Cairo: Sexual-themed cupcakes, served at a top Egyptian club, have triggered an outcry in the conservative country, prompting police to arrest a pastry chef. Photos of a group of women at a birthday party held in the club went viral online showing the celebrants with cupcakes taking the shape of genitalia.
The event provoked a big controversy on social and mainstream media that said the party had been held in the high-class Al Jazirah Club in Cairo. A trending hashtag titled in Arabic “Al Jazirah Club” has done the rounds. Many commentators condemned the act as immoral and socially unacceptable. “It’s unacceptable socially and there are 100 ways to celebrate… No sense or respect to their age and our traditions!” tweeted one man named Mohamed Rashad.
“Are those the aristocratic class and the cream of society? They’ve turned out to be rubbish!” commented another. In response to the incident, Dar Al Iftaa, Egypt’s official Islamic authority in charge of issuing religious edicts, said that publishing nude photos and products with sexual insinuations are prohibited in Islam and incriminated under law.
Meanwhile, MP Khalid Abdul Mula demanded that Minister of Youth and Sports be summed to the legislature to be questioned over the incident. The lawmaker called for an immediate investigation into the event to determine if it had been held with the club board knowing.
Some people, however, downplayed the incident. “I kinda wonder if they will ever arrest a man for slut-shaming other women on social media or they gonna be free forever just because they were talking in private? Bcs as far as i know this was a private party as well,” a person named Shulim tweeted in English.
The pastry chef, who made the controversial cakes, was briefly arrested and released on a bail of 5,000 Egyptian pounds (Dh1,173) on charges of making a sexually suggestive product, legal sources said. The chef said in interrogation that she had shaped the cakes that way upon a request from the party-goers, the sources added.
