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Being Female in Yemen

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    This is Shooq
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    And I'm living normally as a Yemen Woman.
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    [Music]
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    This young woman comes from the
    south coastal town called Mukalla
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    And it's been a very rough few years
    living through this grueling civil war.
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    On April 2, 2015
    Al-Qaeda attacked the central Bank
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    and seized millions of U.S. Dollars before
    taking control of the Presidential Palace
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    Soon after, the entire city of Mukalla
    was under their control.
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    Schools were shut, offices were closed
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    and many people were virtually locked
    inside of their homes for 6 months.
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    But that was 4 years ago, and now,
    daily life has gotten back to normal.
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    Life is so safe, we are like...
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    the safest government in Yemen
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    and we are having our normal life.
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    Shrooq is back in school
    and doing very well.
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    I'm studying Architecture
    and Environmental Planning.
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    And you're also studying English?
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    I'm not Studying English
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    You just learned it
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    like you're brilliant?
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    Yeah, I got it from Disney Channel.
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    Which movies?
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    Hannah Montana...
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    Yeah, exactly
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    When we think about Yemen
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    We tend to think about war and terrorism.
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    That's exactly what I thought
    before arriving here...
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    But things in Hadhramaut at least,
    the region that we are currently in
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    seems to be going okay
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    Sure, there's a lot of police checkpoints
    and security,
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    but what I've been seeing is markets
    that are lively,
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    late night concerts that are crowded
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    and a riverside that is charming
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    The city is honestly beautiful
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    People are out and about on the streets,
    just like in your hometown.
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    Okay, let's get back on topic to
    Shrooq and her role in Yemeni society.
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    There's no denying that
    being a female here overall
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    isn't as easy as in the Western World.
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    There are many restrictions revolving
    around religion and tradition
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    Which can be discussed in a separate video
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    but she's doing everything
    in her power to fight it
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    starting with showing her face
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    because about 99% of women in her
    city keep it completely covered
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    I'm showing who I am and my identity
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    as simple as that, that's how it should be
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    In my vision, women are half
    of the society.
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    so women trying to do what men can do here
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    so me and my friends and a lot of women
    do the same what men can do
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    working, studying, having our activities
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    a lot of normal things
    to have a normal life
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    Shrooq and a couple of her girlfriends
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    started an activists club
    in Yemen called Takween
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    which revives culture in Hadhramaut
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    We are doing like a... musician nights,
    movie nights, discussion books
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    also we care about how we can develop
    ourselves as youth
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    to build our own area,
    small area to live in peace.
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    It's amazing how they're all
    so fluent in English
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    Hi, I'm Najat
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    Hi my name is Shrooq
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    Hi I'm Sara
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    Hello I'm Safa
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    When I'm hanging out with them,
    I feel like I'm home in the U.S.
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    hanging out with my friends.
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    And believe it or not, being a woman
    in Yemen does have its benefits
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    Yeah, women go to
    the next level...
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    (Laughing)
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    I've spent the last 24 hours
    with these girls
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    and I'm amazed by the priorities they have
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    especially with policemen
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    In our society, a society filled
    with traditions and culture
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    they believe that they should take care
    and everyone should take care of women
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    because women like,
    um, need to be protected
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    yeah, during this messed up situation
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    It's good to be a woman
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    in checkpoints and those things
    in lines and that things.
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    Najat stopped by there,
    but there so crowded
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    so he said, okay we'll make the place
    for you Najat...
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    Who said?... The policeman
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    The policeman?
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    They let you come in?
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    Women next level... Yeah, women, queens!
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    It's great to see Shrooq and her friends
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    paving the way for the future of Yemen
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    They are so sweet and so sincere
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    I really hope the situation clears up
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    So more people can
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    experience their hospitality
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    and see the beautiful wonders of Yemen
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    We're trying to have a normal life
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    Despite everything that's happened
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    here in Mukalla, we have a simple
    normal life
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    Amazing, Thank you
  • 4:06 - 4:10
    I'm Drew Binsky, and if you like my
    travel videos, please click subscribe and
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    join me as I plan to visit
    every country in the world
Title:
Being Female in Yemen
Description:

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Video Language:
English
Team:
Captions Requested
Duration:
04:14
McKaydee Smith edited English subtitles for Being Female in Yemen Mar 13, 2020, 2:20 AM
McKaydee Smith edited English subtitles for Being Female in Yemen Mar 13, 2020, 1:51 AM
McKaydee Smith edited English subtitles for Being Female in Yemen Mar 13, 2020, 1:37 AM
McKaydee Smith edited English subtitles for Being Female in Yemen Mar 12, 2020, 11:42 PM
McKaydee Smith edited English subtitles for Being Female in Yemen Mar 12, 2020, 11:24 PM

English subtitles

Revisions Compare revisions

  • Revision 5 Edited
    McKaydee Smith Mar 13, 2020, 2:20 AM
  • Revision 4 Edited
    McKaydee Smith Mar 13, 2020, 1:51 AM
  • Revision 3 Edited
    McKaydee Smith Mar 13, 2020, 1:37 AM
  • Revision 2 Edited
    McKaydee Smith Mar 12, 2020, 11:42 PM
  • Revision 1 Edited
    McKaydee Smith Mar 12, 2020, 11:24 PM