In the Arab World, Butch "Boyat" Girls Are Seen As Having a Medical Condition

In the Arab World, Butch "Boyat" Girls Are Seen As Having a Medical Condition

BOYAT MEANS= BUTCH OR TOMBOYS IN ARABIC

Should the Boyat phenomenon, where young women dress and behave like men, be regarded as a problem in Arab society?... "People misunderstand this thing. It's not about homosexuality and we shouldn't confuse biological problems with those people who, because of cultural aspects, are Boyat," said Dr Fadwa Al Mughairbi, a professor of psychology at UAE University who has researched the topic.

She explained that there are several genetic or hormonal disorders (Testicular feminisation syndrome, hermaphroditism, Klinefelter syndrome, 5-Alpha-reductase deficiency) that would lead to uncertainty about a person's gender.

It could be possible, Dr Fadwa said, that those girls who were exposed to a lot of testosterone in the first three months of their mother's pregnancy could show more male characteristics... "People think a Boyat is disobedient and rebelling against God's creation. Some see Boyat as suffering from a disorder," he said.

He explained that some people regard Boyats as going against their "fitrah" (an Islamic term meaning nature or disposition) or not living according to their fitrah as women who have a role to fulfil as wife and mother. "By transforming their bodies they are changing their place in the social order," said Dr Nigst... http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/general/shedding-ligh...