Thou [translation: female] shalt not play soccer.
This latest decree from Saudi Arabia, in effect, cancels its first Women Soccer Championship.
The decision came after a visit by the general manager of the Ministry of Islamic affairs, endowments, and guidance to the college organizing the championship. The Saudi-affiliated Al Arabiya news website did not report the reasons behind the abrupt announcement.
Banning the championship is yet another classic Saudi example of using Islamic values to justify and perpetuate patriarchy. Some of the readers’ comments on Al Arabiya’s report reflect this mix-up. I may have accidentally spewed cereal on my computer screen after a laughing fit while reading this comment: “Imagine if this suddenly happened. Your sister kicking the ball…you see her wearing a t-shirt and your mother is the goalie. And the world/men/cameras focused on their br…and she’s running after the ball. How would you feel then?” Yes, indeed God forbid, women in t-shirts!
Somehow the idea of muscular men in tiny shorts running around the field, occasionally stripping their t-shirts in excitement after a goal, is not enticing to women . After all, they’re supposed to be sexually naïve and oblivious to the blonde good looks of Beckham and other players.
Falcon, Ferrari, Red Devil, and Virus, the four women’s teams, can look forward to a lifetime of football: from their TV screens.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Palestine's other conflict
If you listen closely beyond the sounds of gun shots and grief, you’ll hear the voices involved in a different conflict in Palestine. This time it’s sexual politics.
On March 28 in Haifa, Aswat held the first public conference for Palestinian lesbians to mark its fifth anniversary.
The Associated Press report hailed the participants’ defiance of sexual taboos, especially in the face of “Islamist” protests. While much space was devoted to explain the participants’ views, the “Islamist” protestors were given a whitewashed depiction at best. They were simply described as women wearing “headscarves and long, loose robes” as though their ideology can be derived from their dress.
The AP report depicted the Israeli part of Haifa, where the conference was held, as more tolerant of homosexuality than Israeli-Arab towns. Yet the story remarkably failed to address the reactions of Christian and Orthodox Jewish groups to the conference.
Most media reports failed to note that skepticism about the conference and Aswat’s activism does not stem from perceived Islamic homophobia. Rather, there is some Arab concern about potential Israeli support of the Palestinian lesbian movement and how it can cause divisions within the Palestinian community. According to Albawaba website the International Committee for LGBT Human Rights has asked Israeli authorities and religious groups to provide security and protection during the conference.
It’s doubtful that Aswat can win the hearts and minds of the Palestinian/Arab/Muslim communities given this potential alliance.
On March 28 in Haifa, Aswat held the first public conference for Palestinian lesbians to mark its fifth anniversary.
The Associated Press report hailed the participants’ defiance of sexual taboos, especially in the face of “Islamist” protests. While much space was devoted to explain the participants’ views, the “Islamist” protestors were given a whitewashed depiction at best. They were simply described as women wearing “headscarves and long, loose robes” as though their ideology can be derived from their dress.
The AP report depicted the Israeli part of Haifa, where the conference was held, as more tolerant of homosexuality than Israeli-Arab towns. Yet the story remarkably failed to address the reactions of Christian and Orthodox Jewish groups to the conference.
Most media reports failed to note that skepticism about the conference and Aswat’s activism does not stem from perceived Islamic homophobia. Rather, there is some Arab concern about potential Israeli support of the Palestinian lesbian movement and how it can cause divisions within the Palestinian community. According to Albawaba website the International Committee for LGBT Human Rights has asked Israeli authorities and religious groups to provide security and protection during the conference.
It’s doubtful that Aswat can win the hearts and minds of the Palestinian/Arab/Muslim communities given this potential alliance.
Friday, March 30, 2007
El Saadawi ruffles State feathers again
Egyptian feminist Nawal El Saadawi has done it again.
About 3000 copies of El Saadawi's latest book "God resigns the Summit Meeting" have been destroyed in Egypt before going on sale, the Gulf News reported earlier.
Al Arabiya.net more recently closely examined the reasons for this move. The causes of censorship were, according to Al Azhar, are the insult to the divine persona, giving human qualities to God, and the personification of various prophets. Al Azhar backed its
rationale by stating that it is Islamically forbidden to personify the divine self and the prophets in literary works and TV serials. The Alarabiya report lists the passages of objection in El Saadawi's play.
While most media outlets, especially Western ones, were quick to blame the incident on religious fanatcism and its stifling of freedom of expression, they had actually missed the point.
Constructing the narrative of this incident as "religious extremism" versus secularism simplifies the story and ignores another level of complexity. They disregard El Saadawi's long history of being at odds with the State. She was imprisoned briefly during President Sadat's time, accuses the State of using religion to oppress the people, and ran in the last presidential elections (but boycotted them later), and resists Egyptian alliance with the US whom she considers a foreign imperialist.
The censorship of her book is thus not simply a matter of religion, but also a political backlash against this anti-government activist.
About 3000 copies of El Saadawi's latest book "God resigns the Summit Meeting" have been destroyed in Egypt before going on sale, the Gulf News reported earlier.
Al Arabiya.net more recently closely examined the reasons for this move. The causes of censorship were, according to Al Azhar, are the insult to the divine persona, giving human qualities to God, and the personification of various prophets. Al Azhar backed its
rationale by stating that it is Islamically forbidden to personify the divine self and the prophets in literary works and TV serials. The Alarabiya report lists the passages of objection in El Saadawi's play.
While most media outlets, especially Western ones, were quick to blame the incident on religious fanatcism and its stifling of freedom of expression, they had actually missed the point.
Constructing the narrative of this incident as "religious extremism" versus secularism simplifies the story and ignores another level of complexity. They disregard El Saadawi's long history of being at odds with the State. She was imprisoned briefly during President Sadat's time, accuses the State of using religion to oppress the people, and ran in the last presidential elections (but boycotted them later), and resists Egyptian alliance with the US whom she considers a foreign imperialist.
The censorship of her book is thus not simply a matter of religion, but also a political backlash against this anti-government activist.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
The sexist version of Vagina (Dia)logues
Enoying the aroma of hot chocolate and texture of gooey cinammon buns can be a comfort while writing final term papers. But that was not the case when I had my warm treats at a UBC campus cafe this afternoon.
A rowdy tableful of men sitting next to me provided the sexist background sound to my thoughts.
Howling at the top of their voices around several pitchers of beer, they were (playfully?) insulting each other using colloquial terms for a woman's genitals.
Incidentally, I was writing a paper for a Women's Studies course. My feminist framework then was completely unsympathetic to their banter, to say the least.
Why does male language use female genitals with such a demeaning connotation?
How can the subject of these insults be both a source of pleasure and contempt from a male perspective?
Does female sexuality signify a position of weakness or submissiveness?
How does it affect the way women perceive their bodies and feel about themselves?
My decision not to use this language in the blog is an effort to discourage and resist its use and normalization by men and women alike.
(Alf, please skip).
A rowdy tableful of men sitting next to me provided the sexist background sound to my thoughts.
Howling at the top of their voices around several pitchers of beer, they were (playfully?) insulting each other using colloquial terms for a woman's genitals.
Incidentally, I was writing a paper for a Women's Studies course. My feminist framework then was completely unsympathetic to their banter, to say the least.
Why does male language use female genitals with such a demeaning connotation?
How can the subject of these insults be both a source of pleasure and contempt from a male perspective?
Does female sexuality signify a position of weakness or submissiveness?
How does it affect the way women perceive their bodies and feel about themselves?
My decision not to use this language in the blog is an effort to discourage and resist its use and normalization by men and women alike.
(Alf, please skip).
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Elderly women claimed by "Sewage Tsunami"
A flooding river of sewage has killed three women over the age of 70 and two toddlers in a Gaza strip village. The disaster has been called a "sewage tsunami" by some media outlets.
