As far as I am concerned, those who do not want to see women or couples should wear blindfolds - or netter, emulate Oedipus and stick needles in their eyes.

The root of the problem is the homosexuality and hatred of women that Islam encourages. It's all masked in a false religiosity and pompous talk about purity; then they turn and say that woman's every action is evil or the cause of evil. Nutty little bastards.

See this article on ">homosexuality in Saudi Arabia

Oops. Here's the link: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=493196

The principle is beauty is to blame. If a man is inflamed by desire that is the woman's fault. The old 'she was asking for it.' excuse for the rapist. Quite bizarrely, a surprising number of feminists make common cause with Islam, and talk about the freedom they feel when they start to wear the head scarf. Ignoring the fact that such behaviour in Muhommadan countries is seldom free. It fits with the old stereotype of feminism as 'equal rights for ugly women.'
In my opinion, the encouragement of women to dress as provocatively as possible, to lure men at all costs, demeans and objectifies them, but so does telling them to wear a bag and not speak to any other men. The freedom to be yourself is the key.
Does anybody else see consistency in the hardliners position. Beauty of women is evil. Music is evil. Paintings (other than the elaborate etchasketch of geometric designs) is evil.
Is it a denial of many of the things which seperate us the beasts of the field?

Speaking of music, there's also dancing. There's an old joke which I've heard centered on the Amish, and the presbyterians of Northern Ireland but fits any very strict religious group. (notwithstanding the deliberate misunderstanding of their views.)
A newspaper-man goes to interview a patriarch of (insert ultra strict religious group), to ask about their beliefs.
'It's quite well known that your movement dissaproves of dancing. Are you not allowed any enjoyment? Are you allowed to enjoy the congress with your wives?'
"Of course we are. This enjoyment comes from god and there is no sin in taking fully of it."
'Is only the missionary position allowed?'
"no."
'So you can try other positions such as.....( in the context of telling the joke in a pub drag this part out as long as you like with as many variations in position and location as you like until he asks...)
'Is it permissable to have intercourse while standing?'
The patriarch thinks long and hard, "No. It may lead to dancing."

Peter, thanks for pointing towards the real reason for so many prohibitions by Islam and other micromanagerial religions.

The whole "prohibition thing" is in place in order to relieve whoever is aware of the prohibited (item, action, etc.) from the responsibility of assessing 1) whether the prohibition makes sense (i.e., does it protect an individual against having his rights violated?), or 2) if it is properly prohibited (it does protect someone against having his rights violated).

If the prohibition is improper, but the observer of the (item, action, etc.) is stimulated by it in any way, putting a prohibition in place is intended to relieve the person from exercising self-control.

It violates no one's rights for a woman to dress without covering her head or her whole body. The purpose of covering women is to relieve the Muslim man of the responsibility of not raping her because he is "turned on."

There are many protections of Muslim men which are designed to eliminate, or at least reduce, the need for thinking, self-control, and responsibility.

Goodness. Muslims need to read up on sociobiology. Ooops. No, that would rock the boat.

But then, for Islam, knowledge is a dangerous thing.

That's also one of the reasons that Saudis give for the prohibition of women driving. "It may lead to bad behavior." Off topic - one of my Saudi coworkers also said, "Women shouldn't drive. They have weak hearts."

jay

The shift of blame from the rapist to the victim has always been a way to justify rape, even in Western socities. But now that we are more "enlightened," rape laws are now protecting the victims' rights. But the social stigmas endure, even in the West. But, thank God, more of us are becoming enlightened. (But not quickly enough in my mind.)

The problem with Islam is that the consequence is more than a social stigma. The consequence is death. Islam will never change and women will always be prisoners of customs enforced by the mullahs and the jihadists.