Lingerie Mannequins Should Be Banned

First there was a wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl and now there is a call to ban lingerie mannequins and male assistants in lingerie stores.


Lingerie Mannequins
According to a report in the Gulf Daily News:

Modern mannequins look too real and are exciting young men, who crowd round the shop windows, says Majeed Karimi.

Male assistants should also be banned from lingerie shops, says Mr. Karimi, chairman of Muharraq Municipal Council's legislative, financial and administrative affairs committee.

Displaying mannequins clad in lingerie is against Islamic and social values, he said.

"These mannequins look like real-life women, with exactly the same features," said Mr. Karimi.

So, it seems the complaints are primarily directed at the mannequins for being too life-like. The lingerie isn't the problem. Karimi continues,

"I have received various complaints from people that they feel aroused by seeing these mannequins being exhibited in front of them."

He said that many young men in Muharraq stand in front of these shops, not just to watch women enter and leave, but fantasise [sic] about the mannequins.

Curiously, this is the first time I've heard of anyone complaining about being aroused. Nevertheless, it's certain that there will be many and continuing clashes between aspects of Western and Islamic cultures and, hopefully, at some future time, there will be compromise and the finding of common ground.

All that said, this isn't the first time that a lifeless human form has been considered to appeal to prurient interests. Some may recall that Attorney General John Ashcroft ordered the covering of two partially nude statues in the Great Hall of the Department of Justice.

Regarding the presence of male assistants in lingerie stores, it's news to me. Honestly, I thought the only place that ever occurred was in my dreams.