The Hijab, or traditional head covering, is historically traced back to the Mesopotamian and Hellenistic Greek eras, when women would wear veils that covered their faces before leaving their homes in a show of modesty. The Qur’an, or the main text of Islam, states that women should “lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what [must ordinarily] appear thereof […]” (Qur’an 24:31). Basically, this says that Muslim women should dress modestly, which included the Hijab. Currently, a conservative movement is sweeping the globe. The only naked women on French nude beaches are over 60 years old, American Evangelical churches are growing rapidly, and more women in the Middle East have chosen to wear the Hijab in recent years.
While many women have chosen to wear the headscarf for personal and religious reasons, many are apprehensive about wearing it. It is expected in traditional Muslim households that young women will put on the Hijab after high school, college or marriage. In some cases, women are forced into wearing it after “tarnishing” their families’ reputation. When a young woman decides to wear the Hijab, it generally marks that she is becoming more conservative and serious, but not in all cases. Some young girls view it as a fashion accessory, wearing scarves in bright colors, bold patterns, and even glitter. Many women in Jordan, especially in universities, who break through social norms by listening to rock music, having boyfriends, and even getting facial piercings—all while wearing a headscarf.
One of the main factors behind the uneasiness concerning the Hijab, is the fear that people will treat girls differently after they decide to wear it. Based on my interviews, they do, which is understandable. Religion is very ‘messy’ in some ways—it’s personal, private, and restricts certain behaviors—and when a woman decides to wear a Hijab, especially in the West, it is a clear display of her religion. This, although it is not a negative thing, often makes people uncomfortable, and even many Arabs do not know where the ‘line’ is with Hijabi women. They do not know whether or not they can shake her hand or hug her. One woman recalled that foreigners in her office were afraid to even speak to her. In the majority of local restaurants, the serving staff makes an extra effort to seat Hijabi women far from bars and alcohol, as they don’t want to lose customers over perceived insensitivity.
Despite their fears and worries, many women still choose to wear the headscarf. Sometimes it is an experience that brings them closer to their faith, or the desire to feel accepted into adulthood. Their reasons for putting it on in the first place may vary, but in the Middle East the Hijab, and what it represents, garners respect among both women and men.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Role of Women in Society & The Workplace
One of the major conflicts between feminists involves domestic alternatives versus the maintenance of a career. Even in the West, women are generally expected to eventually get married and have children, but as career and educational opportunities broadened, the age at which women settled down was pushed back.
As primary education is now mandatory in most of the Middle East, and the majority of women pursue further education, such as the High School and University. Many Arab women, even those from wealthier families, have decided to join the workforce and are becoming more independent. This exponential progress can be seen through the ages at which women got married through different generations. For example, my great grandmother, a Christian in Syria, was married at 16, and the grandmother of one of the interviewees was married by 9 years old. Now, most women in Jordan do not get married until at least 20, and usually later.
Despite this liberal movement, people generally hope that a woman will have a “happy ending”, which, in both Arab and Western perceptions, includes marriage and children. Also, most women do not leave home until they get married, which inhibits dating and socially restrains women. Career opportunities are numerous however, In the workplace, women are not treated the same way as their male co-workers. In addition, many are forced to quit their jobs before they can reach high-up positions because they want to have a large, traditional family, or because it is considered shameful for a woman to have a more profitable career than her husband. In modern day, it is more accepted that women maintain their jobs after marriage, especially due to the challenging economy. Women in the Middle East are now facing the same internal conflicts and challenges as those in the West—the balance between maintaining a healthy family and a fulfilling, upwardly-mobile career.
As primary education is now mandatory in most of the Middle East, and the majority of women pursue further education, such as the High School and University. Many Arab women, even those from wealthier families, have decided to join the workforce and are becoming more independent. This exponential progress can be seen through the ages at which women got married through different generations. For example, my great grandmother, a Christian in Syria, was married at 16, and the grandmother of one of the interviewees was married by 9 years old. Now, most women in Jordan do not get married until at least 20, and usually later.
Despite this liberal movement, people generally hope that a woman will have a “happy ending”, which, in both Arab and Western perceptions, includes marriage and children. Also, most women do not leave home until they get married, which inhibits dating and socially restrains women. Career opportunities are numerous however, In the workplace, women are not treated the same way as their male co-workers. In addition, many are forced to quit their jobs before they can reach high-up positions because they want to have a large, traditional family, or because it is considered shameful for a woman to have a more profitable career than her husband. In modern day, it is more accepted that women maintain their jobs after marriage, especially due to the challenging economy. Women in the Middle East are now facing the same internal conflicts and challenges as those in the West—the balance between maintaining a healthy family and a fulfilling, upwardly-mobile career.
