So what defines a Local?

What would you say defines a Local? Or more specifically, What factors defines the Local identity?

Go on, I know you are answering the question as you read this. So write it down in the comments


This is not a local bashing contest so any blatantly derogatory and/or racist comments will not be tolerated.

WOW! that is all I can say..WOW!

I have rarely seen a speach that comes from the heart like this one.

A bit too lefty-secular-anti-religion-feminist for this part of the world.....don't think she was invited to the Arab Strategy Forum held in Dubai.

And check this out. Never thought anyone could say such things against Islam. OUCH! Double OUCH!

Any one of us could have told you all that.

Hey Human Rights Watch! I could have saved you alllll that trouble of interviewing 70 odd people, talking to ministers, spending days walking the streets of dubai, countless hours of typing up the report etc. etc. You should have come to me ( or any other long term resident for that case) and I would have saved you ALLL THAT TROUBLE(800kb). :-)

Although I was already very familiar with the contents of the report, It is a MUST READ! Especially for all of you who think Dubai is all about glamour and glitz!!

The most interesting thing they have managed to do is to conceal the plight,misery and anguish of around 20% of the labour force! You can live here for years and not even notice construction workers ( let alone get a glimpse of their miserable lives).

'20% of the population ' celebration day!

Happy belated National day to all…

The development this country has made is astonishing and unprecedented. Congratulations to all the citizens of this land( whether you have the papers to prove it or not).

I wish I could also celebrate this festive occasion…but then again how many ‘expats’ do you see waving a UAE flag, have their cars covered in the national colours or taking part in the festivities? ‘Its not your country’!

Homosexuality...its a sin...how dare you even talk about it!

Over the past few years, along with the development of the country, another hidden aspect of almost every other society is flourishing in Dubai. It seems to me that each year this subculture gets larger, bolder and more evident. A few years back it was so secretive and concealed that it was virtually non-existent to the average Joe( ‘average Jasim’ would be more relevant to this part of the world).

Homosexuality seems to be a flourishing subculture in Dubai. Their numbers and willingness to be just that extra bit noticeable is on the increase. I have personally met more gays in the past year then I have met in the past two decades combined (though I am yet to meet any lesbians in DXB)!

The most stereotypical gay people in Dubai are Filipinos. I don’t know why they have this reputation but it has reached to such an extent that as soon as you mention a Filipino hair dresser, people immediately made homophobic remarks( I am not saying all, most or a large number of Filipinos are gay so don’t start getting pissed of and save your insults for some else). There are also a number of western homosexuals that are openly expressive of their sexuality through their femineity and sense of style. I guess I have something that is exclusively innate to homosexuals: Gay-dar. Even my gay friends abroad were amazed at how as a heterosexual I have a refined, though not perfected, ability to identify a homosexual. I personally don’t know much about the gay subculture. The little information I do have is as an outside observer. So I would appreciate if you would contribute to this discussion and shed some light on this subculture.

One aspect of homosexuality which amazes and dumbfounds me is the gays/lesbians among the local population.” WHAT they exist??” Come one don’t be so naïve. Unless you just got of the boat or lived a very isolated life in Dubai you’d know what I’m on about. Throughout the years I have asked around and spoken with many of my local friends who have attended public schools here and found out that homosexual activity is rampant in schools. Boys and girls do engage in homosexual activities. These are predominantly physical relationships with hardly any being an emotional relationship as well (much less among girls). In all cases that I have heard it usually has the following form. There are always a group of macho-testosterone-pumped-aggressive-mischievous guys who pray on more femininely incline boys. Females seem to have a more emotional connection and physical interactions are less dominating character of their relationships.

However, homosexual activity and behaviour does not necessarily relate to being a homosexual. Allow me to explain.

From my observations and understandings very few of these relationships are truly of a homosexual nature. This is specially the case with purely physical relationships. It appears to be that pent-up sexual frustrations coupled with a lack of interaction with the opposite sex and an inability to sexually express themselves has forced them to use this avenue to temporarily alleviate their ‘pressure’. There is also the dominating, he-is-my-bitch factor involved. You know what I just realised? This is a social situation that is very similar to prison! A person might not be homosexual in nature but due to pent up sexual frustration he/she needs to release his/her ‘stress’. And due to the dominating nature of some individuals there will eventually be a prison-bitch to satisfy their cravings… Interesting similarities !!

I personally know very little about the homosexual subculture and most of the information I do have does not come from the horse’s mouth (unlike when I was talking about the ethnicity of the local population) rather from other people who have had a greater interaction with the gay subculture.

I would love if any homosexuals out there could shed some light on this issue.

Once again if there are any obvious fallacies in my entry please inform me of it so I may be able to correct them….

( note: i am not homophobic nor am I attempting to condemn or insult homosexuals. I would just like to learn more about this subculture in Dubai.)