Do they impose a dress code on men?

Very good column in the print paper, sir. Well said. This is indeed part of the ''1000 Year War'' That Began on September 11, 2001, sad to say. it's the clash of civilizations all over again, and you were right to call them on this. Gardening leave, my eye!

in my very humble opinion as a 61 year old bloke who does not have long for this world, and will not be missed at all, the three religions that sprang up in the Middle East 5000 to 800 years ago, Judaism, Xianity and Islam have given the world too many headaches and heartaches and there is not even a God to back any of those hocus pocus belief systems up. And yet look what they do to us, even today!

I rust my case....

I think as long as your small pupils also have to follow a dress code, you have no reason to moan.

Yes craig1459, it is the same code that applies to women! You know, no hair down to the shoulders, no bare chest, no tight-fitting pants, no brightly coloured tops.

Perhaps it would be important to point out that this is the Arabic channel rather than Al Jazeera English which has 'imposed' a dress code, taking into account the cultural sensitivities of their Middle Eastern audience.

It's right you have pointed that out because it has never happened on UK TV There has never been a furore over what Emily Matlis or Fiona Bruce has been wearing. And we know that if a male presenter perhaps grew a beard, then that would be ok and there would be no pressure to shave it.

Unfortunately, the article has fallen into the ethno-centric trap of bashing something that is different, based on Western standards. "Overly conservatvie dress code" ? In whose eyes?

Are you trying to tell me no head of news has ever seen a person before they go on air and said 'you are not wearing that?'.

Good plug for your Evening Standard column but please....

Oh and by the way - quoting a receptionist who almost certainly wasn't aware she was making a comment to be repeated in print? Ethics 101 for you professor.

What happened to this discrimination case against Al Jazeera? Anyone know?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1054385/Sexist-Al-Jazeera-boss-ruled-like-Saddam-Hussein-says-husband-sacked-British-journalist.html

She lost

@RGreenslade – While you may jest, but the truth is in Islam the dress code (don't confuse with design/style) is indeed same for both men and women. You and others who are serious about understanding Islam will find Ms Karen Armstrong's books on Islam (Muhammad: A Western Attempt to Understand Islam) as well as her articles most helpful and useful.

However, I agree with @WalterCronkite.

I would add that the Al-Jazeera ladies in question are so Westernised that their understanding and respect for Islam would be as that of a typical Westerner!! These ladies could also benefit from reading Ms Armstrong's above said books and articles.

The wearing of the various head and/or body coverings by Muslim women in the West is phenomena started by Western University educated women while the men have started to have beards etc! If you go back to the time when the Muslims arrived in the UK in the 60s and 70s they abandoned their traditional dresses and not just veils/hijabs/burkahs etc for fear of alienating the locals or just to fit in or as was the case for the 'educated' classes who equated modernity with Western ways (have a look at photos of Mr Imran Khan, former Pakistani Cricketer, and the late Ms Benziar Bhutto in the 70s and latterly!!!). Indeed I recall a BBC Panorama documentary from the eighties on young British University educated Muslims re-discovering their true heritage thanks to reminders by the phrases like ''Paki'' and prevailing world politics.

Incidentally, the book Muhammed: A Western Attempt to Understand Islam acknowledges Syrian lady Ms Rana Kabbani who on arriving to study at Oxford University found the Westerners anti-Islam attitude so disappointing she started her one-woman campaign in 'defence' of Islam which led to a BBC documentary Letter to Christendom (1990).

As for @snowalling: It is what happens when either or both sides fail to understand each other and reconcile their differences and not as scary as ''the clash of civilizations'' nonsense you portray it as.

Islamic culture subjugates women shock. Wake us up when they stop - now that would be news.

@ClaireinOz What an ignorant statement.

Has Australia had a Woman PM yet, it's 2010 NOT 1010?

