In the city of Nakhchivan, located in Azerbaijan, local government has banned women who have government funded jobs to wear nylon pantyhose. Their government consistently keeps on surprising the public with new bans – internet clubs, social media, and even Playstation salons. Cafes and hair salons also got closed down.
School teachers are not allowed to wear high heels, short skirts, low cut tops. They are also banned from wearing nail polish and from coloring their hair. If a teacher would be dressed like that, she would not be able to enter the school. For civilians there are bans on walking in groups, hanging laundry on balconies, baking bread in certain ovens, and even performing some foreign-acquired funeral customs.
It is hard to say what causes this Muslim region to pass such laws, maybe an attempt to recover from the fashions and habits that remained from formal USSR. I am surprised how a woman from this country even managed to win Eurovision song contest at some point. It could be that laws vary from region to region, for example Baku doesn’t have such laws.
So ladies, if you ever end up in that area for a business meeting, keep in mind that wearing sheer pantyhose is a bad idea! In general, if you are going to such a country for business meeting, be aware that their standards may differ from ours. As rough as it may sound, it may be even better not to go and send your male substitute instead.
Comment from Twitter:
“I’ve actually been to Azerbaijan. Nakhchivan is an autonomous area, geographically and politically separate from the rest.”
Nice intro photo =)
One could understand that for example kids getting carried away with video games to the point of addiction, that childrens’ access to gaming needs to be limited by their parents. However, in the end, the responsibility for such benign activities such as gaming, or getting your hair done or drinking alcohol needs to be up to the individual as long as it’s not overdone and ends up harming others.
When it comes to traveling to other countries, it’s one thing to adjust to the local culture … speak at least a few words if not sentences in the local language, don’t walk around half-naked (be appropriate) and don’t act like an ass (saw a bit of misbehavior from foreigners while visiting esp. Thailand) just because you’re from a first world country – be respectful, have some common sense and decency.
But if it comes to: you can’t walk in groups, or can’t hold hands with your loved one in public or do any number of other benign behaviors, then that place is just more trouble than it’s worth. Too much adjustment would be akin to having to look over your shoulder constantly because you’re walking through an area with social or political unrest. That’s neither a vacation nor a worthwhile cultural experience.
=)
PS: The article states that a government funded employee (e.g. teacher) may not dress in sheer pantyhose while at work, but it does not clarify that a woman who does not fit that category is also affected. Is the only business opportunity in that region with government?
I guess that in the public sector like schools, hospitals, etc the government has control over banning whatever they want. I am sure that regular women still wear sheer pantyhose and probably business women do too (but I doubt that they have business women because from what I’ve read they don’t encourage the woman to pursue work if she is married to a man who can provide for her).