Rihanna, one pop star who is never far from a leotard, is going to have to cover up for a concert in Malaysia on February 13th. The Muslim country’s laws dictate that a female performer has to be covered from the shoulders to the knees. The wardrobe from her “Good Girl Gone Bad” tour is going to have to go through a major overhaul in order to comply with decency regulations. Multiple female acts have visited the country recently, and have had to cover up in order to comply with the decency law:
Recent concerts by Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne faced protests by conservative Muslim Malaysians over immodest clothes. Stefani eventually made what she called “a major sacrifice” at her show by donning attire that revealed little skin…
The organizers of a Pussycat Dolls concert in 2006 were fined nearly $3,000 after the U.S. girl group was accused of flouting decency regulations.
The Malaysian organizers of Rihanna’s Feb. 13 stop on her “Good Girl Gone Bad” tour voiced hopes that protests would not mar the Grammy-winning singer’s show…
However, a district branch of the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, which blasted Lavigne’s on-stage moves as “too sexy” last year, said in an online commentary that Rihanna was “sexier and more dangerous” than Lavigne.
[from Yahoo]
Lavigne “too sexy?” Her concert was canceled but then miraculously approved by the government back in August. Maybe they realized that her only offense was the quality of her songs. Rihanna, whose act is decidedly more risque, hasn’t been canceled yet. Unlike Lavigne, she probably didn’t give the government any attitude.
Although it’s sad that there are still places in the world where the government can regulate your wardrobe, it’s refreshing to see a performer that’s willing to work with the regulations instead of fighting them. Unlike the Pussycat Dolls, who didn’t even bother trying to edit their wardrobe, Rihanna is willing to change her act to comply with the law. She doesn’t seem to be complaining about it either.
My only question is whether or not she’ll have to change her actual act. Government regulations also include no jumping or kissing on stage. There’s undoubtedly a lot of gyrating going on in Rihanna’s dance routines, and if jumping is a no no, sexy dance moves probably aren’t okay either. A wardrobe change might be a start, but hip thrusts can be just as provocative in long skin-tight pants as in a bikini.
Rihanna is shown performing at Y100’s Annual Jingle Ball Concert in Sunrise, Florida on 12/13/08. Credit: WENN
Good. I honestly thought Rihanna didn’t even know how to not dress like a skank on stage. It’s really unflattering. And also quite hot.
Boy, no jumping, gyrating, moving, spinning..might as well call Mike Myers to dance like Dieter and wear black turtleneck shirt.
I dont know how i feel about it. In a way, i totally agree. She should dress the way they prefer since its their country & rules. But then again they want women to dress that way b/c most women dont have many rights. Most women would be beaten if they were out on the streets like that. I feel you should wear what you want regardless of what some MAN tells you to wear. But over there you cant.
I love how completely hypocritical some religions can be, especially Muslim religion were a man can marry up to how many women he likes and treat them all like crap if he wishes and father as many children as he wants but if women choose to were a nice dress that does not forcefully cover their whole body, then that is what they choose to call a disgrace. Unbelievable that these type of nonsenses still going on in 2009.
If I was one of these performers then I would stick to fingers up to their “beliefs” and refuse to perform there anyway.
The fine is only $3,000? That seems worth it to just get out and do your thing the way you want. What’s $3,000 to these acts?
Last i heard rihanna was broke. so i think $3,000 would hit her hard in the pocketbook.
Enonymous, you do know you could be talking about the Mormons who practice celestial marriage too right?
These performers should absolutely be expected to carry out their act in accordance with any and all applicable laws of the country they’re performing in or don’t go there, period.
I remember years ago Madonna was arrested in Toronto because she violated our obscenity laws by simulating masturbation on stage. She was aware of this law and chose to perform the act anyway. She got away with it in the end in terms of charges, but performers who go to these fundamentalist countries better toe the line.
Women do have rights in that country and it’s really not THAT THAT strict over there it’s only really in performances that they have to reel it in. Hey maybe rihanna will actually have to focus on her sheep sounding vocals now because she won’t be able to distract the audience with her stripper routine.
Baholicious, I don’t know that much about the Mormon religion but as I said, some of these types of religions (in this instance we are talking about the Muslim religion) are nothing more then hypocrites. I respect different cultures/religions but not ones that contradict so much with what they are preaching to the ones they practice. Why should these female performers respect a religion who does not respect them in anyway.
Those are the Malaysian laws and when you go to someone else’s country you obey their laws whether you agree with them or not.
