others are still doing it!
If it was banned in Saudi as you said, it would be banned totally and completely in the entire country and the one who wants to go against it would be jailed. That’s it.
weird
“A friend is one who believes in you when you have ceased to believe in yourself.”
Curious indeed, Brit. Curious indeed.
And QT, since when is QL a popularity contest? ;-)
Don't worry about trying to reason with people in here. Just put your two cents in...
... and run like hell!
Quite extremist, one wud think!!
As for a female pope, let us first think whether female members of the clergy are gonna be allowed to attend the conclave!!
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At the end of our life our questions are simple: Did I live fully? Did I love well?
Brit, you wanna know something?
You da man!!!!!!!!
They call it the American dream because you have to be asleep to see it... --George Carlin
...it was like trying to reason with chimps!
An experience and a half! Lesson well learned me thinks!
;)
...but I'll keep it to myself as I've not been that popular on here lately!
:)
The story about a female Pope is a myth , probabaly propogated by feminists. Could it happen in reality ? perhaps in another couple of generations..
Having read the postings, one thing has really fascinated me. There are no rantings against "extremist Jews".. Now if the same story had been from an Arab country, say Saudi...What do you think the QL response would have been ?
Curious isn't it ?
lol thats a first :D
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(Lebanon A piece of Heaven on Earth)
well.. any lady can walk in and say i am the PM... now that no one can see her in the newpaper or other media.. it will b fun to see a lot of fakes around.. lol
As you said it, PM, I do not trust the Vatican. Sorry for insulting you on "copy and paste". I didn't mean it as you received it.
PM, I can copy and paste, too:
The most famous and detailed account of the Pope Joan comes from the Chronicron pontificum et imperatum (The Chronicle of the Popes and Emperors), written in the mid-13th century by Martin of Troppau (Martinus Polonus). According to Troppau:
“After Leo IV, John the Englishman (Anglicus), a native of Metz, reigned two years, five months and four days. And the pontificate was vacant for a month. He died in Rome. This man, it is claimed, was a woman and when a girl, accompanied her sweetheart in male costume to Athens; there she advanced in various sciences to the extent that her equal could not be found. So, after having studied for three years in Rome, she had great masters for her pupils and hearers. And when there arose a high opinion in the city of her virtue and knowledge, she was unanimously elected Pope. But during her papacy she became in the family way by a companion. Not knowing the time of the birth, as she was on her way from St Peter's to Lateran she had a painful delivery, between the Coliseum and St Clement's Church, in the street. Having died after, it is said she was buried on the spot.”
Legends say that a stone slab marked the spot where Joan gave birth and was buried, but out of embarrassment Pope Pius V had it removed in the late 16th century. There is also supposedly a statue on this street depicting a mother a child — representations of the popess and her infant.
Believers in the legend point to a number of things that they claim support its truth. Papal processions stopped using the street in question. Popes starting being carried around in a chair with a hole in the bottom, supposedly designed to allow cardinals to check the gender of the person using it. As late as 1600, there was evidently a bust of Johannes VIII, femina ex Anglia in a row of papal busts at the Siena Cathedral.
that link, PM, is written by a Christian community. Do you really think they are interested in revealing any truth that gives them a headache?
In AD 854, Lotharii 14, Joanna, a woman, succeeded Leo, and reigned two years, five months, and four days.
That's what a "conspiracy" theory says, indeed.
called Joan, long before the days of paparazzi tho...
next pope a woman?..
yeah.. with this crazy world you never know...
QS, I guess your dream can't come true. One signature of a woman is not equal to one signature of a man in the Arab world. Even for the moon sighting for the beginning of Ramadan there are two women required to be considered.
brit, if the next pope would be a woman, I bet the catholic newspapers would ban her, too.
:):)
well.. i hope her make-up will also attract the politicians from arabic ME countries, and they will wish to conclude a peace with her..:) ..for no matter what reason.. even for the reason of make-up..:)
i think tzipi's photo will be banned in the specific ultra-orthodox newspapers only, and their customers are not use to see women’s pics anyway… so no loss for them...
i think tzipi's photo will be banned only in the specific ultra-orthodox newspapers only, and its customers are not use to see women’s pics anyway… so no loss for them...i am sure her posters will be all over the country anyway.. so those orthodox guys who want to see how does she look like can always see her photos on the streets..
no one will lose, no one will gain...
I don’t know why but I am happy for her to be elected as PM.. insha’allah she may bring a peace to ME.
QS, it could be her makeup that attracts you.
Or people who don't give two squirrel farts about her will be happy and buy the newspaper just because she isn't in it!
They call it the American dream because you have to be asleep to see it... --George Carlin
Silly. They (the newspapers) will only lose customers. Livni will be covered in other papers and people will buy those.
:)