Comments on: Jordanian Girls, Smoking Kills You and Spares the Boys

By: mawya

mawya — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:31:33 +0000

You guys did not even get the idea behind this article, and why the first action you always take is jump to the throat of the writers and not look behind the words?? It’s a cry out from the journalist talking about women, and not men, it’s all about women and them adopting this ugly disgusting deadly habit, men are half of the society, but women’s bare half of the society and get married to the other half, so the influence of the woman is way bigger than men.

We do live in a male dominated society, in Jordan the man dominates and in away women’s adapting to so many behaviors sadly harm their not only health but image also, where is the wisdom behind adapting to those behaviors?? And yes most girls we talk to or work with especially school and univ girls use the same excuses “all smoke, and if the boys dose it why cant we”??!!!! Haaaa common give me a break, l feel women do not have a choice in caring for their bodies and image also they got a huge responsibility , because

اعددتها اعددت شعبا طيب الاعراق" "الام مدرسة اذا

When rania asked me why l feel girls smokes in Jordan, my answer were it’s the same as boys, they got access to cig, they do not have enough role models around them to guide them and there is no enforcement of the laws from the 1972 till now…… and above all l feel women in jordan are not aware of the fact that being a female puts them when they smoke at risks men are not exposed to, for example they are at increased risks of heart attack and stroke especially if they on the bills, and in mother-to-be smokes she runs an increased risk of unsuccessful pregnancy, add to that , her child is likely to be born under-weight not to forget that smoking reduces fertility.

Again its not related to expose women more than its related to exposing the act and the fact that most studies and statistics focusing on men ignoring the alarming trend these days that girls adopting to this deadly habit yajama3ah, at least this is what l got from the article, J

Peace …….

By: Lulu

Lulu — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 20:08:53 +0000

It is not about smoking, it’s about this endless loop of degrading women. My best advice: Don’t get upset over this. We need hundreds of years to start thinking like humans, so live your life well and teach your future children to think positively and logically.

By: oleander

oleander — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:13:28 +0000

That article is truly absurd!

My 69 year old mom would tell me how her Grandmother used to smoke a pipe. My aunt who passed away over 10 years ago wouldn’t even start her day without a cigarette and a cup of strong turkish coffee, I remember when she’d visit us I used to put an ashtray next to her pillow.

I’m not saying smoking is not bad for your health, but to suggest that women who smoke are some how morally inferior is just outright outrageous!

By: Farah

Farah — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 10:22:55 +0000

can you possibly email this article to rania whatever-her-name-is? and do attach an article about self-appreciation.

By: Maha

Maha — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:40:38 +0000

Tololy,

Just like its women who are going to bring women up from the low position they hold in society’s eyes, it is women who also keep us down.

Its no surprise that a woman wrote this article. Women are our number one oppressors to women– we keep each other down, we don’t support each other, we always side with the men because its what we’re trained to do.

I went to college in Egypt and they were having student union elections and mentioned that not once has there ever been a FEMALE student union president.. then they asked people why that is, and many women responded, i wouldn’t vote for a girl i don’t think she’d do a good job.

SO there you go. we need to change women’s minds before we can change women’s place in society. its not about the men anymore and what they do to us, its what we do to each other :(

By: T

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:38:37 +0000

As a life long non-smoker I just love travelling now as most countries have smoking bans in hotels, restaurants, offices etc etc - wonderful!!! Smoking is a very selfish habit as it affects not only the smoker but all those around them. I totally resent going to a restaurant and coming home smelling like an ash tray and having to inhale all the filth that other people are blowing out. I also hate going to the hairdresser where women seem to smoke with impunity and the owner’s helpless to enforce a ban. I always ask, politely, if they would not mind smoking until I have left and usually the answer is polite and the cigarette put out.

By: lubna

lubna — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:49:43 +0000

you are very right to be furious about the stupidity and mentality that article showed. I do not want to add more to what you said.

we all (should) agree that smoking is a bad habit, equally for males and females. the HE is no better than the SHE in the social dilemmas of "3eeb w fadi7a". That’s ofcourse, without even starting on it’s no ones business if anyone decides to smoke or not.

By: Tololy

Tololy — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:18:43 +0000

I forgot to mention that smoking is not new to Jordanian culture. Many old women in Karak and in my extended family (even on my mother’s Circassian side) are heavy smokers.

I know smoking is bad but I always find pleasure in watching an 80 year old woman with green tattoos on her chin and in her traditional madraga, sitting infront of her house in a Karaki village, smoking like there is no tomorrow. I think it’s potentially the only manifestation of women’s power, and freedom of choice, in a culture that heavily oppresses them. I love that sight.

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:02:18 +0000

Abdullah,

unfortunately many of the smoking girls (especially college girls) smoke only to confirm that they are free to do whatever they want

I don’t know about Jordan, but it’s always been said in teh US that teenagers start smoking because they think it’s cool. That goes for males and females both. I agree it’s a very unhealthy habit, and it certainly shouldn’t be encouraged, but… I don’t really see the differences in why guys smoke or why girls smoke, or why it should be considered acceptable for one but not the other. I think when I was a kid, more women in the US smoked than men. That may still be the case, I haven’t seen stats lately.

By: bambam

bambam — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:58:50 +0000

thank you for not being self rightous about smoking like … mr.abdullah’s comment :P
you know what this reminded me off ? articles and new items of 1940’s america and how they dealt with the issue. it is eerily similar language, reasons and the whole nine yards … the only thing missing here is the suggestions that reason they are more smokers is 2ibti3adhom 3an 2il deen