This Prom Has Everything (for Muslim girls), Except for Boys

New York Times ^ | May 1, 2012 | PATRICIA LEIGH BROWN

[reaganaut1]

HAMTRAMCK, Mich. — The prom countdown was nearly complete, the do-it-yourself Greek columns, pink and white tulle bows and plastic flutes with the “Once Upon a Dream” logo awaiting the evening of evenings.

But as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, her one-shoulder lavender gown matching the elaborate hijab that framed her face in a cascade of flowers — a style learned on YouTube — Tharima Ahmed knew that what lay ahead was more than simply a prom. As organizer of Hamtramck High School’s first all-girl prom, which conforms to religious beliefs forbidding dating, dancing with boys or appearing without a head scarf in front of men and boys, Ms. Ahmed, 17, was forging a new rite of passage for every teenage Muslim girl who ever spent prom night at home, wistfully watching the limousines roll by.

“Hi guys — I mean girls!” Ms. Ahmed, a Bangladeshi-American, exuded into the microphone as 100 girls — Yemeni-American, Polish-American, Palestinian-American, Bosnian-American and African-American — began pouring into the hall on Bangladesh Avenue.

This was prom, Hamtramck-style: the dense scrappy working-class city of 22,500 encircled by Detroit, once predominantly German and Polish, has become one of the most diverse small cities in America. Its new soul lay in the music playlist embedded in Rukeih Malik’s iPhone — Lady Gaga, Cobra Starship the Belgrade-born singer Ana Kokic and The Bilz, a Canadian-South Asian band, singing “2 Step Bhangra.”

In this season of wobbly heels and too much cleavage, the bittersweet transformation of teenagers in jeans and T-shirts into elegant adults barely recognizable to their friends is an anticipated tradition. But at the all-girl prom, there were double double-takes, as some classmates of Ms. Ahmed, normally concealed in a chrysalis of hijab and abaya, the traditional Muslim cloak

[reaganaut1]

To avoid being corrupted by decadent American culture, I suggest that Muslims stay in their own countries.

Nowadays a public school would never show such deference to the beliefs of Christians.

[Astronaut]

They would be laughably backward savages, if they weren’t also so murderous and violent. Send them all back where they came from.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

Things like this make me sick. If these women and girls want to follow Islam, then do it. Don't pick and choose. Follow it 100%. That means NO prom and NO school for that matter. It means that most of these girls should be married and pregnant by now. And working in the kitchen and not getting out to a prom or any other event without a male companion for that matter.

This is not “Islam” and it isn't “respecting” anything. Its forcing a half-assed version of Islam on America as a way to get special treatment and privileges, while fooling themselves into believing that they are following Islam. It would be a joke if it wasn't so dangerous.

[Tennessee Nana]

Lady Gaga,
___________________________________

AH yes

very Sharia...

[TomGuy]

Bill O’Reilly will be all over this, the way he was all over the ‘private’ proms in Georgia a few years ago.

[That was about the time I quit watching him.]

[rawhide]

her one-shoulder lavender gown matching the elaborate hijab that framed her face in a cascade of flowers

If there were no boys, why did she need the 'hijab'?

[TomGuy]

I suggest that Muslims stay in their own countries.

The problem with that theory is that they think EVERY country is theirs.

They are still mad that the Euros kicked them out of Spain, etc., centuries ago. They are intent on reclaiming Europe, and every other continent on the face of the earth.

[DannyTN]

"Don't pick and choose. Follow it 100%. That means NO prom and NO school for that matter. It means that most of these girls should be married and pregnant by now. And working in the kitchen and not getting out to a prom or any other event without a male companion for that matter."

And don't forget genetic mutilation. What good Muslims is going to forget that.

[Secret Agent Man]

Surprised they have not rioted to change the name of the town to get rid of “Ham”.

[SandRat]

Hamtramck used to a nice American, all Polish, and Catholic place.

[Recon Dad]

once predominantly German and Polish, has become one of the most diverse small cities in America

.....diverse my ass it’s a dangerous slum. I called on a business there a few years ago, the guy that owned the place had a sawed off shotgun within arms reach of his desk at all times.

[Recon Dad]

once predominantly German and Polish, has become one of the most diverse small cities in America

.....diverse my ass it’s a dangerous slum. I called on a business there a few years ago, the guy that owned the place had a sawed off shotgun within arms reach of his desk at all times.

[GeronL]

Apparently some Americans think prom isn’t complete without hotel rooms and condoms

[knarf]

Ach! Puke! Blech!

A friggin' Michael Jackson re-incarnate, crying for how wonderful it will be for the childr ... er girls. And she did it, all by herself, and is so changed, so grown, so ...

Ach! Puke! Blech!

[Izzy Dunne]

And don't forget genetic mutilation.

Perhaps you mean genital mutilation - the practice of female "circumcision".

On the other hand...

[TheDon]

As organizer of Hamtramck High School’s first all-girl prom, which conforms to religious beliefs forbidding dating, dancing with boys or appearing without a head scarf in front of men and boys, Ms. Ahmed, 17, was forging a new rite of passage for every teenage Muslim girl who ever spent prom night at home, wistfully watching the limousines roll by.

Hmmmm... This could be quite appealing for lesbians too!

[ottbmare]

You know, considering what goes on in most proms (or after them) this isn’t a bad idea. At least nobody got drunk and climbed their car up a tree at 4 a.m., killing two kids, as happened after the last prom at the local high school here. Nobody got pregnant, or so stoned they were falling down in the street. Half the issue with proms is that the girls want to get dressed up and look gorgeous and have a somewhat glamorous night out, feeling adult. This meets that need without anyone throwing up in the back of a white stretch Lincoln.

[bgill]

the dense scrappy working-class city of 22,500 encircled by Detroit, once predominantly German and Polish, has become one of the most diverse small cities in America

If it were diverse, it wouldn't have a "all-girl prom, which conforms to religious beliefs forbidding dating, dancing with boys or appearing without a head scarf in front of men and boys"

[Conservative Vermont Vet]