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Bikinis and mini-skirts may be commonplace in the Western world, but the Middle-East is a slightly different story. Countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran enforce strict modesty laws on women in keeping with Islamic tradition, and prohibit any skin other than the face and hands from showing. These restrictions even apply to Britney and Madonna, as it turns out.
Wearing sexy, revealing clothing is a great way to sell pretty much anything in North America. When these steamy images make their way into Islamic territories via media and advertisements, however, they're required to be toned down before they can be released to the public. In most cases, religious police in charge of censorship - known as mutaween - just take a big old Sharpie to Mariah's midriff or Shakira's shoulders. Recently, however, they've started to get a little creative with Photoshop, and even made headlines last week for replacing a woman in a pool ad with a beach ball. A+ for effort!
Check out the best, the worst, and the funniest edited images for sensitive audiences below, and just try to tell us that J-Lo isn't totally rocking those permanent marker pants.
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What do you think ?
MidS 8 years ago
This is interesting. I've lived in Dubai all my life and this never happens here. Our tabloids are filled with pictures you'd deem 'westernized'. I find the title misleading. Not every Middle East country is like this.
Jkcanewton 8 years ago
I see the covers, but what about the lyrics? They are just as bad sometimes. I'm really surprised that some of these are even sold there.
Adam Havlík 8 years ago
Hanzo, all I meant was that the English lyrics might not be considered as offensive as these images because English isn't a first language there. Most of the world sings English-language songs they don't necessarily understand - I see it here in the Czech Republic every day...
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Cindy Martinson 8 years ago
Although i don't agree with such a degred of censorship it does remove some if not most of the objectification of woman. The objectification of any living creature is disgusting.
Rivkaka 8 years ago
One of the women is literally morphed into a beachball. A beachball = a woman seems like the literal definition of objectification....
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MidS 8 years ago
This is interesting. I've lived in Dubai all my life and this never happens here. Our tabloids are filled with pictures you'd deem 'westernized'. I find the title misleading. Not every Middle East country is like this.
Jkcanewton 8 years ago
I see the covers, but what about the lyrics? They are just as bad sometimes. I'm really surprised that some of these are even sold there.
Adam Havlík 8 years ago
Hanzo, all I meant was that the English lyrics might not be considered as offensive as these images because English isn't a first language there. Most of the world sings English-language songs they don't necessarily understand - I see it here in the Czech Republic every day...
Load More Replies... Cindy Martinson 8 years ago
Although i don't agree with such a degred of censorship it does remove some if not most of the objectification of woman. The objectification of any living creature is disgusting.
Rivkaka 8 years ago
One of the women is literally morphed into a beachball. A beachball = a woman seems like the literal definition of objectification....
Load More Replies...
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