While a "tsunami" is a natural force, the Gaza strip disaster unnatural, as one blogger notes. The residents of the flooded Umm Naser village were living amid running, exposed sewage in ramshackle tin huts, and with little access to basic facilities such as clean water.
The 70+ year old women were witnesses to the ebb and flow of history. As though the demeaning surroundings in which they lived were not insult enough to human dignity, their lives were claimed by a flood of filth. This cruel reality speaks louder than any UN human development report: it tells of the insanity of conflict and the need to pay tribute to individuals of this daily struggle, even if they do not make it to the news headlines.
While a "tsunami" is a natural force, the Gaza strip disaster unnatural, as one blogger notes. The residents of the flooded Umm Naser village were living amid running, exposed sewage in ramshackle tin huts, and with little access to basic facilities such as clean water.
The 70+ year old women were witnesses to the ebb and flow of history. As though the demeaning surroundings in which they lived were not insult enough to human dignity, their lives were claimed by a flood of filth. This cruel reality speaks louder than any UN human development report: it tells of the insanity of conflict and the need to pay tribute to individuals of this daily struggle, even if they do not make it to the news headlines.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Yet another re-interpretation of the Qur'an
A new English translation of the Qur'an by an American-Iranian woman, Laleh Bakhtiar, has re-interpreted the meaning of the word "daraba" (usually means to "beat" or "hit") in Chapter 4, verse 34 about treating the ill-conduct/disloyalty/straying of a woman.
A feminist interpretation of the Qur'an serves to challenge the patriarchal readings that are often unfair to women and ignore the rights given to them by God.
However, there are several problems with this phenomenon of Qur'anic re-interpretations.
Such readings are often done by individuals whose training in Islamic scholarship is sketchy at best. A Mujtahid (a person who practises ijtihad) needs to have certain qualifications. Among many factors, these include expertise in the Arabic language, literature, and philology as well as being a high calibre Qur'an scholar. These qualifications are often missing in individuals claiming a more egalitarian reading of the Qur'an.
Unfortunately, these individuals treat the Qur'an not as a divine revelation, but as a literary text, and approach it as such. Their reinterpretations are often biased towards supporting a certain agenda (whether is it's patriarchal, feminist, gay-friendly, etc), rather than an effort to pursue the truth.
To return to Bakhtiar's new translation, the article states that she is not an Islamic scholar and that "she does not speak Arabic, but she learned to read the holy texts in Arabic while studying and working as a translator in Iran in the 1970s and ’80s."
One blogger said Bakhtiar's attempt "is an example of bending out of shape and doing verbal acrobatics in order to come up with an acceptable interpretation that may be a good "public relations" gesture..." hinting that her interpretation is apologetic to Western readers. The blogger notes that when and if a Muslim man beats his wife it's not because the Qur'an asks him to do so. Therefore the impact of Bakhtiar's re-interpretation is limited.
Indeed, it is problematic to even attribute wife beating to Islam. Stories about Western men beating their wives is not pinned on them being Christian, Jewish, or of other religious affiliation. It is simply labelled as "abuse."
A feminist interpretation of the Qur'an serves to challenge the patriarchal readings that are often unfair to women and ignore the rights given to them by God.
However, there are several problems with this phenomenon of Qur'anic re-interpretations.
Such readings are often done by individuals whose training in Islamic scholarship is sketchy at best. A Mujtahid (a person who practises ijtihad) needs to have certain qualifications. Among many factors, these include expertise in the Arabic language, literature, and philology as well as being a high calibre Qur'an scholar. These qualifications are often missing in individuals claiming a more egalitarian reading of the Qur'an.
Unfortunately, these individuals treat the Qur'an not as a divine revelation, but as a literary text, and approach it as such. Their reinterpretations are often biased towards supporting a certain agenda (whether is it's patriarchal, feminist, gay-friendly, etc), rather than an effort to pursue the truth.
To return to Bakhtiar's new translation, the article states that she is not an Islamic scholar and that "she does not speak Arabic, but she learned to read the holy texts in Arabic while studying and working as a translator in Iran in the 1970s and ’80s."
One blogger said Bakhtiar's attempt "is an example of bending out of shape and doing verbal acrobatics in order to come up with an acceptable interpretation that may be a good "public relations" gesture..." hinting that her interpretation is apologetic to Western readers. The blogger notes that when and if a Muslim man beats his wife it's not because the Qur'an asks him to do so. Therefore the impact of Bakhtiar's re-interpretation is limited.
Indeed, it is problematic to even attribute wife beating to Islam. Stories about Western men beating their wives is not pinned on them being Christian, Jewish, or of other religious affiliation. It is simply labelled as "abuse."
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Happy Mother's Day...or not
Children are writing cards, purchasing gifts, and calling home as the Arab world celebrates Mother's Day March 21. Mothers can kick back and relax, maybe let their kids do some of the chores for a change.
Origins of Mother's Day
The history of Mother's day is long, but no, it is not the brainchlid of a Hallmark executive. Several theories abound on the origins of this day: It was a Greek spring festival celebration honoring the mother goddess Rhea; a similar festival called Hilaria was dedicated to the Roman goddess Cybele; early Christians celebrated a type of Mother's Day on the fourth Sunday of Lent to honor the Virgin Mary, mother of Christ. In England, this Christian holiday was later expanded to include all mothers and was called "Mothering Sunday."
The more recent history of Mother's Day is attributed to two American women, Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis.
The dark side of Mother's Day
While many children in the Arab world celebrate their mothers on this special day, others are more wary. They perceive it as a foreign holiday, neither Arab nor Islamic, imported from the West. Some believe that it unnecessary to have one day in the year to honor mothers since that duty should be a lifelong sentiment. Others find it irrelevant to the Arab world where families ties are perceived to be stronger than in the West since large families live together for longer periods of time.
The holiday has also been commercialized to the extent that one of its founders, Anna Jarvis, protested against the way it was celebrated, a BBC report said. According to this report, the greetings card industry is worth 1.2 billion Euros in the UK alone. Mother's Day contributes to much of this value.
In Dubai, more than 100 schoolchildren participated in drawing the largest greeting card to celebrate Mother's Day. A classic move in the Dubai tradition to break records for the world's "largest" or "biggest" thisandthat (think world's biggest man-made islands, world's tallest hotels).
In Palestine, women of all ages gathered in Umm Salamuna village in a non-violent protest against the Israeli Wall.
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics issued a report on the status of Palestinian women in the West Bank and Gaza on the occasion of Mother's Day. The first sombre statistic is on 32 Palestinian mothers out of 112 females detained in jails.
Status of Mothers in Islam
Regardless of Mother's Day, mothers command great respect in Islam. The Prophet states emphatically that the rights of the mother are paramount. Abu Hurairah reported that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and asked: "O Messenger of Allah, who is the person who has the greatest right on me with regards to kindness and attention?" He replied, "Your mother." "Then who?" He replied, "Your mother." "Then who?" He replied, "Your mother." "Then who?" He replied, "Your father."
Finally, the Holy Qur'an (17:23, 24) says of parents: "Thy Lord hath decreed, that ye worship none save Him, and (that ye show) kindness to parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age with thee, say not "Fie" unto them nor repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word. And lower unto them the wing of submission through mercy, and say: My Lord! Have mercy on them both as they did care for me when I was little."
Origins of Mother's Day
The history of Mother's day is long, but no, it is not the brainchlid of a Hallmark executive. Several theories abound on the origins of this day: It was a Greek spring festival celebration honoring the mother goddess Rhea; a similar festival called Hilaria was dedicated to the Roman goddess Cybele; early Christians celebrated a type of Mother's Day on the fourth Sunday of Lent to honor the Virgin Mary, mother of Christ. In England, this Christian holiday was later expanded to include all mothers and was called "Mothering Sunday."
