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Syrian society is divided into two broad groups, secular and religious (conservative), with the two main groups having smaller sub divisions based on wealth. Therefore you find varying degrees of tolerance/intolerance to certain subjects inside the same group. These two groups are not evenly spread throughout the country (in either metropolitan or rural areas), and certain areas of the country might have a predominance of one group over the other. For example, cities like Aleppo and
Hama are predominantly conservative, while coastal cities like Lattakia and Tartous are predominantly secular. It is also common to find both groups inhabiting different neighborhoods in the same city.
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When talking about specific social issues, it is important to point out what is acceptable to each group. While these groups have a broad range of things in common, big differences can be found when discussing certain subjects such as women's rights, dress codes, sexuality, politics and of course religion.
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As far as the religious group is concerned, a woman's place is at home. Work is frowned upon unless it's a financial necessity. Also a woman must adhere to strict dress code; usually covering her head and wearing long loose clothes. On the extreme end of this scale, women are forbidden from having an education or going out of the house at all, although this is very rare nowadays.
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As far as the secular group goes, there are very few restrictions on what a woman can do. Basically a woman has the same rights as she would have anywhere in the west, perhaps with the notable exception of sexual relations.
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Foreign women: Religious conservatives are surprisingly tolerant of foreigners in general, and do not expect foreign women living in/visiting to adhere to their rules or way of life. However they do expect them to be decently dressed, when coming into contact with them, or visiting their areas.
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