Attitudes Toward Muslim Women In The West

Everyone falls into some sort of a stereotype, whether it be because of your race, where you are from, and most commonly, your gender. While many people assume that gender stereotypes consist of simply girls being weak and boys being strong, it is much more profound than that. Stereotypes have proven psychological effects, but what to what extent does this sexism affect women and their behavior? This question can be controversial because some people believe that women bring stereotypes among themselves or react too sensitively. After reading “Attitudes Toward Muslim Women in the West,” my interest in stereotypes was invoked because it lead to a realization that pre-assumptions can have a strong impact on a person, mentally. The article was

Men were and are still primarily responsible for anything involving dirt; essentially; from hunting, to war, to taking out the trash. Women took care of the children, the cooking, and the emotional matters of a family (Womens). These gender roles were set and played out until the 20th century, when women demanded things like voting rights, education, and jobs that up until then, only men were “capable” of doing. A major contributing factor to these ideals is religion. In the bible, 1 Timothy 2:12-13 reads, “ I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve.” Christianity is one of the three most followed religions in the world, Islam and Judaism being the others (Aristaenetus). Muslim women are portrayed as so incapable that they must be escorted when walking on the streets (Lila). The Allah Prophet states that, "A woman must not travel alone without a mahram,” a mahram being a male protector. This requirement has been around since the Prophets of Allah were created, and even in this generation it is still in place (Six). When even religion supports stereotypes, they are hard to prove

The earliest publication of a woman who discussed the issue was in 1792, entitled A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, by British writer Mary Wollstonecraft. In it, Wollstonecraft responds to those educational and political theorists of the 18th century who did not believe women should have an education. She argues that women shall have an education commensurate with their position in society, claiming that women are essential to the nation because they educate its children and because they could be "companions" to their husbands, rather than mere wives. Instead of viewing women as ornaments to society or property to be traded in marriage, Wollstonecraft maintains that they are human beings deserving of the same fundamental rights as