The more recent history of Mother's Day is attributed to two American women, Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis.
The dark side of Mother's Day
While many children in the Arab world celebrate their mothers on this special day, others are more wary. They perceive it as a foreign holiday, neither Arab nor Islamic, imported from the West. Some believe that it unnecessary to have one day in the year to honor mothers since that duty should be a lifelong sentiment. Others find it irrelevant to the Arab world where families ties are perceived to be stronger than in the West since large families live together for longer periods of time.
The holiday has also been commercialized to the extent that one of its founders, Anna Jarvis, protested against the way it was celebrated, a BBC report said. According to this report, the greetings card industry is worth 1.2 billion Euros in the UK alone. Mother's Day contributes to much of this value.
In Dubai, more than 100 schoolchildren participated in drawing the largest greeting card to celebrate Mother's Day. A classic move in the Dubai tradition to break records for the world's "largest" or "biggest" thisandthat (think world's biggest man-made islands, world's tallest hotels).
In Palestine, women of all ages gathered in Umm Salamuna village in a non-violent protest against the Israeli Wall.
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics issued a report on the status of Palestinian women in the West Bank and Gaza on the occasion of Mother's Day. The first sombre statistic is on 32 Palestinian mothers out of 112 females detained in jails.
Status of Mothers in Islam
Regardless of Mother's Day, mothers command great respect in Islam. The Prophet states emphatically that the rights of the mother are paramount. Abu Hurairah reported that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and asked: "O Messenger of Allah, who is the person who has the greatest right on me with regards to kindness and attention?" He replied, "Your mother." "Then who?" He replied, "Your mother." "Then who?" He replied, "Your mother." "Then who?" He replied, "Your father."
Finally, the Holy Qur'an (17:23, 24) says of parents: "Thy Lord hath decreed, that ye worship none save Him, and (that ye show) kindness to parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age with thee, say not "Fie" unto them nor repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word. And lower unto them the wing of submission through mercy, and say: My Lord! Have mercy on them both as they did care for me when I was little."
Friday, March 16, 2007
Hijab twist to a horror movie?
The Quebec government has made yet another Hijabophobic move. It is forcing a Muslim woman training to be a prison guard to choose between her hijab and her job, according to an article in the Montreal Gazette.
Faced with this incredulous choice, Sondos Abdelatif quit the training program at Montreal's Bordeaux jail, insisting on wearing her hijab.
The logic (or lack thereof) behind the government's concern is flawed: Quebec's Public Safety Department fears for Abdelatif's security, claiming that hostile prisoners could use the hijab as a "strangulation device," reported CTV online.
Whether the matter is really about "safety" concerns or the repeated discrimination against Muslims in Quebec (Herouxville immigrant laws, banned female Muslim soccer player) is debatable.The government has refused to change its position in the light of sensible alternatives such as a Velcro-fastened scarf, Muslims groups said.
The prison has allowed Sikh men to wear turbans during duty. Furthermore, the prison administration did not comment on safety issues when Abdelatif sent a photo of herself wearing the hijab along with her application to the program.
Abdelatif is considering taking her case to the Human Rights Commission.
Faced with this incredulous choice, Sondos Abdelatif quit the training program at Montreal's Bordeaux jail, insisting on wearing her hijab.
The logic (or lack thereof) behind the government's concern is flawed: Quebec's Public Safety Department fears for Abdelatif's security, claiming that hostile prisoners could use the hijab as a "strangulation device," reported CTV online.
Whether the matter is really about "safety" concerns or the repeated discrimination against Muslims in Quebec (Herouxville immigrant laws, banned female Muslim soccer player) is debatable.The government has refused to change its position in the light of sensible alternatives such as a Velcro-fastened scarf, Muslims groups said.
The prison has allowed Sikh men to wear turbans during duty. Furthermore, the prison administration did not comment on safety issues when Abdelatif sent a photo of herself wearing the hijab along with her application to the program.
Abdelatif is considering taking her case to the Human Rights Commission.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Woman wisdom in Egyptian judiciary
"The Egyptian judiciary has appointed women judges for the first time in its history," the head of Egypt's Supreme Judicial Council said today.
Thirty-one women were chosen from members of the administrative bar and government lawyers.
In 2003 a woman, Tahani el Gebali, was appointed to the supreme constitutional court but no woman was ever named a prosecutor or court judge.
Though Egypt was the first Arab country to give women the franchise in 1956, the judiciary has remained male-dominated. Women judges have not faced legal obstacles but cultural resistance from both genders.
Commenting on the recent appointments, a male judge said that they were against Shari'ah laws as the women judges would have to spend time alone with their male counterparts during deliberation.
Neither of the news articles quoted have responsibly talked to a sheikh or jurist on the Islamic permissibility of female judges. They have not noted that a male judge's opinion does not represent the laws of shari'ah.
Thirty-one women were chosen from members of the administrative bar and government lawyers.
In 2003 a woman, Tahani el Gebali, was appointed to the supreme constitutional court but no woman was ever named a prosecutor or court judge.
Though Egypt was the first Arab country to give women the franchise in 1956, the judiciary has remained male-dominated. Women judges have not faced legal obstacles but cultural resistance from both genders.
Commenting on the recent appointments, a male judge said that they were against Shari'ah laws as the women judges would have to spend time alone with their male counterparts during deliberation.
Neither of the news articles quoted have responsibly talked to a sheikh or jurist on the Islamic permissibility of female judges. They have not noted that a male judge's opinion does not represent the laws of shari'ah.
Friday, March 9, 2007
Celebrating the forgotten women
March 8 marks the annual "International Women's Day" (IWD)when women around the world celebrate their achievements, potential, and global womanhood. The event has been observed unofficially since the early 1900s and has a long history of political resistance. This "feel good" exhibition of solidarity is a cheerful and well-meaning gesture of female unity against patriarchy and oppression.
But one has to be careful with the use of terms such as "global womanhood" that whitewash the socio-economic, religious, and political differences between women- the differences that make some more equal than others. In a lecture at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Nefissa Naguib highlights the stories of forgotten, marginalized women. She tells the stories of brave Palestinian village women and their daily struggles in search for water and security. Her stories bring them alive, but not in the way TV images depict them. They are not black-robed, anonymous women tearing at their hair, wailing by the shattered walls of their homes, and submitting to their plights. Rather, she tells of resilient and resourceful women, tender and humourous but brave and strong-willed. Naguib also tells of nuns in Palestine who find and care for orphaned children, teaching them Qur'an and sewing wedding trousseaus for the young orphaned women of marriageable age.
According to Naguib, there is a need to go beyond sweeping slogans and meta-narratives (big stories) about women. As she rightly states, we need to "engage more specifically with women's lives "as lived" and "dealt with" under critical conditions."
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Maclean's needs to rethink its values
As a journalism student, I aspired to publish stories with Canada's top national newspapers and magazines.
Until yesterday, Maclean's magazine was one of them.
I had a change of heart when I saw the cover of their March 5, 2007 issue (Volume 120, No.8): It was a close-up image of a woman's face wearing a black niqab (full face cover) with only her eyes showing. The cover headline read, "Do immigrants need new rules?"
It is disturbing when a well-renowned and respected publication like Maclean's presents such images as representative of immigrants and Muslim women. The image of the "mysterious" covered woman and her "exotic" large brown eyes belongs to a 19th century Orientalist discourse and should not be in a supposedly progressive 21st
century publication.
