As I enjoyed my usual routine of setting up a YouTube playlist while browsing the internet the other day, an advertisement interrupted the feel-good tracks. It was about the wonderful skin whitening options I was missing out on. Having grown up witnessing what social pressure can do to people, especially impressionable young girls and boys, it made me uneasy to think of the implications.
The message was that light skin is something to strive for. The idea that certain skin tones or hair types or nose shapes are somehow more beautiful than others makes me uncomfortable.
Now I am the first to say that compared to when I was younger, ideals of beauty have, for the most part, broadened. Growing up, whether I was in Brasilia, Paris or visiting family back here in the UAE, I do not remember feeling like I could relate to what UAE society considered beautiful.
I grew up in a household where my mother constantly told us that we were all beautiful. But it did not stop me from feeling like some freak of nature with my tan skin and curly hair, whereas the women around me were always admiring light skin, straight hair and exaggerated Jessica Rabbit–type body shapes. While we now have more variety in terms of beauty standards, they are still too limited and preoccupied with unattainable ideals.
What bothers me is the larger social implications of holding on to unreal beauty standards. These don’t have to be restricted to skin colour. We are bombarded daily with airbrushed pictures of “perfection” and instead of dismissing these as fictional depictions of beauty, people actively strive to reach them.
You would think that, especially in the Arab world, the images our media propagate would be a truer reflection of the immense diversity of looks from North Africa to the Gulf. Instead there is a recent emphasis on faces and bodies that have undergone immense amounts of plastic surgery. I have no problem with anyone who gets any sort of cosmetic surgery, nor do I think it is my place to judge anyone who believes they can enhance their lives by undergoing any of these procedures.
Anything from make-up, hair removal or hair extensions can be considered cosmetic procedures, not just the more drastic ones such as liposuction or changing the shape of your nose.
I think if you want to feel better about yourself and your life then that’s nobody’s business but yours. But we should also consider the addictive nature of trying to sculpt yourself into this ideal version of yourself and the reasons we are inclined to this in the first place.
The way people make an effort to look nice is something I have always liked about Emirati culture. As a result, I have always carried this habit of “being presentable” with me, even on American college campuses where sweat pants and flip-flops were acceptable. But, I think there is a distinction between spending a little extra time getting dressed and truly believing that you need fillers in your lips. I worry that with plastic surgery becoming increasingly common, even casual, we are almost proclaiming that it is something that society supports. And that we are doing this instead of encouraging people to see beyond the surface or have them turn to it only as a last resort.
What I have always loved about Islam’s view on modesty is that it is not only meant to teach the individual to be modest as a form of self-respect and respect to those around them, but also to protect the individual from falling into the trap of vanity. While I believe that taking care of yourself is an important investment, excessive obsession with the physical is not healthy.
The number of physically attractive people I have come across who insist they need to get work done to be beautiful makes me sad. I wish we could work towards a community that placed less emphasis on subjective ideals of beauty and that we spent more time encouraging young boys and girls to grow into confident individuals.
Fatima Al Shamsi is a globetrotting Emirati foodie, film buff and football fanatic
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
AL%20BOOM
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
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Company Profile
Founders: Tamara Hachem and Yazid Erman
Based: Dubai
Launched: September 2019
Sector: health technology
Stage: seed
Investors: Oman Technology Fund, angel investor and grants from Sharjah's Sheraa and Ma'an Abu Dhabi
Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
RIVER%20SPIRIT
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
MO
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Tips%20for%20holiday%20homeowners
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
UFC%20FIGHT%20NIGHT%3A%20SAUDI%20ARABIA%20RESULTS
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
SPECS
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AIR
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