Who is this DZ-chick?
Who does she think she is?
She has a chip on her shoulders
I think I know her
She's probably not even Algerian
I discovered this cool blog, she reminds me of you - is it you?
She writes like that girl I know…but it can’t be here, her English isn’t that good!
So much time spent trying to unveil my identity whilst you could be joining in the discussions, pondering the seeds I am planting and taboos I might be breaking, which have clearly touched a nerve with you, I am not pretending to have an original thought as we all know you cant have one anymore, they've all been claimed.
Some have tried to decipher my IP address and tracking the geographical references in my blog and compare notes, what are you going to achieve by divulging the truth about my identity; Anonymity is the last great luxury in this modern age and I intend to keep mine.
Why write anonymously or under a pseudonym? Well to start it’s really because I am a guy not a girl ….No I am really a women, I suffer from PMS, have a squeaky voice and cry for no reason.
I did some research lately and found a number of very active Algerian bloggers out there on the blogsphere (which sites you’ll find at the bottom of the blog), Almost all writing anonymously, makes me wonder what the reasons are for this…
As an Algerian female blogger, I understand a blogger wants to keep her anonymity because outspoken women are not very popular in the world much less in
Writing anonymously helps you be more objective as well as subjective when you need to be, which in my blog is often, you can be controversial and offensive and tackle very sensitive subjects and social taboos, you feel free as a writer to let your fingers unreservedly type away whilst your ideas flow, the anonymity shields you as a blogger from personal attacks and judgements, whereas when/if people know you personally or your name, they can practically know anything about you thanks to Google, and will without a doubt use that against you and will affect the way they read your texts. Reading the blog becomes tainted with personal images the reader has of the author and the message becomes polluted if not lost. Of course the reader is free to interpret what he reads according to his own beliefs, ideals and experiences, but the message of the author becomes weak and inefective. Disagreements, criticism and judgement will not faze you as an anonymous writer; anonymity helps keep you on track i.e. keep writing
I can see my blog posted on many facebook pages and profiles- thank you for spreading the word, I read people’s comments, some in agreement most in disagreement, asking each other what Dz-chick means and what is this Dz-Chick talking about?
You have been thinking about it, but I had the guts to put it out there, to start a dialogue on some touchy subjects and other social taboos.
These curious critics stay at a distance, point and disagree. I invite you to come and debate, ask questions and dismantle my "theories", I am not an expert in sociology but I am great at observing and analysing and enjoy writing about it, so if you have contributions to make or questions to ask…To your keyboards
dz chick, le secret le mieux gardé de la terre!
ReplyDeleteApres celui de Bouteflika ;)
ReplyDeleteThe HP keyboard in the picture is like the one I use at work, but I don't remember seeing those sleeves.
ReplyDeleteWhat I found funny is that even your commentators are "anonymous" and don't even use pseudonyms...
Lekhbar yjibouh etwala 3ala koulli hal.
MnarviDZ
PS: C'est quoi le secret de Bouteflika?
Picture is my own...;)
ReplyDeleteCan't divulge Boutefilikas secret! I dont want to go to prison :P
nice cuff links and shirt. also lovely manly hands you got. see you on the train at 18:37 :p
ReplyDelete@Tonton dw: must be all that testosterone in the air here...back handed compliment!!!This is why I write anonymously!
ReplyDeleteoulalaaa what a faux pas! didn't realise or think you'd put your own picture. that's not wise at the best of times.
ReplyDeleteyour hands are lovely ;)
Tonton dw: your comments are perfect for the subject matter, I shouldn’t be afraid to put my own picture in my own blog, so I put a picture of my hands on my keyboard.
ReplyDeleteI am going to start to put pictures of parts of me every time until you can achieve a puzzle :)
well you shouldn't be afraid of putting up your picture if you didn't care about your privacy and anonymity, but you do so ...
ReplyDeletei have to say i feel slightly bad for my comment ... let me take it back :-).
Which comment do you want to take back? and dont you dare delete it...its fine really I am not offended at all.
ReplyDeletenevermind miss lovely manicured hands; this is not facebook i can't delete my comments lol
ReplyDeleteReally I thought you could! ok well you cant take it back now!
ReplyDelete"lovely manicured hands! right! trying to catch up now....:P
look like I've missed lots of discussion this time!!
ReplyDeleteomg DZ-Chick , seriously "Some have tried to decipher your IP address and tracking the geographical references in your blog and compare notes"?? these people must be sad indeed and need to get a life!! but "tkaareedje" (curiosity) is in our souls and brain us Algerians, some tend to go very far with it.
I do like reading your blog and as you mentionned earlier about what "we all have been thinking about it, but you had the guts to put it out there, to start a dialogue on some touchy subjects and other social taboos" that totally true, at least someone put it down as it is, the truth and only the truth, hence as far as im concerned you do us pride, to be totally honest with you DZ-Chick, you are the first algerian woman who seems "switched on" among all fellow algerians ladies that i've met here (hacha deux who really succeeded professionally here in London)
tonton dw, you are an "assidue" as I can see, hopefully you wont turn onto a cyber stalker??
and by the way DZ-Chick ,Naima is my real name eventhough im not big fan of the name "Naima".
Naima -
Naima, you can sign your name in the "name/url" and it'll sign your name for you everytime.
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of great Algerian ladies here in the UK, you just havent met them yet, I did and they do us all proud - trust me.
Tonton dw is a regular reader like you..khalih tranquil ;)
Salam..
ReplyDeleteQuel audace :s That is so nonsense.. knowing the identity of the writer is irrelevant as long as we find what we're reading interesting and enjoyable. Then there's no need for us to try and fringe his/her privacy which they are totally entitled to hold.
