Short Films, a Gay Bar, and King Hussein Park

Two of my friends and I, standing on a path in King Hussein Park and surveying the scene, had to turn to each other and nod. "The city (government) is really doing a good job here," one of us said. We all nodded.

It was Thursday night, and there was barely a spot of grass or concrete untaken throughout the multiple tiers of the medium-sized sprawl of the park. Families and picnic blankets covered the lawns, and children raced along the sidewalks that snake up and down the hills. We had just come from a showing of Jordanian short films set up in the middle of the hill, undisturbed by the concert at the base or the other show in the stadium up top. (Yet the park is not as big is you think. It is relatively small, but with many nooks and paths divided by lines of trees. It is topped with a new mosque, built in honor of the late King Hussein. The mosque's eye-catching silhouette is a majestic treat when lit against the evening sky.)

All of this, along with children's activity booths and sports activities at the entrance, was part of the Amman municipality's summer festival. Apart from the DIY picnic food, activities were basically free. And it was clear that people were enjoying themselves - the crowd in front of the main concert looked practically buoyant!

The short films we saw were sponsored by the Royal Film Commission and showcased Jordanian filmmakers. The first was a well-known cartoon satirist who portrayed the contradictions of a young Jordanian coming home from America to see his family during the holy month of Ramadan. On one hand, the young man talks in slang and is dressed a bit like a 'gansta.' On the other hand, he brags to his father how devout he has become, praying often and making his wife wear the niqab, a headscarf which covers all her face except her eyes. "Sometimes I don't even recognize her, Dad!" he says in the hyperbolic fashion of the cartoon. The two finish off by dancing to an Usher song before going to get some mansaf (Jordan's national dish) together.

I took this to be a poke at a liberalizing elite who send their children abroad and then conflict with the different values being imported back to the country upon their return. Also perhaps an acknowledgement of the cultural confusion caused by such journeys, as well as the need to travel to a faraway land for opportunities that are not available at home. I know that there are some Muslims who become more religious when coming to the States. They often feel that they are externally defined by their Muslim identity, and therefore it becomes more important to them. (If you are an American Christian and travel to a country where you are discriminated against because you are Christian, you may feel more inclined to emphasize your religion in an effort to defend it and uphold values that you took for granted when you were part of the majority.)

A second film was something everyone in Amman can relate to - a day in the life of a taxi driver. This yet again was exaggerated and satirical, making equal fun of the driver and the passengers. There were Western foreign students (who looked very familiar to me!) answering the typical questions in the wrong order because they are so used to them:

"Where are you from?"
"Yes, I have work here."

"Are you studying Arabic here?"
"No, I"m not married," said with a distracted smile (almost condescending?) to the taxi driver.

There were also foreigners from the Gulf for whom the driver rolled his eyes before turning off his radio music (this is offensive to some very religious Muslims.)

The driver catcalled girls all day, almost turning it into an art. I have to admit that after seeing the film, I see taxi drivers differently, and I can't seem to get annoyed if they catcall me on the street. It's just what they do. Perhaps a misunderstood art.

A world away (and the night after) King Hussein Park, I went to my very first drag show in the Middle East. At a bar in Amman, the underground homesexual community here has carved out a nightlife niche for themselves. Once a week there is a drag show (combined with a karaoke contest for hilarious effect), and almost every night there is a decent crowd of young people dancing, drinking, and enjoying a dose of warm and tolerant atmosphere all around. I personally admire any gay person willing to live in a country where attitudes towards such a sexual preference range from denial to bloodlust, and it makes me happy to see that there is an accepting community where people can meet, party, date, etc.

Although the bar is similar to many gay spots around the world in that it is one of the best dance/party places in the area, it is different in that any opportunity in this region for a liberal atmosphere attracts all sorts of people - even foreign girls looking to have a good time without getting inappropriately hit on!