Fundamentalist/Orthodox/Conservative whatever you want to call it of all three monotheistic faiths have draconian ideas when it comes to women, not just the Muslims. I just wanted to point that out because that is the faith that is usually singled out.
I agree with you on that, all religions are cruel and unfair when it comes to women but as far as I am aware, I have not heard of women in todays society (i am sure something happens behind close doors instead with the other cults/religions) still being stoned and beaten to death in the middle of the street by strangers because of what they wear but in middle east and these largely oriented Muslim regions, I have heard and read plenty of horrific stories.
In exception to any fanatic cults that still call themselves a religion, the main religions do not permit multiple marriages except for Muslims were men can marry how many women they want and divorce them on the spot with a single word but when a Muslim woman wishes to divorce her husband she has to go through hell and even then.
The bottom line is there is still a lot of obvious, unashamed and unapologetic sexism going on and that just does not cut it anymore.
I just count my blessings of how fortunate I am to live in a First-World nation, that goes without saying.
good for them and sticking to their ideal, whatever it may be.
i like her but i’m glad that they don’t bow down to celebrities.
It’s good that they put restrictions on Rihanna. She looks so different now, and is taking this “good girl gone bad” image a little too far.
Wasn’t Britney Spears issued the same thing when she went to perform in Malaysia or somewhere in Asia? China also applies the same rules to performers, I believe.
O NOES! She might have to draw attention to the “quality” of her music…like, you know, what she was famous for in the first place.
I mean, god forbid, right?
It’s terribly strict in Malaysia – if you are a Muslim. Other faiths are tolerated and respected but there is a separate Religious police force there. They target women especially. I have holidayed there several times, lovely country, lovely people but not if you are an unmarried Muslim woman caught for example in a hotel room with a man not a relative. Instant arrest by the Religious police and trial. Rhianna should wear as she pleases and pay the fine!!
Well, ic some narrow thoughts here about Islam, but i guess those people haven’t really come to Malaysia and understand it. First of all, u have to respect rules of other countries, it wont be a problems for people who knows how to respect other peoples rules. Second, Midle east is totally different from Malaysia, there aren’t any beaten happening in the street because of what they wear, that’s ridiculous. Thirdly, at least we helping rihanna or any other singer women who came here not to look slutty or whore as they can be. Fourthly, Islam limit 4 wives only to save women from the being the number 50 or 70 wives during that century when mens are allowed to marry as many girls as they like. It’s an old customs plus there are still other religions who allows more then 1 wives. At least it’s legal then being the mistress of a men lust. Fifthly, women are not treathen as a slave in a true Islamic teaching. Finally, please gain some true knowledge b4 judging any religions.
Trollydolly – yes that’s true because adultry is a sin in Islam, i think adultry is a big sin in all religions in the world. Back then, adultry people will get punished or even killed cause it’s a shame and a sin in all religions, in europe, in asia, in east anywhere. Maybe it looks horrible to u cause nowadays adultry, living together without marriage n having child before marriage is a normal thing or i can say it’s been a custom to some countries. Islam still holding and helping their people to remember that those act is a sin. Thus, capture is 1 of the way to prevent it. But we don’t kill those people like some other strict countries.
I agree with sweetzy. The laws in Middle Eastern countries are like “a tooth for a tooth”, if you steal, they cut off your hands, if you murder someone, they put the death sentence on you. They don’t glorify sex, thus the women covering their bodies from head to toe. This may seem brutal to us living here in the West, but those laws have been in effect for more than 2000 years, and it’s unlikely to change. These laws keep the people in order. Look at the Islamic societies, they don’t condone adultery, so you don’t see men and women having affairs, having children out of wedlock, etc. These issues have become normal and acceptable for us in the West so we mostly don’t approve of their laws in other countries. Also, for a Muslim man to marry a 2nd/3rd/4th wife, the 1st wife must approve of it first. It’s not like the men can just marry whoever they like and take the women home to an unsuspecting wife. I’d like to think the men have more respect for their wives in this matter.
trollydolly – I don’t agree that Rihanna should wear clothes as she pleases. If you go to a different country, you should respect their laws. While in your country you have your rights, you don’t get to exercise your rights in other countries. A teacher of mine in high school told a story of a couple of Americans in Saudi Arabia, drinking alcohol in their hotel balcony. It is forbidden for Muslims to consume alcohol, and it is against the law for any person to do so in Saudi Arabia. The Americans got 20 lashes in the back for disobeying the law. Whose fault was it? The Americans must’ve gone there knowing the law, yet they still disobeyed it. So they paid the price. Malaysian laws are in effect to protect the people, we may not agree with it, but if it’s working for them, then I say keep it up.