Family area and Family Day

Many restaurants have a "Family Area'
cordoned off for Woman and children only

In the Middle East, there is a strong reverence for the sanctity and privacy of the family, especially the female and children.

In many Qatari restaurants and playgrounds, there are areas cordoned off for females and/or families. Males are not allowed into these cordoned off area unless accompanied by a female or children.

Buses in Qatar has the front seats reserved for ladies and children only. If you are a male, you are not supposed to take these seats even if they are empty and not occupied.

Some banks has a women-only section so that women can do their banking transactions in privacy. All hair salons, beauty palors, tailors and even massage and spa palors are strictly divided into man or woman only establishments and it is not uncommon to see signs forbidding male entry into these premises.

Some shopping malls go as far as declaring Fridays as a family day. Men are to be accompanied by a woman or child in order to gain entry into the mall. Single or groups of males are not allowed into the malls on Fridays which have such family day. This include some of the largest and newest malls in Qatar.

If you are a scruffy Asian or African blue-collar worker dressed in your work-clothes, you are more likely than not, to be stopped and turned away.

Of course, if you are a well-dressed Arabic or Caucasian gentleman, the rule does not quite apply even if you are unaccompanied and the security guards tend to wave you through.

For many of us, we tend to question if this is 'Family Day' or 'Racist Day'.

There is an increasing vocal call on Internet forums to stop this blatantly racist policy disguised as a family day policy. I certainly hope it is a matter of time before the malls stop this policy and either stop implementing family day or make it a point to stop all single males from entering the malls regardless of their race.

Be fair to all or be fair to none!