Plushness

I remember the days in the 80s: when male bands would sit within the women-only weddings, when the photographers were men, and the groom would come in to the women's wedding with half his neighborhood, all his diwania friends, and all his relatives, and anyone else in the men's wedding that wanted to come along.

Towards the late 80s and early 90s: the weddings became more segregated, with men coming in the women's wedding for limited periods. Women, if they wanted to dance, would cover up their bare shoulders with a shawl.

In the early to mid 2000's: if the groom comes in with his brothers, that is considered avant guard (the excuse being: the bride doesn't want to cover up or wear her hijab); the bride's father even ceased to show up (an old tradition says that the father of the bride should not come in to his daughter's wedding, was revived). If there happened to be a male band to come in for a short time, or if the groom is sitting and a girl or woman decides to dance, it was considered shameful, 3aib.

This year: Men are allowed back in, band members are there for longer periods, celebrity male singers are allowed in for longer, the father of the bride is a vital part of the wedding, the bride wants to dance, the groom is cheering her, and the dance floor is filled with frolicking women and girls.

Is it a backlash against the oppressive laws put into effect by parliament in the past few years (like segregating the sexes in universities)? Or have we become less of social hypocrites?