In Yemen men and women who do the same thing are often looked upon differently. Smoking is a prominent example. However, when people see a woman having a cigarette they forget about her health and instead concentrate on her reputation: many will even think of her as a whore.
In fact, women in Yemen smoke more than ever before, both in public and private. He told the Yemen Times that more than 20 girls a day visit his shop and buy cigarettes, tobacco and other items related to smoking. Restaurants that serve shisha also benefit from the growing fashion.
Despite the fact that such establishments do not have the best name and conservative families do not allow their women to go there, it is not uncommon today to see a group of ladies in such a restaurant having a smoke together.
Yemen Times visited one of the establishments that is known for serving shisha to women as well as men. Unfortunately, the owner of this Egyptian restaurant was afraid to lose his good reputation and denied this. While the claim that the security services chase female smokers might be an exaggeration, women who light up in public areas are certainly looked down upon by fellow Yemenis. She shared one of her experiences with the Yemen Times.
Most female smokers told the Yemen Times that they smoke secretly and only within a small circle of friends. Private qat sessions are the most popular occasion for girls to have a smoke. Some of them bring their own shishas and show off with the fancy style or material that it is made of. Instead of water they often use different kinds of juices that usually match the taste of the tobacco.
