Anas Bukhash And Hala Kazim’s Debate About Sex Education In The UAE Has Drawn Criticism From A Prominent Editor
Anas Bukhash And Hala Kazim’s Debate About Sex Education In The UAE Has Drawn Criticism From A Prominent Editor
An age-old liberal/progressive mindset vs conservative/old-school debate has come into the spotlight here in the UAE and this time people ARE choosing sides.
Although the subjects of sex, marriage and divorce fall into the grey area of society, people have taken this matter up as either black or white; as there’s no in-between when it comes to these three somewhat taboo topics for many.
Anas Bukhash who is an active Emirati entrepreneur and speaker here in Dubai recently went live with his show on Snapchat (#ABTalks), featuring his madre Hala Kazim – where the famous mother-son duo expressed their views on marriage, divorce and sex. Kazim considers these topics to be of great importance for cultivating a positive culture for future generations.
We all know Anas Bukhash, with his well-established businesses and popular talk show ABtalks (that showcases the RAW side of achievers, celebs & influencers as human beings) but Hala Kazim is no stranger to the Arab world either!
Hala Kazim is an all-rounder who really does know her shizz in life. From a nurturer to a life coach and author, Kazim has devoted her full time to changing people’s lives after she succeeded in changing her own life for the better.
Bukhash always attempts to deliver honesty and candidness through his daring conversations (that influencers often flock to) and this discussion – that brings some much-needed attention to the hush-hush topic of ‘sex education’ in the Arab world – is no different and deserves MAJOR props! #GUTS!
Anas Bukhash’s open dialogue with his mother, Hala Kazim directly called for the teaching of these 3 subjects for all male and female students in schools, starting from elementary to university levels in the UAE
This contemporary debate with a bold CTA by the Emirati mother-son duo didn’t sit well with the editor of Emarat Al Youm, who suggested that “attempting to publicly spread and apply his ideas that are not appropriate to society’s constants”
Sami Al-Riyami who is the editor of Emarat Al Youm – an Arabic newspaper published in Dubai – openly and without equivocation questioned Anas Bukhash’s dialogue by asking,
“And do you think that such a very liberal proposition, which suits Western countries and cultures, could be accepted in the UAE society, live and overtly? Is this not a clear violation of the customs of society, its nature and the general culture prevailing in it ?!”
“الغريب أن السيدة كانت تطالب بذلك في حوار مفتوح يبثه «ابنها»، لذلك كنت أتمنّى أن تعطينا فكرة عن كيفية تطبيق هذه الثقافة في بيتها وعلى أبنائها، وما الوسيلة التي استخدمتها لتزويدهم بمعلومات ومواد ثقافية خاصة بالزواج والجنس؟ وهل تعتقد أن مثل هذا الطرح المتحرر جداً، والذي يناسب الدول والثقافات الغربية، من الممكن تقبّله في مجتمع الإمارات، وعلى الهواء مباشرة، وبشكل علني؟ أليس في ذلك انتهاك واضح لعادات المجتمع، وطبيعته والثقافة العامة السائدة فيه؟!”
Al-Riyami went on to add,
“In the Emirates, we are certainly not closed in on ourselves, and most of the people and residents are open to different cultures, and we respect and accept the opinions of others, and every person has complete freedom to embrace any thought and follow any school, provided that it does not violate the laws, and does not harm and violate the constants of society, through Attempting to publicly spread and apply his ideas that are not appropriate to society’s constants.”
“في الإمارات نحن بالتأكيد لسنا منغلقين على أنفسنا، وأغلب الشعب والمقيمين منفتحون على ثقافات مختلفة، ولدينا احترام وتقبل لآراء الآخرين، ولكل شخص حريته الكاملة في اعتناق أي فكر، وفي اتباع أي مدرسة، شريطة ألا يتجاوز القوانين، وألا يضر ويمس ثوابت المجتمع، من خلال محاولة نشر وتطبيق أفكاره غير المناسبة لثوابت المجتمع علنياً!”
Al-Riyami believes that these ‘extremism’ liberal beliefs do not benefit but in fact ‘harms the constants and principles of society’
Al-Riyami referred to the dialogue directed towards the youth of the country and a new gen of progressive individuals as “strange opinions” and summed up his point by asking what is the point of ‘igniting sharp differences in society’?
“Hala Kadhim’s request to teach children sex is not the only observation on Anas Bukhash’s program. Rather, it became clear that the whole idea of the program aims to stir up sedition by focusing on dialogue with people with very liberal ideas and spreading their strange opinions on issues such as religion, prayer, etc., to affect mentalities A new generation in a very negative way, and ignites sharp differences in society, what is the purpose of that ?!”
“ليست مطالبة هالة كاظم بتدريس الأطفال الجنس فقط، هي الملاحظة الوحيدة على برنامج أنس بوخش، بل اتضح أن فكرة البرنامج برمته تهدف إلى إثارة الفتنة من خلال التركيز على محاورة أصحاب الأفكار المتحررة جداً، ونشر آرائهم الغريبة في مسائل مثل الدين والصلاة وغيرهما، لتؤثر في عقليات جيل جديد بشكل سلبي جداً، وتشعل خلافات حادة في المجتمع، فما الهدف من ذلك؟!”
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As many would argue, why change something that we’ve known for generations, Al-Riyami raised the same concern stating that our forefathers never received sex education yet their lives and procreation turned out just fine
“Are we extinct? What is the absolute necessity for us today to introduce these materials? So what do Hala Kazim and her son want from us?!” – Just some of the many questions that the editor of Emarat Al Youm had for Bukhash and Kazim.
“Since ancient times, grandparents and fathers lived in this region their normal lives, generations passed, and young people became grandparents, and their grandchildren became fathers, as well as grandmothers and mothers, and none of them learned marriage, divorce and sex in schools, so what happened? Are we extinct? What is the absolute necessity for us today to introduce these materials? Are the western societies that Mrs. Hala wants us to do the best in social life, and the best in family stability and marriage? I do not think so, but rather she is walking to the abyss, where the family disintegration has reached its most difficult stage, so what do Hala Kazim and her son want from us?!”
“منذ القدم عاش الأجداد والآباء في هذه المنطقة حياتهم الطبيعية، توالت الأجيال، والصغار أصبحوا أجداداً، وأحفادهم أصبحوا آباء، وكذلك الجدات والأمهات، ولم يتعلم أحد منهم الزواج والطلاق والجنس في المدارس، فماذا حدث؟ هل انقرضنا؟ وما الضرورة القصوى التي تحتم علينا اليوم إدخال هذه المواد؟ وهل المجتمعات الغربية التي تريدنا السيدة هالة أن نحذو حذوها، هي الأفضل في الحياة الاجتماعية، وهي الأفضل في الاستقرار الأسري وفي الزواج؟ لا أعتقد ذلك، بل تسير إلى الهاوية حيث التفكك الأسري وصل إلى أصعب مراحله، فماذا تريد منّا هالة كاظم وابنها؟!”
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OPINION: Others could argue to Al-Riyami’s points by simply pointing out that back in the days our kind was not as advanced or liberated as it is now…
We have more questions, more to learn, more that we can educate ourselves with in order to understand ourselves and those around us in a more empathetic manner.
Those typically more traditional in their approach may not completely comprehend the need of this conversation and thas EXACTLY what Anas Bukhash coveys through his RAW, plus unconventional dialogues and content.
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Get to know Hala Kazim a lil bit better by grabbing a copy of her book: Halath Walhayat Thaemalat Fe That Walmajthamae!
Buy the paperback version from Amazon for AED 66.32.
