Hangin with the guys

The gender issue.

On the streets, in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the majority of people you pass by are men.  More so in Dubai, most of them are expats from Pakistan, India, and the Philippines.

I was surprised to find out that the ratio of men to women is 2.03 to 1 in Abu Dhabi and 3 to 1 in Dubai.  I thought it would be a lot higher (more men) esp. in Dubai.  Additionally, I realize women are in other places.

Anyway, I bring this up to start thinking about how it affects the public space.  Most spaces for men and women are kept separate.  Dorm rooms in hostels, prayer rooms, the front and back of the bus, etc.  I’ve seen married couples separate (or sit at the intersection of the male and female zones) while riding the bus.  Anyway, you can sometimes think of this bus situation as a “sliding bar graph” – as a woman, you get more or less of a percentage of public space depending on how many people of each gender are present.