"Why do you think they chose that image?" a friend asked. I replied that it's evocative. It's possibly the first image that comes to most people's minds when they think of Muslim women- thanks to the relentless media bombardment of those images. Bottom line: It's catchy. It sells.
Unfortunately, I was not even surprised or shocked by Maclean's choice, as it had become a common one in most mainstream Western media.
Such media outlets are in the business of giving us simple answers to complex questions and issues, rather than in-depth and contextualized intelligent explorations. Whether it's laziness, racism, or ignorance, the media attitude symbolized by Maclean's cover is insulting to Muslims specifically and the reader's intelligence generally.
Until yesterday, Maclean's magazine was one of them.
I had a change of heart when I saw the cover of their March 5, 2007 issue (Volume 120, No.8): It was a close-up image of a woman's face wearing a black niqab (full face cover) with only her eyes showing. The cover headline read, "Do immigrants need new rules?"
It is disturbing when a well-renowned and respected publication like Maclean's presents such images as representative of immigrants and Muslim women. The image of the "mysterious" covered woman and her "exotic" large brown eyes belongs to a 19th century Orientalist discourse and should not be in a supposedly progressive 21st
century publication.
"Why do you think they chose that image?" a friend asked. I replied that it's evocative. It's possibly the first image that comes to most people's minds when they think of Muslim women- thanks to the relentless media bombardment of those images. Bottom line: It's catchy. It sells.
Unfortunately, I was not even surprised or shocked by Maclean's choice, as it had become a common one in most mainstream Western media.
Such media outlets are in the business of giving us simple answers to complex questions and issues, rather than in-depth and contextualized intelligent explorations. Whether it's laziness, racism, or ignorance, the media attitude symbolized by Maclean's cover is insulting to Muslims specifically and the reader's intelligence generally.
Friday, March 2, 2007
Hera and Zeus: The real tragedy
"SALONIKA, Greece -- Archaeologists in northern Greece have unearthed a rare statue of Hera, ancient Greek goddess of marriage, which together with an earlier discovery of a matching Zeus statue constitutes the first paired display of Greek gods ever found in the country," according to a Middle East Times article.
When a violent storm brewed, the ancient Greeks believed that Zeus and his wife Hera were quarelling as they usually did.
In Greek mythology, one of Hera's typical portrayals was the jealous and nagging wife of the earnestly womanizing Zeus. Another typical portrayal was the enraged wife punishing Zeus's lovers and their offspring.
As a dedicated fan of Greek mythology, I often read, with a mix of sympathy and amusement, the mishaps of the divine couple. You'd think that a union between sky god and earth mother would be the most natural. But Zeus constantly wronged his beautiful wife: Seducing women in the form of a swan, a bull, and a shower of golden rain.
Bestiality and infidelity aside, the true tragedy of Zeus and Hera is that they are re-united centuries later in the form of their paired statues. If stone could speak, I would have loved to hear Hera's reaction at the tragic irony of being returned to her husband.
Unfortunately, death could not really do them part.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Alimas of yestercenturies
Tired of the spiel about oppressed, honor-killed, veiled Muslim women that has become wearisomely familiar?
Those that have invested time, effort, and an open mind have come to some real conclusions about who Muslim women really are.
"Mohammad Akram Nadwi, a 43-year-old Sunni alim, or religious scholar, has rediscovered a long-lost tradition of Muslim women teaching the Koran, transmitting hadith (deeds and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) and even making Islamic law as jurists," according to a New York Times article.
Akram, a scholar at the Oxford Center for Islamic studies in Britain, has found 8,000 female hadith scholars dating back 1,400 years and filling 40 volumes of his biographoical dictionary.
A particularly fascinating entry is that on Umm-Darda, a prominent jurist in seventh century Damscus. She constantly debated with male scholars in th mosque, taught hadith and fiqh there, and tutored the caliph of Damascus.
Similarly, Aiysha, the wife of Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him) is known to have transmitted over 2210 hadiths to Muslims (Dr. Khalid Mahmood Sheikh, A study of Hadith, p.17)
Muslim female scholars were already engaged in such constructive pursuits long before European women were formally admitted into high-ranking universities. Women at the University of Oxford were only admitted membership in 1920. The University of Cambridge allowed women full membership as late as 1947.
The modern counterparts of these alimas (female religious scholars) continue to study today in Al Azhar University women's college. Graduates inculde the prominent Egyptian scholars Souad Saleh (highest ranking woman in Al Azhar) and Abla Al Kahlawy.
Those that have invested time, effort, and an open mind have come to some real conclusions about who Muslim women really are.
"Mohammad Akram Nadwi, a 43-year-old Sunni alim, or religious scholar, has rediscovered a long-lost tradition of Muslim women teaching the Koran, transmitting hadith (deeds and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) and even making Islamic law as jurists," according to a New York Times article.
Akram, a scholar at the Oxford Center for Islamic studies in Britain, has found 8,000 female hadith scholars dating back 1,400 years and filling 40 volumes of his biographoical dictionary.
A particularly fascinating entry is that on Umm-Darda, a prominent jurist in seventh century Damscus. She constantly debated with male scholars in th mosque, taught hadith and fiqh there, and tutored the caliph of Damascus.
Similarly, Aiysha, the wife of Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him) is known to have transmitted over 2210 hadiths to Muslims (Dr. Khalid Mahmood Sheikh, A study of Hadith, p.17)
Muslim female scholars were already engaged in such constructive pursuits long before European women were formally admitted into high-ranking universities. Women at the University of Oxford were only admitted membership in 1920. The University of Cambridge allowed women full membership as late as 1947.
The modern counterparts of these alimas (female religious scholars) continue to study today in Al Azhar University women's college. Graduates inculde the prominent Egyptian scholars Souad Saleh (highest ranking woman in Al Azhar) and Abla Al Kahlawy.
Friday, February 16, 2007
A tribute to Monia Mazigh
Maher Arar discussed the lessons that can be learnt from his ordeal, in an inspiring and moving speech today at the University of British Columbia.
While diplomatically addressing Canada's strengths and weaknesses in dealing with national security cases, Arar did not cast himself as a hero. He repeatedly mentions that his return to Canada after torture in Syria was due to the tireless efforts of his wife.
Monia Mazigh has been a model of strength, courage, and determination. While her husband was unjustly detained in Syria, Mazigh collaborated with human rights groups and the media to pressure the government for his release. "Monia was behind me from day one," Arar said today.
Mazigh did not let her anxiety, grief, and responsibilty as a single mom deter her from launching a campaign to seek justice. "I decided that I was not going to keep quiet. We shouldn't be terrorized, shouldn't be scared," she said in a news report.
Since Arar's release, the press coverage has focused on him- justifiably so. But it is important to remember that his story may have not been told were it not for his wife's efforts.
I write this as a tribute to the woman who helped fight this battle.
While Arar and his family were able to achieve justice, my thoughts go out to the countless and anonymous victims of the "war on terror." How many more Monia Mazighs are out there trying to bring back husbands, brothers, fathers, or relatives from the abyss of political dungeons? Their struggles may not be commemorated or priviliged in press coverage, but their stories do matter. One hopes that the Arar case will set a precedent to avoid future tragedies.
While diplomatically addressing Canada's strengths and weaknesses in dealing with national security cases, Arar did not cast himself as a hero. He repeatedly mentions that his return to Canada after torture in Syria was due to the tireless efforts of his wife.
Monia Mazigh has been a model of strength, courage, and determination. While her husband was unjustly detained in Syria, Mazigh collaborated with human rights groups and the media to pressure the government for his release. "Monia was behind me from day one," Arar said today.
Mazigh did not let her anxiety, grief, and responsibilty as a single mom deter her from launching a campaign to seek justice. "I decided that I was not going to keep quiet. We shouldn't be terrorized, shouldn't be scared," she said in a news report.
