Twitter blown away by all-male recipients of UAE’s gender equality awards

The United Arab Emirates has showcased its profound commitment to female empowerment, awarding a group of men for their contributions to gender equality in the workplace… and twitter exploded with sarcasm.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the vice-president of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai, presented certificates and medals in the categories of “best government entity supporting gender balance”, “best federal authority supporting gender balance” and “best gender balance initiative” at a ceremony held on Sunday.

“We are proud of the success of Emirati women and their role is central to shaping the future of the country. Gender balance has become a pillar in our governmental institutions,” Sheik boasted, as he passed out medals to the finance ministry, the federal competitiveness and statistics authority and ministry of human resources respectively – all of which were represented by men.

To make no exemption, the “best personality supporting gender balance” was also awarded to a man. Kudos to the authorities, though, they also praised a woman - head of the Gender Balance Council – for “exemptional projects.”

The UAE’s Gender Balance Index awards are, at least in theory, awarded to those who helped government departments make progress over the last year, as part of female participation goals set in 2015.

The awards haven't always gone exclusively to men, however. In 2017, the first year the honor was rolled out, Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and chairwoman of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), received the “UAE Gender Balance Seal.”

As usual, Twitter skewered this perfectly wholesome, feel-good celebration, bombarding Dubai’s media account with disrespectful memes and insincere words of congratulations.

“Wow really nailed the diversity there. One of those dudes was wearing gray,” one reply read.

“Is there only one gender in Dubai?” another impressed Twitter user wrote.

“You rare, you few, you brave men who are bold enough to fight for justice: your names shall be praised above all others in our new, gender-balanced world,” a netizen gushed.

It’s not all bad for UAE women, however. According to media reports, the country boasts at least one amateur ice hockey player. 

And it is also a highest ranked state for Gender equality in the Gulf region.

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