The Importance of Reputation
Reputation, or how others view you, is universally important. It affects how we, as humans, live, think, and act. In Arab culture, this is especially true. In traditional tribal society, business and alliances were dictated by a family’s reputation. In modern day, clan structure still determines a lot of social ideals and norms, such as the importance of family, loyalty, hospitality, and the concept of familial (or, by extension, clan) honor. In modern day, reputations of clans are represented through ‘wasta’, a word from Arabic which means, basically, one’s connections. In Jordan, one has ‘wasta’ if they know someone with political or social power, who could, in theory, do a favor for them in the future. Basically, “you don’t get anywhere on talent alone. You have to know a guy, who knows a guy and so on.”
Also, tribal structures are generally patriarchal, with men dominating social, economic and political life. For a very long time, women were viewed as a commodity, to be traded into other families through marriage, from which point they are no longer a part of each family. This meant that women could only contribute to their family’s honor through domestic roles. In the past, if women were not ‘kept in line’ in a sense by their male family members, it undermined the central authority of a clan, which signaled weakness to its competitors.
Women, however, in breaking out of traditional roles, can become sources of shame to their families. In this area people do not forgive, nor do they ‘forget’. Mistakes from youth can follow a young woman for the rest of her life, preventing her from future opportunities, such as having a career, or even getting married. As one interviewee put it, “[Reputation] can follow you like a black cloud for the rest of your life—if you do something wrong.” As in other patriarchal societies, women are more harshly judged than men by their families, and therefore must walk a moral tightrope, even in their youth when they are surrounded by temptations. Combine the importance of reputation and stern judgment of women with large, extended families sometimes spanning country borders, and a wide-spread café culture, in which men smoke and gossip in coffeehouses, and it seems that almost nothing could be kept a secret, which means that women are in constant danger of having their reputations, and subsequently, their futures ruined.
In modern urban society, however, social norms are rapidly changing. Actions that used to be considered taboo for women—having careers, going uncovered, going to parties and cafes in public, and getting an education (to name a few)—are now common.
Also, tribal structures are generally patriarchal, with men dominating social, economic and political life. For a very long time, women were viewed as a commodity, to be traded into other families through marriage, from which point they are no longer a part of each family. This meant that women could only contribute to their family’s honor through domestic roles. In the past, if women were not ‘kept in line’ in a sense by their male family members, it undermined the central authority of a clan, which signaled weakness to its competitors.
Women, however, in breaking out of traditional roles, can become sources of shame to their families. In this area people do not forgive, nor do they ‘forget’. Mistakes from youth can follow a young woman for the rest of her life, preventing her from future opportunities, such as having a career, or even getting married. As one interviewee put it, “[Reputation] can follow you like a black cloud for the rest of your life—if you do something wrong.” As in other patriarchal societies, women are more harshly judged than men by their families, and therefore must walk a moral tightrope, even in their youth when they are surrounded by temptations. Combine the importance of reputation and stern judgment of women with large, extended families sometimes spanning country borders, and a wide-spread café culture, in which men smoke and gossip in coffeehouses, and it seems that almost nothing could be kept a secret, which means that women are in constant danger of having their reputations, and subsequently, their futures ruined.
In modern urban society, however, social norms are rapidly changing. Actions that used to be considered taboo for women—having careers, going uncovered, going to parties and cafes in public, and getting an education (to name a few)—are now common.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Honor Killings
Honor Killings are a dark, but necessary topic when discussing Women’s Rights in the Middle East. Over the past few years, specific cases of honor killings have been documented in Western media; one striking example includes “Saudi Woman Killed for Chatting on Facebook” in which a young woman from Riyadh was killed in 2008 by her father after he discovered her chatting with a man on Facebook.com, a social networking website (McElroy). While these isolated cases seem rare, there are still about 5,000 women killed annually in order to protect a family’s honor. While reputation continues to be very influential in society, this method of ‘cleansing’ a family is not, and never has been a mainstream option.
Honor Killing is now an uncommon, but horrific phenomenon in the Middle East and migrant communities in the USA and Europe, in which young women are murdered by their family members in order to protect the family’s honor and reputation. It is a struggle, in some ways, however, to define in less simplistic terms, but usually take place in less advantaged urban communities. In many cases, the murderers turn themselves in to the police to prove their families moral cleanliness, and only serve menial sentences in prison for their crimes due to loopholes in local legal systems. In Jordan specifically, if a male minor committed murder, they served a very short sentence and many of the cases were not fully investigated (until 2003, when this law was reformed). In classifying an honor killing, there is generally a certain act carried out by a woman that is viewed as irrevocable and unforgiveable by her family, and she pays for it with her life. In extreme cases, women have been brutally murdered for talking to a man, wearing a skirt too short, or even publically chewing gum.
This issue was publicized internationally for the most part by Rana Husseini, a Jordanian journalist who made it her personal mission to investigate and publish in local newspapers, such as The Jordan Times, the true stories behind honor killings taking place. Her 2009 book, “Murder in the Name of Honor” details many high-profile cases that took place in Jordan. Husseini has received numerous international prizes for bravery and persistence in journalism. Her efforts have led to legislative reform (in Jordan specifically) that no longer protects these criminals (Husseini). While it is debatable that honor killings will ever be fully stopped, countries under international scrutiny, such as Saudi Arabia, are making a greater effort to investigate, publicize, and hopefully halt these crimes.
