Two transgender women from Brazil were detained and their passports confiscated while on vacation in Dubai. Karen Mke, 38, and Kamilla Satto, 33, were detained while attending a local nightclub with police charging them with the crime of ‘imitating’ women. The incident demonstrates the stupidity of laws that ban certain ways of dressing depending on your biological sex. The pair, who were on a tourist visit, are now awaiting an imminent trial with the possibility of imprisonment, fines and/or deportation to their home state of Amazonas in Brazil.
When security staff at the night club saw that their passports had “masculine” names, they experienced abuse. The pair then called the police, who informed them that it is forbidden for “men to dress as a woman” and arrested them. Dubai punishes the “imitation of women by men” under a law prohibiting “indecent acts” with fines, deportation and possible imprisonment of six months to a year. The pair cannot leave Dubai as their passports have been confiscated by the authorities. Brazil’s embassy confirmed the case and said the pair will have to wait for a court session to be held on March 23.
UPDATE: The court fined the Brazilian defendants, described as “38-year-old C.O. and 31-year-old I.S,” Dh10,000 each and ordered that they be deported.
Brazil Trans Women Detained in Dubai for ‘Imitating Opposite Sex’ _ Dan Littauer.
Travestis amazonenses são detidas e têm passaportes retidos em Dubai _ Notícias _ Acritica.
Tourists fined Dh10,000 for cross-dressing _ GulfNews.
Male tourists tell court they did not know cross-dressing was illegal in the UAE _ The National.
These two men didn’t deserve to be arrested for “imitating women”. I could care less if males like to dress in drag. As long as it isn’t lewd or offensive, he should be able to wear whatever he wants in public. By lewd and offensive, I mean something like being naked below the waist. Having said this, males still should use the men’s restroom. If he is male, he needs to stay out of the women’s restroom and locker room.
Actually, these two men are lucky. Muslim countries have very strict religious customs regarding the separation of the sexes. If these two males were caught using a women’s restroom or changing area, it could have gotten every ugly.
I meant to say very ugly.
They were “imitating women”, but they should not have been arrested. People should be able to wear whatever they want to. If they were born males, they can never be female.