Feminist symbols in the Arab world #1: Qatar's World Cup stadium

Jeffrey Levenson says:

November 19, 2013 at 9:04 am

I see an upcoming concert by Pussy Riot!

November 19, 2013 at 12:51 pm

Or by Slave Riot, report attached “the mortality rate was significant” http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/football-world-cup-workers-treated-like-slaves-in-qatar-report/article1-1152802.aspx

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Mikko says:

November 19, 2013 at 2:19 pm

Maybe Sir Norman could design a version of the Gherkin to be erected next to that?

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Bosse Bergkvist says:

November 19, 2013 at 3:22 pm

A feminine symbol, indeed! But “feminist” symbol?

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Kilian Hofmann says:

November 19, 2013 at 4:03 pm

A new version of Gustave Courbet’s famous painting “L’origine du monde”!

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Phil says:

November 19, 2013 at 8:13 pm

I’ve long since lost track of what feminism means, and I did not understand it in the first place. This seems as good a symbol as any!

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Neil van der Linden says:

November 19, 2013 at 6:10 pm

Having studied biology, and from my interest in herbology before, I can say the shape also reminds me of the stoma that is part of the plant leaf structure. And that would also make a symbolic sense. While I also like it that if Hadid indeed made a reference the female genitalia, which effect she must have considered, it is also an attempt maybe to take the shape out from a sexist context. It is intended as respectful, not as a dirty joke.

But here is an article by a (woman) journalist for the Guardian about the symbolism. NB She wrote it before she realised that the architect was (nobody less than) Zaha Hadid! (Woman, and from the Arab world). http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/18/qatar-accidental-vagina-stadium-al-wakrah-world-cup-stadium

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Theodore McGuiver says:

November 19, 2013 at 7:46 pm

I’m looking forward to Des Lynam announcing the semi-final live from the Accidental Vagina Stadium. Let’s see how many players end up scoring.

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