Since Arar's release, the press coverage has focused on him- justifiably so. But it is important to remember that his story may have not been told were it not for his wife's efforts.
I write this as a tribute to the woman who helped fight this battle.
While Arar and his family were able to achieve justice, my thoughts go out to the countless and anonymous victims of the "war on terror." How many more Monia Mazighs are out there trying to bring back husbands, brothers, fathers, or relatives from the abyss of political dungeons? Their struggles may not be commemorated or priviliged in press coverage, but their stories do matter. One hopes that the Arar case will set a precedent to avoid future tragedies.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Who are you Sint Ayt Ess?
On Saturday afternoon I treated myself to a taste of Vancouver's cultural scene: I watched "Adrift on the Nile" a modern theatrical adaptation of "Tharthara fawq al Nile" by Egyptian Nobel prize-winner Naguib Mahfouz.
The lead actor asked the audience about the first thing that came to their minds when they thought of Egypt. Most replies were predicatable: pyramids, sphinx, sand, smart people, Nile, camels, and blue skies. Of course, the number one favourite choice was mummies. I smiled, thinkng of home, of steaming plates of koshari and kabab, of my grandmother's smile as she rose to pray at dawn.
But indeed, last night a report announced the discovery of coffins dating 5,000 years back to the Middle Kingdom period. One of the intricately painted wooden sarcophagi was designed for a woman named Sint Ayt Ess. The artifact is important because few discoveries have yielded objects from the Middle Kingdom.
Sint Ayt Ess.
The woman's name continued to ring in my head. Who was she, this ancient guide to the Middle Kingdom? Was she a priestess or a weaver? A wife or a widower? What life did she lead and how did she die?
She may not have been as famous or glamorous as Queen Hatshepsut, but I connected with her nonetheless, this unknown ancient woman. She managed to spend a deathtime hidden from tomb robbers, from the grabbing hands of foreign diggers, from x-ray tests in a neon-lit lab, from the gawking sight of an easily distracted world, and a paragraph in international media. But now probing tools have undug her death. Even in the tomb there is no rest.
Sint Ayt Ess.
The lead actor asked the audience about the first thing that came to their minds when they thought of Egypt. Most replies were predicatable: pyramids, sphinx, sand, smart people, Nile, camels, and blue skies. Of course, the number one favourite choice was mummies. I smiled, thinkng of home, of steaming plates of koshari and kabab, of my grandmother's smile as she rose to pray at dawn.
But indeed, last night a report announced the discovery of coffins dating 5,000 years back to the Middle Kingdom period. One of the intricately painted wooden sarcophagi was designed for a woman named Sint Ayt Ess. The artifact is important because few discoveries have yielded objects from the Middle Kingdom.
Sint Ayt Ess.
The woman's name continued to ring in my head. Who was she, this ancient guide to the Middle Kingdom? Was she a priestess or a weaver? A wife or a widower? What life did she lead and how did she die?
She may not have been as famous or glamorous as Queen Hatshepsut, but I connected with her nonetheless, this unknown ancient woman. She managed to spend a deathtime hidden from tomb robbers, from the grabbing hands of foreign diggers, from x-ray tests in a neon-lit lab, from the gawking sight of an easily distracted world, and a paragraph in international media. But now probing tools have undug her death. Even in the tomb there is no rest.
Sint Ayt Ess.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Putting Islamic sex education on the agenda
Over half of men and women in the Middle East are sexually unsatisfied, according to a poll reported today by Al Arabiya.net. As with any poll, its methodology, approach, purpose, and source must be critically analyzed. But interestingly, pollsters said that the research was difficult to conduct because only one out of four people were willing to speak to them. Others were simply reluctant to talk openly about their sexual health.
But the "Middle East" is not homogenous in its opinions, reactions, and attitudes.
A TV show discussing normal and abnormal penis size and its effect on sexual relationships sparked a heated debate in the public sphere, according to another report by Al Arabiya.net. The Kuwaiti TV show "Sirat al Hob" is presented by Fawziya Dre'e, a veiled Muslim woman, who interviewed a venereal diseases specialist.
The TV show elicited a range of opinions varying from scandalous, scientific, welcome debate, religiously immodest, and unnecessary discussion.
The airing of such a discussion stands on the opposite side of the continuum to those individuals who chose not to participate in the sexual health poll.
However, both opposites demonstrate the need for a sound understanding of the etiquette of sex discussions, awareness, and knowledge.
The answer? A re-introduction and reaffirmation of sex education from an Islamic perspective.
There is a difference between cultural and religious approaches to sex discussions. While some regions are either markedly conservative or liberal, Islam encourages a modest, respectful, and informed dialogue about sexual relationships/health.
Sheikh Mohammed Hussain was asked about developing a sex education curriculum from an Islamic perspective. He advices that Islamic sex education informs young people about sexuality in a scientific and moral manner, that does not lead them to indulge their desires in a haram way. The degree of knowledge imparted depends on the age and education stage of the students.
According to Sheikh Abdul Majeed Subh, a prominent Azharite scholar, "“Those who think that sex education is not allowed in Islam are completely wrong. The books of Islamic jurisprudence expose several topics promoting sexual awareness...All these rulings are dealt with in the books of Islamic jurisprudence in a moral and scientific manner."
Thus the supposed conservatism of Muslim and Arab societies about sexual matters becomesa negative cultural practice in the light of Islamic openness and informed discussions about sex.
But the "Middle East" is not homogenous in its opinions, reactions, and attitudes.
A TV show discussing normal and abnormal penis size and its effect on sexual relationships sparked a heated debate in the public sphere, according to another report by Al Arabiya.net. The Kuwaiti TV show "Sirat al Hob" is presented by Fawziya Dre'e, a veiled Muslim woman, who interviewed a venereal diseases specialist.
The TV show elicited a range of opinions varying from scandalous, scientific, welcome debate, religiously immodest, and unnecessary discussion.
The airing of such a discussion stands on the opposite side of the continuum to those individuals who chose not to participate in the sexual health poll.
However, both opposites demonstrate the need for a sound understanding of the etiquette of sex discussions, awareness, and knowledge.
The answer? A re-introduction and reaffirmation of sex education from an Islamic perspective.
There is a difference between cultural and religious approaches to sex discussions. While some regions are either markedly conservative or liberal, Islam encourages a modest, respectful, and informed dialogue about sexual relationships/health.
Sheikh Mohammed Hussain was asked about developing a sex education curriculum from an Islamic perspective. He advices that Islamic sex education informs young people about sexuality in a scientific and moral manner, that does not lead them to indulge their desires in a haram way. The degree of knowledge imparted depends on the age and education stage of the students.
According to Sheikh Abdul Majeed Subh, a prominent Azharite scholar, "“Those who think that sex education is not allowed in Islam are completely wrong. The books of Islamic jurisprudence expose several topics promoting sexual awareness...All these rulings are dealt with in the books of Islamic jurisprudence in a moral and scientific manner."
Thus the supposed conservatism of Muslim and Arab societies about sexual matters becomesa negative cultural practice in the light of Islamic openness and informed discussions about sex.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Ms. President Islamically approved
The Grand Mufti of Eygpt, Dr. Ali Goma'a, has declared a fatwa that women in contemporary Islamic countries have the right to become heads of state and lead the nation, according to shar'iah law.
The Mufti reiterated this decision after Egyptian and international media mistakenly reported the opposite of the edict.
The Mufti's reasoning was that a head of state does not have the same obligations of the Calipha to lead Muslims in prayer, a role that only men can undertake.
In the light of this edict, it will be interesting to see whether Islamic preacher Souad Saleh will be granted her application to become Egypt's deputy mufti for women's affairs in Dar al-ifta (Egypt's highest religious council). She has been waiting for eight years.
