Okay, for once you are probably catching me posting while I am on a tangent. It’s just I get so tired of hearing so many expats on meeting a Saudi man who may be over the age of 30 and not yet married immediately say “oh, he must be gay.” Come on… I think that is harsh, unnecessary and totally inappropriate. Now I am not saying there are not Saudi men who are indeed gay but one should not readily assume all are if they happen to be beyond what is viewed as the typical marrying age. There can be many reasons why a man has chosen not to marry and particularly so for a Saudi man. Let’s start with the high dowries that are expected to be provided to the bride. For many Saudi men, this may make marriage not affordable and prohibitive to them. Or perhaps for some men, particularly if they come from a family with many sisters or Aunts who have to be chauffeured around, they are enjoying being single too much and having that sense of freedom by not having a wife or more women for whom they must be responsible given the cultures and customs of Saudi Arabia. And last but not least, some men may enjoy their life as it is and are content. They may be married to their jobs or simply do not feel a pressing need to conform to society through marriage to someone with whom they do not know; are not ready and have no interest in. I don’t believe one jumps so quickly to the conclusion that a man must be gay if he is a western and not married by the age of 30, so why be so harsh and judgmental against Saudi men?
Filed under: culture, gender, relationships, Saudi Arabia, Saudi culture, Saudi customs, Saudi Living | Tagged: culture, culture shock, customs, gender issues, KSA, Relationship, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Saudi culture, Saudi customs | 175 Comments »
