Opening Afghan Eyes With Mascara and Beauty Classes

[CatWoman]

I'm trying my best to grasp the rationale behind this.

If these women are confined to wearing burkas, what difference does it make if they are wearing makeup underneath?

If we really liberated Afghan women from the repressive Taliban, why are they still wearing burkas?

Liberated or not -- they have money to throw away on COSMETICS???

Whose dumb ass idea was this??

KABUL, Afghanistan (news - web sites) — For Afghan women, going out still usually involves little more than throwing on a burka before leaving the house. But two American "beauticians without borders" are introducing Afghans to Western-style ideas of womanhood by teaching them the finer points of applying lipstick.


About 25 students have been chosen for an eight-month beautician course by Debbie Rodriguez and Patricia O'Connor, who were dismayed by the beauty regimen of local women — and wanted to help widows and uneducated young women who have no other means of earning a living.


The million-dollar program, funded by major cosmetic companies, including Revlon, L'Oreal and Clairol, proved so popular last year that it has been continued. This year, 400 women applied.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/latimests/20040404/ts_latimes/openingafghaneyeswithmascaraandbeautyclasses

[Roaming]

1. Aren't their eyes the only thing showing though? I guess they're just

trying to accentuate the only positive they're allowed to show.

[rucky]

2. Cultural imperialism at its worst

maybe a tax writeoff & publicity for Revlon, etc. as well.

I don't think they actually expect Afghan women to be a consumer base anytime soon.

PS: The Yahoo article sounds like it was lifted right off the press release.

[Toucano]

3. Afghan women must learn

to value the pointless.

How else will they be turned into loyal consumers?

Can liposuction be far behind?

[CatWoman]

4. can we say

Botox?

[Toucano]

5. Oh, yeah!

It's whats on the outside of what's INSIDE the burka that counts!