And I agree with you; divulging ones name can be a hindrance.
Naima (or maybe you'd prefer Nelda) judging from your comments about me, maybe you should ask yourself that question?
ReplyDeleteBe nice....
ReplyDeleteThis makes me so MAD! Surely the people trying to uncover your identity are just plain stupid. If you are not anonymous, perhaps you wouldn't feel the same freedom to write about subjects that are funny, challenging or engaging.
ReplyDeleteJeez arabe mentale indeed. Can't change however many million people etc. Yeah well change starts with just one. Or didn't these jokers hear of the butterfuly effect? Perhaps this is what they are afraid of. They feel emasculated and exposed by the truth or afraid of sucessful articulate women who only serve to highlight their own inadequacies.
If Algerian males are out to expose DZ Chick they ought to remember, a free press and freedom of speech is a fine thing. In DZ can the media say what they want? NO. So forums such as this give expression to people who have no other way. Tis the beauty of the internet.
People who are trying to expose DZ Chick represent a brand of individual who wish to keep Algeria held back where it doesn't belong. Fear of change can inhibti progress. FACT.
kahlihom yata3bo..u r just stating facts about how we algerians deal with things,,,
ReplyDeleteps my name is hanya..and i live in the uk too and I experience exactly the same...
I am quite confident I know who you are. Mainly because I have been socialising all over London ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd just to confirm I have not met you or known you personally. I also don't know much at all about you.
Last month I travelled to the deserted East Coast and there, there was one of my Exs. Believe it or not, there were probably just the four of us walking on the whole beach.
All the hints in this blog confirm to me who you are :)
I used to know your exact name but I have forgotten it, may be because I could not be bothered.
I also never bothered to ask anyone about you :)
So please, don't worry,I want this blog to go on. You can always delete this post :)
Thanks
I don’t care if people know me or not, I just ask that people respect my choice at remaining anonymous, if you know you know. That's fine by me, I am not trying to hide behind DZ-Chick, it’s just a pseudonym.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I respect you and think this blog is great!
ReplyDeleteI am sure everyone who has been here thinks the same, even if sometimes you get people who have issues with women, but they are a minority.
Take care
Thank you Anonymous. I appreciate that.
ReplyDeleteLots of excellent reading here, thanks! I was searching on yahoo when I observed your post, I’m going to add your feed to Google Reader, I look forward to far more from you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anonymous, look forward to your comments/feedback then
ReplyDeleteHi Guys,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, i would like to congratulates you for providing us with this lovely cyber-space where we can discuss Algerian women issues. This blog is very interresting. It will be nice to see how many algerian women ( who live in Algeria) are interacting here? How much they want to write on taboos that are impeding their day to day lifes.
have alovely day all
Lina Ilheme
Hello Lina, thanks for the encouragements.
ReplyDeleteI hope you will be able to express your ideas, moans and share your ideas here with us!
This is what it's about!
Simple reasons why you might want to save your privacy when you are Algerian and you have a blog:
ReplyDelete1) Because of the Arab telephone principle. If you happen to write about personal experiences, in a matter of time, your entire Algiers neighborhood will know about it and will gossip. Jealousy, family... Someone might even try to harm you or give you the evil eye. Especially if some "no lifes" make so much effort to get to know your identity.
2) The latitude of writing freely about any subject. This is especially important for certain professions. In some cases, sharing some opinions might compromise you.
I used to not care but I thought about that(Dz Chick knows my real identity - I hope you're not an undercover spy for Bouteflika lol) but I also turned out anonymiss...
Totally totally true!
ReplyDeleteAs an anonymous blogger or a ghost writer, there is a certain freedom and flow in the writing that would be impeded if I was writing under my own name.
Besides I do enjoy being incognito and mysterious, when am around people who actually read and follow my blog but don’t know it’s me.
It’s true I do know your identity but don’t worry I am not MI–yed Fatma or DR-sista
Yoy might get a poke from my alter ego tonight! x
DZ-Chick, your anonymity will certainly lead to speculations as we are eager to find out who this wonderful woman is.
ReplyDeleteNonetheless those that are aware of your true identity should carefully consider your safety. Exposing DZ-Chick will certainly lead to physical attacks on the lady. Having read most of your posts and comments, I have come across extremely hostile and hateful comments.
Evidently the least we know about the identity of DZ-Banksy,the better for us as l'anonymat permet une liberte d'expression absolue et la continuite de ce blog.
Brief anecdote DZ-Chick, my best friend travelled back from Paris a few months ago and struck a conversation with a young man on the train which led to a conversation about YOU. The young man, who happened to be a fan, asked my friend (a French-Algerian girl) if she happened to know who you were. How incredible, you have become notorious. As Banksy I pray your wish to remain anonymous is respected and your identity never divulged unless that is your choice.
Quelle polémique Miss Polémique!!
ReplyDeleteYou know what it’s like, people like to talk and people like to tell other people they know something!
It’s getting a bit tedious now to say the least.
Funny story about the Eurostar :)
DZ-Chick maybe people should consider getting a life of their own..........it's just a thought!
ReplyDeleteThe price attached to notoriety can be very high indeed.
Question: I was just wondering how did you manage to take the picture with both hands on the keyboard ? Must have been challenging :-)
ReplyDeleteOh I remember that day vividly, I first took a pictur if my colleague who had beautifully manicured hands then I thought to hell with it! I asked her to take a picture of my hands instead. I have to say I have avoided wearing that shirt since, I get paranoid someone would recognise it! Because TM Lewin only made it for me!! Obviously!
ReplyDelete