Dubai: A stewardess who called a housewife a lesbian because she told her to cover up in public has been fined Dh2,000.
The 30-year-old Emirati housewife was drinking coffee with a friend in a cafe in Safa in February, according to her prosecution statement, when she saw the 30-year-old British stewardess in what she described as “a dress that was indecent to be worn in public in front of families and children”.
The housewife claimed that the Briton called her a lesbian when she told her that her dress was “inappropriately revealing”.
“She replied in a rude and loud voice saying ‘Lesbian, don’t look at me crazy… go away’. I asked her to watch her tongue. She continued yelling in public and tried to take snapshots of me with her mobile phone. When I told her that there are laws here that need to be respected, she replied, ‘These laws are put for you not for us’. Thereafter I called the police,” the Emirati told prosecutors.
Meanwhile the British woman said her clothes were not indecent.
“I heard an Arab lady shouting at me. She asked me to wear a proper dress and cover up my top. I told her that my clothes were decent and covered my body. The police came and the issue was resolved. When I came back from the UK, police stopped me at the airport on March 11. I was told at the police station that the Emirati woman had complained that I cursed her… I denied it and police released me on bail,” said the defendant.
The Dubai Misdemeanour Court recently convicted the Briton of using abusive language towards the Emirati.
Court records said the defendant became irritated at the housewife’s remarks before lashing out and calling her a lesbian in front of other customers in the cafe.
Police referred the matter to the Public Prosecution when efforts failed to resolve the matter amicably between the two women.
“The defendant refused to apologise when the cafe manager asked her to do so,” said the housewife.
