Madam, - I was surprised and upset by the picture on page 9 of your edition of November 11th showing a "female clothing store in Bahrain".
As a Bahraini I know such stores do exist, but I also know this is a very unfair portrayal of both the country and the women who live there. The majority of the female population do not dress in that manner and those who do, do so by choice - there is no law or obligation imposed on them.
If you were so keen on printing a picture of a "female clothing store", why not a picture of one of our massive shopping centres filled with famous high-street stores and designer boutiques? Had you done that, the picture would show girls walking around dressed in the latest fashions. Yes the picture would also be dotted with some women covered up but they would not not represent the majority. The picture you printed is such an unfair reflection of a Middle Eastern country that prides itself on its open-mindedness.
I dress no differently in Ireland here than I do at home and no differently than my office colleagues. I have been living in Ireland for the past six years and I have found that the general view of the Middle East is a terrible one. Questions I am often asked are: "Do you have to wear a veil? Are you prepared for your arranged marriage? Do the men in your family beat you up? Are you allowed to work? Are you allowed to go to school/university?" - and so on.
When I ask where these ideas came from the usual answer is "the media". In the past year the negative view of the whole Arab world has worsened and I find myself constantly trying to show everyone a different point of view.
I cannot imagine any of my friends here looking at that picture and associating it with me. Would anyone looking at the picture imagine that my Irish mother has been living very happily in Bahrain for the last 25 years, along with other women of many nationalities? - Yours, etc.,
D. AMIN, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.