It is not ''Islamic culture'' but their existing cultures, social attitudes and politics NOT Islamic teaching. Don't judge others by your own standards: you should have learnt that from the ''stolen aborigines children''

We don't tell women what they can and can't wear, Monitor, or stop them driving, or going out in public without a male relative, or, or, or. I doubt very much whether the niceties (sic) of Islam versus existing cultures etc etc etc. makes much difference to women who are being persecuted every day purely because of their gender.

And it's highly debatable whether the UK has had a woman PM, either. There certainly haven't been any other women with a sniff at political leadership since "her".

And it's highly debatable whether the UK has had a woman PM, either.

What a stupid comment.

We don't tell women what they can and can't wear Monitor, or stop them driving, or going out in public without a male relative, or, or, or.

Nor do many nations that are nominally Muslim.

It was a joke, ZigZoomer. You probably don't understand those.

Islamic culture (or whatever name(s) you want to give the male oppressors) stamping on women's rights, sadly, is no joke.

@ClaireinOz

Islamic culture subjugates women shock. Wake us up when they stop - now that would be news.

Lots of Muslim majority countries have had female leaders -- that's hardly a sign of subjugation.

Indonesia, the country with the most Muslims in the world, had Megawati Sukarnoputri as president twice.

Benazir Bhutto was prime minister of Pakistan twice.

Bangladesh has a woman as prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, at the moment and a female predecessor, Khaleda Zia, was prime minister twice.

Tansu Ciller was prime minister of Turkey,

India, which has a hundreds of millions of Muslims, was led by Indira Gandhi.

When will Australia elect a female leader?

It was a joke, ZigZoomer. You probably don't understand those.

No, it was stupid insult.

@ClaireinOz having given you the info on Islam you longer have any reason to make such ignorant remarks other than to be offensive or prejudiced! Which probably was the intention in the first place.

Nevertheless you are in no position to cast stones at other cultures given that the idea that Western women are liberated is only a perception in the majority and no more a reality than for Muslim women.

After all Aussie culture is pretty male dominated is it not? Men soon let the women know what they think of the women's 'choice' of what they wear and once they get the message they 'choose' appropriately!! After all MOST women don't spend a fortune on make-up and clothes etc just to look pretty for themselves! Whereas the fellas at best have a shower and a drop of after-shave.

Then there is the inequality in other areas such as the workplace: women being paid less than men; glass ceilings to career progression etc

Hollywood females play second fiddle to male stars!

Western feminism, principally in the West and includes leading feminists, has been recognised as a failure.

You may also find the BBC's Syrian School documentary series informative on this issue. Also please have a look at this: A Christian NUN in traditional Dress; Sardinian Christians; Michelle Obama with Pope & Pope Meets King of Saudi Arabia. You will see the obvious similarities given that Islam and Christianity share Judaism origins, while Islam also incorporates Christianity!

Here's a shocking fact Christ was a Jew from the middle east and was NOT white, blond and blue-eyed.

As Professor of Journalism I fail to see why cultural issues such as the subject of this article should be of any concern – particularly to non-Muslims! Even more so since as one poster has noted this relates to presenters for the broadcasts to Muslim audience. Or is the motive financial rather than standards of journalism?

I would have thought given the disastrous consequences of West's 'wisdom' proffered unto other cultures and/or societies, such as the ''stolen aborigines children'' and variations of it in the other colonised lands we would have learnt!

Monitor2010
Professor of journalism?Hilarious!

@Pyrrhonist glad to know you are paying attention! What I meant to say was Mr Roy Greenslade, as Professor of Journalism (at City University, London UK).....

@ZigZoomer further to what you've said here's more evidence of the ongoing development of equality for women in Muslim countries: Dr Masoumeh Ebtekar (born 1960) an Iranian scientist and politician served as a Vice-President, and Pakistan gets women combat pilots.

I was even more surprised to learn that both Iran and Pakistan have parliamentary seats and other positions specifically reserved for minorities and women under their respective constitutions while also allowing them to contest the non-reserved seats. Yes, even Jewish Iranians have seats in the Iranian Parliament! Whereas the aborigines were ONLY granted Australian citizenship in 1968 referendum!!!