Yesterday, I went with my boyfriend to buy him a car.
We did the tour of all car compagnies in Jal-El-Dib- Zalka highway.
At first, we met a lot of men in the car showrooms, and they were respectful of me and my Bf, explaining to both the specs of the cars.
But when we arrived to the last car company, on the highway of Jdeideh, I got a beautiful young woman in the car showroom, wearing high heals, full
make up, and the most outstanding nail polish I have ever seen, and she begun talking to us about the cars she has and the
difference between an Elantra and an Accent car and that they have a car road maintenance… bref.
I observed that for me she told me: it s a “beautiful” car, and she “adores” it, ( thanks God she didn’t say there are mirrors in it!!) and for my Boyfriend she said ” it consumes (na na na… it has alloy wheels, engine , transmission…bla bla bla), I was like getting nervous,
But the greatest ”peak” was when I asked her about some specific specs, and the answer was “rah khabbir el Monsieur, akid bya3rif aktar menna” ” I will tell the Monsieur, he surely knows more than us”! ( us = girls!!!)))
I felt insulted: Me = woman is not meant to understand cars as boys do. I felt insulted and treated unfairly because of my gender, or sex!!!! She categorised me 3 minutes after we entered the showroom as a woman= girl= not interested in cars, because cars in her perspective are socially for men. ( I think she forgot how many women drive the brand she is working on advertising and selling!!)
Me= driving woman since 12 years! and owning cars since 10 years, is not supposed to be interested in the technical specs of a car, but with its form, and mirrors, and “sexiness”!!!
God help me! ( back to the Lebanese way, asking God help each time a problem occurs 
…
I live in Lebanon, in a country where gender discrimination is not something new, but is old and where gender roles are clearly defined,
Changing a car wheel in Lebanon as per the gender role definition ( men's role)
me =woman is not supposed to take care of changing the wheel of my car, it is not permitted for me to show an interest in things that a man can do, or should be interested in. But me as a Lebanese woman should look up to my beautiful car and show my friends that my Dad the ” head” of the family bought my car, or my Husband or my Bf ( all boys) bought me the car I can show off with in the social networks….
My set of characteristics resumes my understanding of a car specifications for its form ?
Please, let us stop this unfair gender and sex discrimination, gender roles and perceptions have changed and are changing!!!
This image shows the gender roles as illustrated in the text of Amanda Ryan
Should have told her off. Tell her “in that case, can I speak to a man cause clearly you know nothing important about these cars.”
I’m guessing she hired for “other of qualities and skills” she possesses (or bought).
Thank you JAD!!
((
I should have , but I was Shocked!!! I felt insulted saraha, eventhough she has this beautiful smile, full of lipstick
[...] against by another saleswoman while buying a car with her boyfriend. She shared her story in this post. [...]
[...] Lebanese blogger Rita Chemaly was shocked to be discriminated against by another saleswoman while buying a car with her boyfriend. She shared her story in this post. [...]
[...] Lebanon: Gender Discrimination while Buying a Car Lebanese blogger Rita Chemaly was shocked to be discriminated against by another saleswoman while buying a car with her boyfriend. She shared her story in this post. [...]
A very important step to be taken: we should first trust ourselves as being able to handle any situation, starting from changing a tire up till facing any other problem.
No doubt it was humiliating just to be standing there with “all what she has” on her, but knowing nothing important abt the product she’s selling.. but let’s face it Rita: you might revolt, you might get angry and have many negative feelings towards such a situation, but the fact that some “women” want their rights without making any effort to prove that they deserve it is a shame.
Let’s first work on ourselves (you’re certainly excluded…) and then we can reach our targets more easily… let’s prove that we are really up there.