Saudi Arabia is clamping down ... on jazzercise. The Kingdom shut down an all-women’s fitness center attached to a Jeddah hospital this week. Apparently, the government forbids the establishment of women’s fitness centers, condemning women to a future of love-handles and high blood pressure. The demand for such centers is understandably high, so several women’s wellness clubs have opened under the radar. According to news reports, the government has recently shut down two similar women’s gyms in other locations. 

One of the many items in the long line of bans in Iran was the game of chess. From 1981 to 1988, it was a crime to even play the game of chess in public or sell chess paraphernalia. It took no less than a fatwa from none other than the less than frisky Ayatollah Khomeni to lift the chess ban in the late 80s.

Have you heard about what those crazy Muslims have been doing lately? Take Indonesia, for instance, where a small group of clerics in East Java recently issued a fatwa that girls should not chemically straighten their hair. (Straight hair is obviously the pathway to moral deviance. Curly-haired girls are always so much better-behaved.)

I have been cautioned by people - mainly my father (an old school journalist) - that I am often not entirely objective in these posts. I recall a particular instance when I maligned an anti-Muslim Minnesota politician by juxtaposing her image with that of a Troll Doll. But it’s not my fault. It just so happens that racists often bear striking resemblances to various cartoon characters. I can’t be blamed if their politics match their physical appearances, can I? 

My inner feminist is confused. As elan reported last week, Kuwait has just introduced a new ladies-only taxi service. The Pepto-Bismol pink cars are driven exclusively by women and only accept female customers, catering to Kuwaiti women who are sick of being harassed on the streets by male drivers.  Many of the pink taxis come equipped with mirrors and magazines, so ladies can read how best to apply their lip gloss and practice while they are on the go. (If you can’t tell, I think this aspect of the taxi service is slightly moronic). 

The Inner City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) hosted a jam(literally)-packed event this past Saturday night at the historic Apollo theater in Harlem, New York City. This year’s show, a follow-up to last year’s sold-out Community Cafe at the Shabazz Center, featured a slew of talented cultural performances all aimed at celebrating the arts and entertainment that the Muslim community has to offer. 

One place where women are making leaps and bounds - actually taking them while sitting - on the back of a horse, is in Oman. Female equestrians are wowing audiences and garnering much support from their fans and even a couple of critics. Oman’s annual Royal Horse Race Festival, held at Al Adiyat horse race track, was the latest venue where female horse riders were given an opportunity to perform right alongside their male counterparts. A gleeful audience greeted the Royal Calvary horsemen and horsewomen earlier this month, fully ready to enjoy the camaraderie between man and beast. 

He has performed for Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, and Queen Elizabeth. He has collaborated with global, Grammy-award winning artists. His music combines East and West as never before, in an effort to hijack the world stage (and a considerable amount of teenage girl wallspace) as a musical response to terrorists who “hijack my religion.”

As if being young and jobless - trapped by the stagnant Egyptian economy - wasn’t bad enough, now young people are facing an unexpected social consequence of poverty. Young Egyptians can no longer afford to get married and are engaging in secret “urfi” marriages - essentially, a Sharia version of common law marriage. Now, you may be wondering why Egyptian couples don’t just put on their Friday best and go to town hall for a marriage certificate. If so, you obviously don’t know Arabs.

Is it me or is this whole burqa fiasco in France feeling a little like deja vu? Wait, that’s because it already happened. Back in June, remember? Oh and then again in November. Hmm ... seems like Sarkozy is developing a bit of a pattern. I believe it goes something like this: Bring up burqas in reference to national identity (national identity = white and secular). Say something infuriating (accuracy doesn’t matter). Wait for the press to go crazy (France is in the news again! Booya!). Lay low for a few months. Repeat.