Further Reading:
-Murder in the Name of Honor (Rana Husseini, 2009)
-Price of Honor (Jan Goodwin, 2002)
-Honor Lost: Love and Death in Modern Day Jordan (Norma Khouri, 2003)
Bibliography:
Husseini, Rana. Murder in the Name of Honor. Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2009. Print.
McElroy, Damien. "Saudi Woman Killed for Chatting on Facebook." Telegraph.co.uk.
Telegraph News UK, 31 Mar. 2008. Web. 3 May 2010.
Honor Killing is now an uncommon, but horrific phenomenon in the Middle East and migrant communities in the USA and Europe, in which young women are murdered by their family members in order to protect the family’s honor and reputation. It is a struggle, in some ways, however, to define in less simplistic terms, but usually take place in less advantaged urban communities. In many cases, the murderers turn themselves in to the police to prove their families moral cleanliness, and only serve menial sentences in prison for their crimes due to loopholes in local legal systems. In Jordan specifically, if a male minor committed murder, they served a very short sentence and many of the cases were not fully investigated (until 2003, when this law was reformed). In classifying an honor killing, there is generally a certain act carried out by a woman that is viewed as irrevocable and unforgiveable by her family, and she pays for it with her life. In extreme cases, women have been brutally murdered for talking to a man, wearing a skirt too short, or even publically chewing gum.
This issue was publicized internationally for the most part by Rana Husseini, a Jordanian journalist who made it her personal mission to investigate and publish in local newspapers, such as The Jordan Times, the true stories behind honor killings taking place. Her 2009 book, “Murder in the Name of Honor” details many high-profile cases that took place in Jordan. Husseini has received numerous international prizes for bravery and persistence in journalism. Her efforts have led to legislative reform (in Jordan specifically) that no longer protects these criminals (Husseini). While it is debatable that honor killings will ever be fully stopped, countries under international scrutiny, such as Saudi Arabia, are making a greater effort to investigate, publicize, and hopefully halt these crimes.
Further Reading:
-Murder in the Name of Honor (Rana Husseini, 2009)
-Price of Honor (Jan Goodwin, 2002)
-Honor Lost: Love and Death in Modern Day Jordan (Norma Khouri, 2003)
Bibliography:
Husseini, Rana. Murder in the Name of Honor. Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2009. Print.
McElroy, Damien. "Saudi Woman Killed for Chatting on Facebook." Telegraph.co.uk.
Telegraph News UK, 31 Mar. 2008. Web. 3 May 2010.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Welcome!
Welcome to "Women in the Arab World: An Interview-Based Blog"!
The internet and satellite television have revolutionized modern media. Within seconds stories travel around the world, screaming out to us from our computer screens. Sensational reports, however, are flawed, as one cannot understand the historical, social, and political context of a situation from a simple headline. At the same time, it is difficult for young people to understand that the news is simply composed of the most remarkable or terrible events to happen-- snapshots that do not reflect the whole story. This leads to misconceptions of other cultures, expecially concerning women's rights in the Middle East, an extremely volatile and complex region. As a young woman currently living in Jordan, I have had the incredible experience of being immersed in the debate on gender roles, a conflict seen even among teenagers.
As the title implies, this is an interview-based blog project on the daily lives of women in Jordan, focusing on issues that are often misunderstood in the West, such as head coverings, honour killings, and the cultural concept of gender equality. Please do note that this is not necessarily a representation of the Arab World in its entirety. What I write here indicates opinions of various people within my network of communication that could perhaps shed light on some of these topics, along with some of my own research. Scholarly debate is definitely encouraged.
Thanks! --Rose H
PS: Any written sources that I use will be cited at the bottom of the blog post for further reading.
The internet and satellite television have revolutionized modern media. Within seconds stories travel around the world, screaming out to us from our computer screens. Sensational reports, however, are flawed, as one cannot understand the historical, social, and political context of a situation from a simple headline. At the same time, it is difficult for young people to understand that the news is simply composed of the most remarkable or terrible events to happen-- snapshots that do not reflect the whole story. This leads to misconceptions of other cultures, expecially concerning women's rights in the Middle East, an extremely volatile and complex region. As a young woman currently living in Jordan, I have had the incredible experience of being immersed in the debate on gender roles, a conflict seen even among teenagers.
As the title implies, this is an interview-based blog project on the daily lives of women in Jordan, focusing on issues that are often misunderstood in the West, such as head coverings, honour killings, and the cultural concept of gender equality. Please do note that this is not necessarily a representation of the Arab World in its entirety. What I write here indicates opinions of various people within my network of communication that could perhaps shed light on some of these topics, along with some of my own research. Scholarly debate is definitely encouraged.
Thanks! --Rose H
PS: Any written sources that I use will be cited at the bottom of the blog post for further reading.
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