Segregated Saudis Flirt Via Bluetooth
By DONNA ABU-NASR, Associated Press Writer
Thu Aug 11, 6:19 PM ET

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050811/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saudi_flirting_by_bluetooth

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - The restaurant, like all Riyadh
eateries, has taken precautions to prevent its male
and female diners from seeing or contacting each
other.

Circular white walls surround each table in the family
section, open only to women alone or women accompanied
by close male relatives. Other male diners are on
lower floors.

Yet despite the barriers, the men and women flirt and
exchange phone numbers, photos and kisses.

They elude the mores imposed by the kingdom's
puritanical Wahhabi version of Islam — formulated in
the 18th century — by using a 21st century device in
their mobile phones: the wireless Bluetooth technology
that permits users to connect without going through
the phone company.

"It's more fun coming to a restaurant these days,"
said Mona, 21, as her two friends giggled. Their
Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones rested on the table
next to the remnants of a dinner of club sandwiches
and fries.

"I've been using Bluetooth since it came out last
year. We're always looking for new things to add a
spark to life," Reem, 24, told The Associated Press.

The women would not give their full names when talking
about communicating with the opposite sex — so strong
is the taboo in this kingdom where men and women are
strictly segregated. Unrelated men and women caught
talking to each other, driving in the same car or
sharing a meal risk being detained by the religious
police.

But connecting by Bluetooth is safe and easy. Users
activate the Bluetooth function in their phone and
then press the search button to see who else has the
feature on within a 30-foot range.

They get a list of ID names of anyone in the area —
names, mostly in Arabic, often chosen to allure:
poster boy, sensitive girl, lion heart, kidnapper of
hearts, little princess, prisoner of tears. Some are
more suggestive, like "nice to touch" and "Saudi gay
club."

Users then click on a name to communicate with that
person.

The phenomenon has started to receive attention in the
media, especially after stories appeared saying women
were photographing female guests in revealing evening
gowns at weddings — which are segregated — and
circulating them to friends by Bluetooth.

That created some panic among those who feared
pictures of their mothers, sisters or daughters would
be seen by men. Some families hired female guards to
confiscate camera-equipped mobile phones from wedding
guests.

There is little the government can do to control
Bluetooth use. Last year, it banned camera-equipped
phones, but backed off because cameras have become a
feature in most phones.

Abdul-Aziz al-Aseeri, a 25-year-old computer science
teacher, said he tells his students that Bluetooth
technology can be misused. "I warn them of the dangers
of having pictures of their mothers and sisters ending
up in the phones of their classmates," he said.

But for many Saudi youths, who have almost nowhere to
meet members of the opposite sex, the technology is a
godsend. It is replacing a favorite method of
flirting: throwing phone numbers at women through car
windows or in shopping malls.

With Bluetooth, men and women can safely flirt at
malls, restaurants and even traffic lights.

For the most part, the messages are innocent. But for
this conservative society, it is pretty bold stuff.

Many images feature babies — some blowing kisses —
perhaps because women consider them cute. Animated
cartoons doing bellydances, dreamy Arabic songs and
sappy, sentimental messages are also popular.

"Last night I sent an angel to watch over you, but he
came back soon," said one message. "I asked him why,
and he answered, 'Am not allowed to watch over other
angels.'"

Some are more forward: a picture of a woman covered in
a cloak and then another one of her in a white top,
looking coquettishly from beneath the rim of a cap; an
image of two women kissing; a woman taking off her
trousers while suggestively shaking her hips.

On a recent warm night, Abdullah Muhammad sat in front
of his laptop at a sidewalk cafe waiting for his
computer's Bluetooth to pick up nearby users.

"I use Bluetooth to meet girls," said the 24-year-old
businessman. "The religious police cannot catch me."

His long, dark hair combed back, Muhammad said when he
sees a woman walking past, he presses the search
button in the hope her phone's Bluetooth is on.

With women forced to cover up in the kingdom, how can
he tell if she is someone he would like to start a
relationship with?

"I check her Bluetooth ID," he said. "If it's cute,
then I'm pretty sure she will be pretty."
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More news on Saudi at:
http://www.islamawareness.net/MiddleEast/Saudi/






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