Telling Personal Sex Life = Jail Time?

Alright readership stick with me as I put on my journalist shirt and tie in an attempt to convey this story in a concise manner. In Saudi Arabia a man by the name of Abdul Jawad was arrested for bragging about his sex life on television on a Lebanese show entitled "Red Lines". He discussed foreplay and sexual conquest along with how he picks up women. Jawad is a 32 year-old divorced father of four. Discussions are still taking place to determine whether charges will be filed.

The climate in Saudi Arabia does not endorse public disclosure of sexual exploits, as a matter of fact unrelated men and women are not allowed to mingle and pre-marital sex is illegal. In a drastic pendulum swing Jawad has begun what we refer to from a PR standpoint as, damage control. In a local newspaper he issued a sorrowful apology accompanied by a photograph of him absorbing his tears into a handkerchief.

Here are a couple of fun facts to introduce that will escalate our dialogue, CNN reports "Abdul Jawad is not in jail and is considering filing a complaint against the show’s producers for presenting him “in the worst possible manner by taking two hours of footage and condensing it down to a minutes-long segment"". As we delve further into what was shown CNN relays this information, "It includes scenes of Abdul Jawad discussing his enjoyment of sex and how he lost his virginity at age 14. Abdul Jawad is also shown in his bedroom, where he holds up sexual aids to the camera. It ends with him cruising the streets of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in his car and looking for women."

Let us start with the first quote concerning his portrayal in a negative manner...isn't that what TV does? They always tape more footage than they need and when cut, material is constructed in order to put forth the most riveting pieces and merge the most tantalizing details. Before he volunteered to participate (assuming he did by the amount of info he divulged) I think it is fair to assume he should know what their purpose is and what they are going to do with his segment. Actually let me take this moment to warn those reading, if you are ever the subject of a story being filmed for television, please know what the treatment for what you are doing or in remedial terms "what they are going to do with it". Now the second quote actually bothers me, with the intentional and deliberate coverage of his escapades it seems that the Lebanon Broadcasting Company would take some liability for this as well. Considering there are laws and against disclosing sexual encounters. The broadcasting company is the vehicle that afforded Jawan the television opportunity, without them none of this happens. It is similar to when people curse on TV in America, it is the network who bleeps it out; they assume the onus. Therefore i actually find this quite hypocritical and repugnant.

Now I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the simple liberties we exercise in America. Im not encouraging that we be grateful we can voice sexual exploits publicly, but the relative freedom of speech and personally liberating lives that we do enjoy. This story was actually quite humorous to me but I hope that as we chuckle we do not become unappreciative.