Monday, February 1, 2010

"The Erosion of Women's Rights, Illustrated"

Thought this brief little example was interesting.

See here for a pictoral (there's a more in-depth link as well).
Posted by at
Labels: , ,

2 comments:

  1. BerchmansFebruary 5, 2010 at 11:52 AM

    A few quick points:

    1. Wearing the hijab isn't necessarily contrary to women's rights. Very complicated and cultural question, I understand, but there are valid arguments to be made that people can wear what they want to. (Yes, I know, what "free choice" many Arab women have in a deeply patriarchal society is open to vigorous debate.)

    2. The photo shows a change in only the last 30 years. That should help us understand that statements that presume the status quo has transcended centuries are downright false (i.e., Middle Eastern societies are deeply conservative and incompatible with Western thought). In the 1950s, at least, Iraq -- Baghdad, rather -- had one of the most educated, cosmopolitan societies around (as did Tehran). What's changed can be blamed on a variety of factors -- despotic regimes, the clash of the countryside and the urban, foolish policies that stymied economic growth. My point: Islam isn't the only factor here.

    3. There's also been a change in who actually attends universities. In 1978, it's very possible that only the Westernized elite in Cairo attended the schools, whereas now, many send their children abroad (to England or America). That leaves behind the rest of the population, which may be more conservative than urban circles and insist on hijabs.

    ReplyDelete
  2. BerchmansFebruary 5, 2010 at 11:53 AM

    But I'm downright pleased that conservative bloggers are taking such an interest in women's rights. And here I thought that was only a liberal preoccupation. (Sure, they only care about making these points while making crass, simplistic "civilizational" points about another religion, but still: it's fun to behold.)

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)