Cultural (in)Sensitivity in Qatar
Of all ridiculous quotes we’ve seen about expat life in Qatar, this one takes the cake.
“There is a strong trend backwards where expat interests such as alcohol and pork are concerned, making life much more difficult for expats,” blogger and former expat in Qatar, Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey, said in a UK Telegraph piece on the “Growing expat exodus to Qatar.”
First of all, the assumption that it is “backwards” to discourage the consumption of pork and alcohol is incredibly offensive and culturally insensitive. Qatar is already trying to maintain a delicate balance between East and West. Accusations of cultural “backwardness” should be directed at honor killings and genital mutilations, not alcohol and pork. Second of all, I was not aware that as an expat in Qatar, pork was one of my “interests.” Several issues make expat life a difficult adjustment in Qatar, but pork and alcohol should not be on the list.
Another UK Telegraph blog devoted to expat life begs the question of whether Doha is “the ideal expat destination.”
The subject of alcohol came up again, but this time from FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke, who said a month ago that, without alcohol, Qatar would not be allowed to host FIFA 2022.
“Alcoholic drinks are part of the FIFA World Cup, so we’re going to have them. Excuse me if I sound a bit arrogant but that’s something we won’t negotiate.”
Qatar already announced that it would allow fans to drink in the stadiums in designated areas. An interesting article by James Dorsey highlights the waning support for alcohol in stadiums during international soccer games.
On an entirely different note, alcohol is not illegal in Qatar. It is regulated, but also tolerated in high-end hotels and private homes. The revoking of alcohol privileges at the luxurious Pearl District of Doha seem reasonable when one considers the flurry of rumors circulating about underage drinking and public displays of tipsy expats. Every single alcohol advertisement in the US contains the disclaimer of “drink responsibly.” This disclaimer is even more relevant in Qatar, where many Qataris felt that the privilege to openly drink alcohol was abused by some residents.
At the core of these arguments, however, is the lack of acknowledgment for non-western expats. Both of the UK Telegraph articles focus on WESTERN expats, who share an altogether distinct reality from the other immigrant workers who come to Qatar.
Day laborers, domestic servants and other workers face serious issues related to visas, labor laws, poor housing conditions, unfair wages, and the newly announced “separate entertainment complex” for workers.
This list of real and tangible concerns seems underreported in the western/mainstream press. Nominal problems of alcohol and pork shrink in comparison.