Further, it is curious to note media reactions after Dr. Gomaa's reiterate his correct statement. Few mainstream American, British, or Canadian media picked up the story or made it prominent. This hush over the fatwa is ironic, given their usually zealous and repetitive criticism of Islam's lack of "democracy" and "equality." Media coverage of Islam's elevation of women's political rights is essential at a time when town councils still have some Jahiliya-like image of Islamic practises.
The Mufti reiterated this decision after Egyptian and international media mistakenly reported the opposite of the edict.
The Mufti's reasoning was that a head of state does not have the same obligations of the Calipha to lead Muslims in prayer, a role that only men can undertake.
In the light of this edict, it will be interesting to see whether Islamic preacher Souad Saleh will be granted her application to become Egypt's deputy mufti for women's affairs in Dar al-ifta (Egypt's highest religious council). She has been waiting for eight years.
Further, it is curious to note media reactions after Dr. Gomaa's reiterate his correct statement. Few mainstream American, British, or Canadian media picked up the story or made it prominent. This hush over the fatwa is ironic, given their usually zealous and repetitive criticism of Islam's lack of "democracy" and "equality." Media coverage of Islam's elevation of women's political rights is essential at a time when town councils still have some Jahiliya-like image of Islamic practises.
Friday, February 2, 2007
To beat or not to beat
Having opted to work the women's issues, rights, and status beat for a news writing class, I was stuck trying to defend the validity of the beat.
In newspapers around the Arab world, such as Al Ahram in Egypt and Al Khaleej in the United Arab Emirates, the women's page is very much alive and kicking. However, Canadian newspapers killed their women's section in the 1980s.
Is there a place for the women's beat in today's newspapers? Is the male-dominated newsroom culture determing what is newsworthy? How should an ideal, "new and improved" version of the beat look like?
Armed with a list of questions and a knot of confusion, I interviewed the Vancouver Sun columnist Daphne Bramham. She was the antithesis of the women's beat: Bramham writes passionately about women's issues, among other things, but insists against such a beat. She believes that relegating stories that affect women to the back of the newspaper meant creating an excluded space for women. It meant that women and their ideas were "ghettoized" and not included in the front page along with important news on politics and business. It was an artificial separation from the public spehere.
Her views were interesting but I continued to reflect on the type of women's issues stories found in Arabic newspapers. They were mainly thoughtful pieces about major issues that affected women. The strength of the women's page was that it asserted its presence: it was a thematic reminder that women's issues are not to be ignored or isolated to a few stories in the newspaper. It was a reminder of women's presence in society and a vent to air their views and concerns.
Perhaps Bramham and I had different thoughts on what constituted a "women's page" in the newspaper. Perhaps she was thinking of "soft" stories like cooking tips, household advice, and social events. I was thinking of stories on inspiring women who were legends of their time, the dilemmas of modern women, fatwas issued by women for women, and the latest on women's rights around the world.
In newspapers around the Arab world, such as Al Ahram in Egypt and Al Khaleej in the United Arab Emirates, the women's page is very much alive and kicking. However, Canadian newspapers killed their women's section in the 1980s.
Is there a place for the women's beat in today's newspapers? Is the male-dominated newsroom culture determing what is newsworthy? How should an ideal, "new and improved" version of the beat look like?
Armed with a list of questions and a knot of confusion, I interviewed the Vancouver Sun columnist Daphne Bramham. She was the antithesis of the women's beat: Bramham writes passionately about women's issues, among other things, but insists against such a beat. She believes that relegating stories that affect women to the back of the newspaper meant creating an excluded space for women. It meant that women and their ideas were "ghettoized" and not included in the front page along with important news on politics and business. It was an artificial separation from the public spehere.
Her views were interesting but I continued to reflect on the type of women's issues stories found in Arabic newspapers. They were mainly thoughtful pieces about major issues that affected women. The strength of the women's page was that it asserted its presence: it was a thematic reminder that women's issues are not to be ignored or isolated to a few stories in the newspaper. It was a reminder of women's presence in society and a vent to air their views and concerns.
Perhaps Bramham and I had different thoughts on what constituted a "women's page" in the newspaper. Perhaps she was thinking of "soft" stories like cooking tips, household advice, and social events. I was thinking of stories on inspiring women who were legends of their time, the dilemmas of modern women, fatwas issued by women for women, and the latest on women's rights around the world.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Boosting women's standards of life
About 350, 000 women had breast implants last year in the US alone. This figure is phenomenal given the health risks involved. To avoid such problems, Dr Judit Puskas from the University of Akron, Ohio, is developing a new and improved alternative to silicone implants. The biorubber implants are lighter and less likely to rupture.
However, the research comes with a considerable price tag. Dr. Puskas is waiting to hear whether the National Science Foundation will fund an 11-year, $10 million proposal to produce and test the new implants.
According to the American Society of Plastic surgeons statistics, breast implants rank third among the top five surgical cosmetic procedures.
Given that breast implants are done for cosmetic reasons and that research in this area is a multi-million dollar spree, one has to rethink whether this money and effort can be put to better use.
Many projects worthy of this money come to mind: violence against women in Jordan with the continued honour killings, refugee and internally displaced women in Darfur, male jailers sexually and physically abusing women in Pakistani jails, suffering of Palestinian women, and many others.
Research on better breast implants for primarily cosmetic reasons mainly serves to uphold masculine standards of female beauty. The $10 million dollars can be spent to improve the basic quality of life for women with more serious problems.
However, the research comes with a considerable price tag. Dr. Puskas is waiting to hear whether the National Science Foundation will fund an 11-year, $10 million proposal to produce and test the new implants.
According to the American Society of Plastic surgeons statistics, breast implants rank third among the top five surgical cosmetic procedures.
Given that breast implants are done for cosmetic reasons and that research in this area is a multi-million dollar spree, one has to rethink whether this money and effort can be put to better use.
Many projects worthy of this money come to mind: violence against women in Jordan with the continued honour killings, refugee and internally displaced women in Darfur, male jailers sexually and physically abusing women in Pakistani jails, suffering of Palestinian women, and many others.
Research on better breast implants for primarily cosmetic reasons mainly serves to uphold masculine standards of female beauty. The $10 million dollars can be spent to improve the basic quality of life for women with more serious problems.
Friday, January 26, 2007
The war on Fulla
Tunisian security forces have been raiding toy stores across the country to withdraw Fulla, the hijab-clad doll popular in Arab countries.
Authorities claim that the doll, doning a long-sleeved loose dress and a headscarf, invokes the invitation to wear "sectarian dress" (the authorities' term for the hijab), according to an Egyptian blogger.
Having grown up with a classic Barbie doll, like many other girls of my generation, I turned out just fine. I do not aspire to become a size 0 supermodel, I do not own a fancy car or mansion, I do not have a wardrobe of skimpy clothes, and Ken is not on my speed dial (contrary to frantic claims that Barbie dolls have a negative impact on young girls).
Barbie's marketing nemesis, Fulla (the Arabic word for the jasmine flower) seems no less controversial. I passed by her in Toys R Us, Dubai and she made me smile. Something about her little prayer mat, her colourful scarves and robes, her aspirations to become a teacher or doctor (she comes in both models) made her endearing. I could not envision her, as the Tunisian authorities do, to be some matriarchal figure aiming to nurture a generation of mini female fundementalists.
Tunisia's current political regime is strictly secular. With regards to the hijab, it has made the same ideological mistake that France has: casting the veil as a religious symbol rather than a religious duty.
If the authorities wish to ban this supposedly "Islamic" doll because they fear its negative impact on young girls, why have they not banned Barbie who has long ago sparked debate as being a negative role model for children?
