Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Backlog 2: the Women of Islam

Sounds like the title for a calendar, doesn't it? So last week we had a rather heated discussion about the rights of women under Islamic law and the compulsory wearing of head coverings in some societies. While sensibilities were offended on both sides of the issue, it seemed that we came to some form of consensus that as individuals men can treat women with respect and admiration, yet those same men can treat her like an object when in a group of two or more.

Whatever the original purpose of the various headcoverings in the Islamic world, in their modern descendants some women have come to see them as liberating to a degree (no, not the birka as enforced by the Taliban). These same women who "have to" wear the head coverings and ankle length robes are bedecked in Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Van Cleef. They have all the freedom in the world to wear what they want, except when in the view of non-familial men. I cannot say that I see this as all too diferent from father in western societies requiring their daughters to dress conservatively (and no I don't mean "Little House on the Prairie" conservative).

Check out Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations: Saudi Arabia:" Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

1 comment:

  1. I tink that the women of Islam is an interesting contrast to women rights in the United States or what rights women did not have during the earlier years of America. Women were more so favored in Islam because they were a figure that there sons wouls be around alot and probably obtain whatever characteristics they teach them. This was defenitely an important thing that women were responsible for.

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