Given the oppressive rule of the Taliban, how could women survive without men in their family? The book The Other Side of the Sky by Farah Ahmedi and Tamim Ansary, answers that question by the journey of Farah and her mother. Their journey goes from Afghanistan all the way to America. On this trip, Farah and her mom face many hardships, including their physical injuries and losing their family. In Afghanistan and Pakistan women lacked various rights under Taliban rule that limited their freedoms, but conditions have improved since the Taliban relinquished their power, which shows that given the opportunity women can become independent.
The idea that Muslim women are oppressed and need saving from the veil itself is part of the ethnocentric view that Westerners have of muslims. Afghani women, in particular have to deal with white feminists trying to free them from this restriction. Lila Abu-Luhgod gives us some insight on what this certain issue looks like from an anthropologists’ point of view. In page 396, Abu-Luhgod takes a different approach to the issue by providing the reader with an example of work done in a different country in the wrong way.
El-Ghobashy’s relative privilege as an academic at an Ivy League school affects the rhetorical choices she makes in the essay by serving as justification for her thoughts and actions. She is able to express her concern on stereotypes in a logical and academic way that makes her a credible source. It also serves to defy stereotypes. Her privilege supports her argument that one Muslim woman cannot represent all Muslim woman and her belief that stereotypes need to be disregarded because she is a Muslim woman working for a doctorate degree, which may seem like a feat to someone who believes in and contributes to the use of stereotypes. In her essay, she also notes that hundreds of “other Muslims, Sikhs, and non-Muslim Arabs contended with physical
When feminism was becoming more common in Europe after World War I, many judged feminists harshly, describing them as a “shrieking sisterhood” and manly, neglecting their duties at home. The negative feedback made many women negligent to describe themselves as feminists(“Feminism in
In the first chapter of the book, “The Great Gatsby”, the author F. Scott Fitzgerald advances the idea that despite Daisy’s husband, Tom’s, countless achievements he was granted, his character development became an anticlimax. Fitzgerald’s use of juxtaposing diction, a glorious diction to an arrogant diction depicts Tom’s change in personality parallel to to his success. The author uses glorious diction, such as “accomplishments”, “excellence”, “wealthy”, “freedom” and “powerful”, to reinforce Tom’s countless achievements and fame he has received that shaped his character. This pattern of diction allows the author to display Tom as a successful figure, compared to many others in the same generation as him. While Tom is portrayed as a successful
On the other hand, patriarchal norms and ideals that aimed to regulate women's behavior and bodies affected the Islam of men. Leila Ahmed's book offers a distinctive viewpoint on Islam and the ways in which gender and identity converge with religious practice overall. Ahmed illustrates the diversity of Islamic ideas and behaviors and refutes the idea that Islam is a single, homogeneous religion by contrasting Islam among women and men. The truthfulness of any interpretation of Islam is ultimately arbitrary and reliant on personal experiences and perceptions. We may,
The religious and reforms movements of the 19th century had a significant impact on American society. These movements were a response to economic, social, and political changes that occurred during this period. They reflected a desire to create a better, more just society by promoting religious and moral values, improving social conditions, and advancing individual rights. This essay discusses two religious and reform movements of the 19th century, The Second Great Awakening and the Women’s Suffrage Movement, and how they affected American society.
In the book, The Rise of Enlightened Sexism by Susan Douglas, gives insight and knowledge that digs deep into pop culture explaining how the media portrays the appearances of women that are in powerful positions in our culture. The appetencies tent undermines the actual progress of women. Douglas is interested in what these pop culture ideals shows about our culture. The way we react to women in our culture with powerful influence. What do these shows do to the female imagine in our culture?
Feminism: Viewing feminism from all aspects From the following classic definition of a “feminist” by believing the idea of equality, there is an added responsibility of delivering the idea, convincing people, and helping people realize the occurrence of feminism. Being a feminist by any means is not an easy task. As the idea of feminism is rapidly developing across the globe, it refers to various questions, misconceptions, and sometimes extreme detestation directed towards the feminists. Society still doesn’t understand the essence of feminism, and the true meaning of it. Some believe that a feminist fight for women's equality, while others believe that women should be able to fulfill their highest potential.
Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun presents the rise of feminism in America in the 1960s. Beneatha Younger, Lena Younger (Mama) and Ruth Younger are the three primary characters displaying evidences of feminism in the play. Moreover, Hansberry creates male characters who demonstrate oppressive attitudes towards women yet enhance the feministic ideology in the play. A Raisin in the Sun is feminist because, with the feminist notions displayed in the play, women can fulfil their individual dreams that are not in sync with traditional conventions of that time.
It is clear that there are differences between the role of men and women throughout religion that stems from the biological differences between the two sexes. In both essays, the authors acknowledge that to study women in religion, it is necessary to look at gender and how gender influences the roles of women. Scott argues, “The term gender is part of the attempt by contemporary feminists to stake claim to a certain definitional ground, to insist on the inadequacy of existing bodies of theory for explaining persistent inequalities between women and men.” (Gross 1066) Using gender as an analytical lens allows researchers to explain why there are inequalities between the sexes.
Although not a trained theologian, she approaches the issue of women’s rights within an Islamic context. “Why is it that we find some Muslim men saying that women in Muslim states cannot be granted full enjoyment of human rights?” (MERNISSI 1987: vii). Here we have an example of a religious insider taking a sociological and historical issue of feminism and applying it within her own religious tradition. We can see that Fatima Mernissi is using a historical perspective to try and make a point about a sociological issue within her own religion in the modern world.
Misinterpretation on feminism becomes an issue in America because the definition altered in various communities. In the essay, “Feminist Politics: Where We Stand”, the author Bell Hooks discusses the misconception of feminism in the United States. Bell Hooks states that the reason of the misconception of feminism occurs because of the patriarchy of America because mass media represents feminism as an anti-male group. However, feminism is the exact opposite of an anti male groups. Feminism defines itself for equality between men and women.
Fatima Mernissi was born into Middle- Class family is Fes, Morocco of 1940. She earned her doctorate in 1957 studying political science at Sorbonne and at Brandeis University. Afterwards she returned to work at the Mohammed V University where she then had taught at the Faculte’ des letteres between the years 1974 and 1981 mainly on subjects such as methodology, family sociology as well as psych sociology. She earned her title as a well-known Islamic feminist that was greatly concerned with Islam and women’s role in it. Fatima Mernissi had conducted thorough investigation of the nature of the succession of Mohammed in order to verify what was written in the hadith.
For many, feminist movement is about giving women liberty, equal opportunity and control over their own destiny. C. ISLAMIC FEMINISM In many Muslim countries, the “f” word (feminism) has sparked tensions, conjuring images of domineering, family-hating woman; similar to other labels such as “Muslim” conjuring images of subjugated woman in the mind of the West. Although these stereotypes are true in a specific historical context, these may not be so when compared to a larger reality. Thus, this does not justify the hostility that follows.
