The purdah as a form of gender discrimination

Do you consider the purdah as a form of gender discrimination towards women?

And on the other hand do you think wearing the bikini (in public) represents an element or statement of freedom or emancipation?

I wanted to have my say on this matter since early this week after getting hold of this Kosmo! Sunday article, and was searching around for related articles on the Internet. But all that came to a halt when I had to channel my attention to some other important matters.

Anyway, since I have taken time to collect these newspaper clippings gathered form e-browse, I might as well paste them here and maybe comment on them later.

In a segment of the 2 page focus on this issue, a prominent sociologist, Prof Dr Fatimah Daud (UIAM) commented that what is portrayed by some Arab women by donning sexy clothing in public is a manifestation of their protest against the discrimination and restrictions by men in Arab countries towards them.

Fatimah also said the crowning of an Arab woman, Rima Fakih as the American beauty queen is a psychological attempt by the West to ridicule Islam.