Authorities are worried that she will encourage "sectarian dress" but Fulla's abaya-clad figure does not epitomize some stereotype of the "oppressed" Muslim woman doing housework and serving her husband hand and foot. Rather, she wears colourful and modest dresses/scarves and inspires little girls to be teacher or doctors, rather than the Barbie-equivalent of being a princess or mermaid.
Assuming that a plastic doll can change the life and mentality of young girls is to assume that they do not grow to be young women who can think independently for themselves about their priorities. Let's not project big ideas on little dolls.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Women in Black: The strength of mourning and protesting
An unusual sight unfolds on the fourth Monday of every month at 5 p.m. near the Vancouver Art Gallery
A group of women dressed in black, the colour of mourning, stand in reflective silence amidst the bustle and crowd of Robson Street, downtown Vancouver.
"We are silent because mere words cannot express the tragedy that wars and hatred bring. We refuse to add to the cacophony of empty statements that are spoken with the best intentions yet may be erased or go unheard under the sound of a passing ambulance or a bomb exploding nearby."
Who are they?
They are Women in Black (WiB), an international peace network. The feminist activist group protests against war, militarism, injustice and other forms of violence in conflict-torn countries such as Palestine and Iraq among many others.
Over 150 vigils, or branches, of WiB exist worldwide. They employ non-violent forms of action such as blocking roads, entering military bases and other forbidden zones, refusing to comply with orders, and "bearing witness." Refering to its black-garbed protestors, WiB says "feminist actions dressed in black convert women’s traditional passive mourning for the dead in war into a powerful refusal of the logic of war."
Though WiB recognizes that both men and women are victims of war, they declare that women experience even more injustice and oppression: they live in fear of rape, they make up the majority of refugees, and they live in violence-prone masculine cultures.
What are they doing?
WiB upcoming activities include a protest in Dallas against the US military on Jan. 25 and a presentation on depleted uranium weapons in Alberta, Canada.
Background
The history of WiB shows how women across borders speak the same language. It was inspired by anti-repression movements in South Africa and Argentina.
WiB began in Israel in 1988 after the first Palestinian Intifada with the slogan "End the Occupation." The protestors were a group of Israeli Jewish women who were later joined by Palestinian women of Israeli citizenship.
So What?
WiB is an example of feminist transnational networks, of women transcending nationalistic and cultural boundaries to speak of their common problems, challenges, and strengths. Liberated from the dichotomies of Self and Other, they can arguably share a common discursive space.
The question is, how effective is their dialogue with one another? How well do they understand each other? Dr. Cynthia Cockburn ,visiting professor in the Department of Sociology at City University London, conducts research on feminist opposition to war as a growing global movement.
She interviewed female activists against the Israeli Occupation of Palestinian lands. One founder of the Women and Peace coalition and a "liberal Zionist", Gila Svirsky, said: "We used to call the Occupation the 'enlightened Occupation.' We saw it as bringing civilization! So we were very shocked by the Intifada. We suddenly saw 'these Palestinians are killing our sons.'" Such a point of view would obviously vary dramatically from that of a Palestinian woman. How do the two groups reconcile their ideological differences before uniting against war? Is it necessary to do so, or is it enough to have the identical goal of ending the conflict?
While WiB in Israel/Palestine seems to be doing admirable work in pushing for conflict resolution, Dr. Cockburn's interview with Svirsky reveals a shift in motivation. Svirsky says: "I'm just going to the vigil now as if it's a job. It doesn't any longer have the intense emotions it had, or the dangers that used to be involved...Now I stand because it sends a message to women internationally about Israel and Palestine and gives them permission to do the same." Are the protests now put on for show, a token that Israelis and Palestinians can work together? Is it about making a statement or making a difference? And why does WiB assume the authority to give other feminist anti-war groups "permission" to do similar work?
A group of women dressed in black, the colour of mourning, stand in reflective silence amidst the bustle and crowd of Robson Street, downtown Vancouver.
"We are silent because mere words cannot express the tragedy that wars and hatred bring. We refuse to add to the cacophony of empty statements that are spoken with the best intentions yet may be erased or go unheard under the sound of a passing ambulance or a bomb exploding nearby."
Who are they?
They are Women in Black (WiB), an international peace network. The feminist activist group protests against war, militarism, injustice and other forms of violence in conflict-torn countries such as Palestine and Iraq among many others.
Over 150 vigils, or branches, of WiB exist worldwide. They employ non-violent forms of action such as blocking roads, entering military bases and other forbidden zones, refusing to comply with orders, and "bearing witness." Refering to its black-garbed protestors, WiB says "feminist actions dressed in black convert women’s traditional passive mourning for the dead in war into a powerful refusal of the logic of war."
Though WiB recognizes that both men and women are victims of war, they declare that women experience even more injustice and oppression: they live in fear of rape, they make up the majority of refugees, and they live in violence-prone masculine cultures.
What are they doing?
WiB upcoming activities include a protest in Dallas against the US military on Jan. 25 and a presentation on depleted uranium weapons in Alberta, Canada.
Background
The history of WiB shows how women across borders speak the same language. It was inspired by anti-repression movements in South Africa and Argentina.
WiB began in Israel in 1988 after the first Palestinian Intifada with the slogan "End the Occupation." The protestors were a group of Israeli Jewish women who were later joined by Palestinian women of Israeli citizenship.
So What?
WiB is an example of feminist transnational networks, of women transcending nationalistic and cultural boundaries to speak of their common problems, challenges, and strengths. Liberated from the dichotomies of Self and Other, they can arguably share a common discursive space.
The question is, how effective is their dialogue with one another? How well do they understand each other? Dr. Cynthia Cockburn ,visiting professor in the Department of Sociology at City University London, conducts research on feminist opposition to war as a growing global movement.
She interviewed female activists against the Israeli Occupation of Palestinian lands. One founder of the Women and Peace coalition and a "liberal Zionist", Gila Svirsky, said: "We used to call the Occupation the 'enlightened Occupation.' We saw it as bringing civilization! So we were very shocked by the Intifada. We suddenly saw 'these Palestinians are killing our sons.'" Such a point of view would obviously vary dramatically from that of a Palestinian woman. How do the two groups reconcile their ideological differences before uniting against war? Is it necessary to do so, or is it enough to have the identical goal of ending the conflict?
While WiB in Israel/Palestine seems to be doing admirable work in pushing for conflict resolution, Dr. Cockburn's interview with Svirsky reveals a shift in motivation. Svirsky says: "I'm just going to the vigil now as if it's a job. It doesn't any longer have the intense emotions it had, or the dangers that used to be involved...Now I stand because it sends a message to women internationally about Israel and Palestine and gives them permission to do the same." Are the protests now put on for show, a token that Israelis and Palestinians can work together? Is it about making a statement or making a difference? And why does WiB assume the authority to give other feminist anti-war groups "permission" to do similar work?
Friday, January 19, 2007
Fun in the Sun with Islamic swimwear
Mousing along the slushy roads of Vancouver, British Columbia, dressed in a goretex raincoat and snowboots, I couldn't help but think of warmer days at the beach.
But while I was feeling nostalgic about sun and sand, a woman in Sydney, Australia was getting practical about it.
Designer Aheda Zanetti is filling a market gap with her new line of two-piece Islamic swimsuits, apparently called the "Burkini." The head-to-ankle lightweight costume comes with a head scarf and is made of quick-drying polyester. Read the Middle East Times for more details on its design and inspiration.
Surf Life Saving Australia is now recruiting and training more Muslims as volunteer surf lifesavers in the country's beaches. This is part of a solution to the internal tension between Australia's Muslims and non-Muslims. The incident that sparked the effort was the Cronulla Beach riot. Australians attacked Lebanese Muslim teenagers and tried to drive them out of the beach in December 2005. Find out more about the incident from this story in the Guardian.
To enable female Muslim lifeguards to participate in this effort, Lebanese-born Zanetti produced in January a special line of Islamic swimsuits in red and yellow- the traditional colours of the Australian lifesavers.
The concept of Islamic two-piece swimswuits is by no means a new one. As early as 2000, Egyptian clothing stores were selling the "Shari'ah swimsuits" in fashionable but modest designs. Veiled Muslim women of all ages and sizes could be seen sporting the costume on the beaches of Marina, Alexandria, and other beaches on the coast of Egypt. This BBC story has more details
Pros and Cons
It is empowering that veiled Muslim women are able to strike a balance between modesty and participating in sports activities such as swimming or becoming lifeguards. It is one of many examples that the veil is not a barrier between Muslim women and the public sphere. Compared to the times when veiled women went swimming in their regular clothes or abayas, the "Burkini" is more comfortable and aesthetic.
However one has to ask whether or not the "Shar'ia swimsuit" actually adheres to Islamic standards of modesty. Islam teaches that women's clothing should neither define the body nor be transparent. Read the English translation of the Holy Quran, Sourah al Nour, chapter 24, verse 64 and Sourah al Ahzab, chapter 33, verse 59.
The fabric of the swimsuit would have to be such that it did not cling to and define the woman's body on contact with water.
But while I was feeling nostalgic about sun and sand, a woman in Sydney, Australia was getting practical about it.
Designer Aheda Zanetti is filling a market gap with her new line of two-piece Islamic swimsuits, apparently called the "Burkini." The head-to-ankle lightweight costume comes with a head scarf and is made of quick-drying polyester. Read the Middle East Times for more details on its design and inspiration.
Surf Life Saving Australia is now recruiting and training more Muslims as volunteer surf lifesavers in the country's beaches. This is part of a solution to the internal tension between Australia's Muslims and non-Muslims. The incident that sparked the effort was the Cronulla Beach riot. Australians attacked Lebanese Muslim teenagers and tried to drive them out of the beach in December 2005. Find out more about the incident from this story in the Guardian.
To enable female Muslim lifeguards to participate in this effort, Lebanese-born Zanetti produced in January a special line of Islamic swimsuits in red and yellow- the traditional colours of the Australian lifesavers.
The concept of Islamic two-piece swimswuits is by no means a new one. As early as 2000, Egyptian clothing stores were selling the "Shari'ah swimsuits" in fashionable but modest designs. Veiled Muslim women of all ages and sizes could be seen sporting the costume on the beaches of Marina, Alexandria, and other beaches on the coast of Egypt. This BBC story has more details
Pros and Cons
It is empowering that veiled Muslim women are able to strike a balance between modesty and participating in sports activities such as swimming or becoming lifeguards. It is one of many examples that the veil is not a barrier between Muslim women and the public sphere. Compared to the times when veiled women went swimming in their regular clothes or abayas, the "Burkini" is more comfortable and aesthetic.
However one has to ask whether or not the "Shar'ia swimsuit" actually adheres to Islamic standards of modesty. Islam teaches that women's clothing should neither define the body nor be transparent. Read the English translation of the Holy Quran, Sourah al Nour, chapter 24, verse 64 and Sourah al Ahzab, chapter 33, verse 59.
The fabric of the swimsuit would have to be such that it did not cling to and define the woman's body on contact with water.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Muslim women and the politics of representation
"Little Mosque on the Prairie," CBC's sitcom about the Muslim community in a small Canadian town, was the center of an international media hype. Even before its premiere on Jan. 9, the show has attracted reviews from the BBC, CNN, and the New York Times.
The show's creator, consulting producer, and director is Muslim-Canadian Zarqa Nawaz. The veiled mother of four is of Pakistani origin, born in Liverpool, raised in Toronto, and settled in Regina with her family.
Part of her show's success lies in her humanized portrayal of Muslims in an ordinary, normalized setting. They are regular folks with real lives, challenges, and joys. This comes as a refreshing break from the staple diet of the "terrorist man/ niqabi woman" that feeds mainstream Western media outlets.
Furthermore, it is interesting to watch representations of Muslims as recreated by a Muslim woman. It indicates that the politics of representation and identity can no longer be controlled by a Hollywood hegemony. Alternative ethnic, religious, and feminist views are inevitably emerging in North American mainstream discourse.
The inspiration for the show's storylines comes from Nawaz's own real-life experience. The show has the quality of bemused self-reflection as Nawaz dwells on issues that are a source of debate among Muslims. The characters argue about the most appropriate method of moonsighting that marks the begining of Ramadan. "The Prophet did not have a telescope from CostCo," one of the characters sarcastically comment. In an upcoming episode, Muslim women go to a ladies-only swimming class and are at a loss when their female instructor is replaced by a homosexual man. Nawaz raises the issue of whether it is permissible for veiled women to show their hair infront of gay men.
It is empowering for a Muslim woman of Pakistani origin to spark an intellectual public debate about the problems and issues in her community: the way it is perceived, the way it functions, and the ability to laugh at the post-9/11 absurdities that Muslims are subjected to.
However, it is important to note that Zarqa Nawaz is not the first, nor sole, example of Muslim women leading public debate or representing their community through the media. Muslim women have a tradition of being in the forefront of the political and social realms. One only needs to recall the names of Egyptian feminists such as Huda Sha'rawi and Safia Zaghloul, film director Enas el Dighedi, professor of women's studies Leila Ahmed, Moroccan feminist writer Fatema Mernissi, and Iranian lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi. However, Nawaz's gentle comedy is one of the few attempts of a comedic treatment of religion.
The show's creator, consulting producer, and director is Muslim-Canadian Zarqa Nawaz. The veiled mother of four is of Pakistani origin, born in Liverpool, raised in Toronto, and settled in Regina with her family.
Part of her show's success lies in her humanized portrayal of Muslims in an ordinary, normalized setting. They are regular folks with real lives, challenges, and joys. This comes as a refreshing break from the staple diet of the "terrorist man/ niqabi woman" that feeds mainstream Western media outlets.
Furthermore, it is interesting to watch representations of Muslims as recreated by a Muslim woman. It indicates that the politics of representation and identity can no longer be controlled by a Hollywood hegemony. Alternative ethnic, religious, and feminist views are inevitably emerging in North American mainstream discourse.
The inspiration for the show's storylines comes from Nawaz's own real-life experience. The show has the quality of bemused self-reflection as Nawaz dwells on issues that are a source of debate among Muslims. The characters argue about the most appropriate method of moonsighting that marks the begining of Ramadan. "The Prophet did not have a telescope from CostCo," one of the characters sarcastically comment. In an upcoming episode, Muslim women go to a ladies-only swimming class and are at a loss when their female instructor is replaced by a homosexual man. Nawaz raises the issue of whether it is permissible for veiled women to show their hair infront of gay men.
It is empowering for a Muslim woman of Pakistani origin to spark an intellectual public debate about the problems and issues in her community: the way it is perceived, the way it functions, and the ability to laugh at the post-9/11 absurdities that Muslims are subjected to.
However, it is important to note that Zarqa Nawaz is not the first, nor sole, example of Muslim women leading public debate or representing their community through the media. Muslim women have a tradition of being in the forefront of the political and social realms. One only needs to recall the names of Egyptian feminists such as Huda Sha'rawi and Safia Zaghloul, film director Enas el Dighedi, professor of women's studies Leila Ahmed, Moroccan feminist writer Fatema Mernissi, and Iranian lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi. However, Nawaz's gentle comedy is one of the few attempts of a comedic treatment of religion.
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