http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/06/17/imo-view-i-wear-jilbab-i-am-not-oppressed.html
Just because I am wearing a jilbab (headscarf), it doesn’t mean that I am oppressed, submissive, brainwashed and restrained. I always take pride in my brain and independence. I don’t just obey. I think and have full reign of my own freewill. I’m a woman and a Muslim. I don’t need to brandish my freedom all over my body and reveal it for public to see.
For that reason, I find it mind boggling to watch three Femen activists staging a topless protest in Tunisia in support of Amina Sboui who was jailed after posing topless on her social media. Bystanders rushed to these girls to cover them only to be roughly denied. It’s outrageously maddening. While their cause is noble, their tactic is counter-productive and offending more.
We all know that many women are still regularly being oppressed and subjugated under patriarchal laws in a cloak of religion and culture be it in the West or East, even in the farthest tip of the Africa continent. They are excluded from the mainstream, and considered as second class citizens. They are perceived as property, thus outstripped of their rights and freedom.
It is not the religion to blame. It is the sick minds of those who use it as cover, twisting and interpreting verses to serve their own interests. Religion is used to justify their act to denigrate women. It is worsened by the culture that glorifies patriarchal way of thinking.
I strongly oppose such misleading conception against women. But to do it in a way that is derogatory to somebody’s religious beliefs is not right. How on earth bare-breasted protest in front of mosques and diplomatic buildings can gain women freedom and liberty? They way I see it, such tactics only mirror the tactics used by patriarchal laws to suppress women.
Thus far, Femen protest undermines the fact that the Middle East women have genuine demands of gender equality because the patriarchy is so ingrained in their society. They seem ignorant that nudity will never be acceptable as a means to fight their cause as it is considered as a slap in the face of their dignity as a woman.
They can’t just storm in their neighbors’ doors and say “Look this is the way to gain your freedom and liberty. This is how you do it!”
Moreover, I find it ludicrous that many feminists still believe that no Muslim woman could ever choose to wear the veil of her own free will. If a woman walks down the street in a mini skirt and someone calls her a slut, these feminists will be quick to object. But if a Muslim woman walks down in a veil then many feminists are happy to concede that the veil is patronizing and demeaning, as a religious institution forcing a woman to wear one.
Therefore, getting naked is absolutely way out of line. Instead of attempting to use reasoned debate, they are opting for shock factor - they are doing it to draw attention to greater scandals. They would do better to keep their clothes on and engage in an intelligent way of demonstrating and debating.
I strongly reject the idea that a woman's body is used to reach any objective. Using a woman's naked body to change policy is simply bad for women. This only reinforces the image that objectifies women.
As a woman who genuinely believes in gender equality, I want others to appreciate my mind, the way I speak, the way I behave and to respect the way I am trying to gain my rights.
Exposing the woman's body will get these women nowhere but bigger problems. Thus, the counterproductive tactics will result only in more serious injustices towards women.
Just because I am wearing a jilbab (headscarf), it doesn’t mean that I am oppressed, submissive, brainwashed and restrained. I always take pride in my brain and independence. I don’t just obey. I think and have full reign of my own freewill. I’m a woman and a Muslim. I don’t need to brandish my freedom all over my body and reveal it for public to see.
For that reason, I find it mind boggling to watch three Femen activists staging a topless protest in Tunisia in support of Amina Sboui who was jailed after posing topless on her social media. Bystanders rushed to these girls to cover them only to be roughly denied. It’s outrageously maddening. While their cause is noble, their tactic is counter-productive and offending more.
We all know that many women are still regularly being oppressed and subjugated under patriarchal laws in a cloak of religion and culture be it in the West or East, even in the farthest tip of the Africa continent. They are excluded from the mainstream, and considered as second class citizens. They are perceived as property, thus outstripped of their rights and freedom.
It is not the religion to blame. It is the sick minds of those who use it as cover, twisting and interpreting verses to serve their own interests. Religion is used to justify their act to denigrate women. It is worsened by the culture that glorifies patriarchal way of thinking.
I strongly oppose such misleading conception against women. But to do it in a way that is derogatory to somebody’s religious beliefs is not right. How on earth bare-breasted protest in front of mosques and diplomatic buildings can gain women freedom and liberty? They way I see it, such tactics only mirror the tactics used by patriarchal laws to suppress women.
Thus far, Femen protest undermines the fact that the Middle East women have genuine demands of gender equality because the patriarchy is so ingrained in their society. They seem ignorant that nudity will never be acceptable as a means to fight their cause as it is considered as a slap in the face of their dignity as a woman.
They can’t just storm in their neighbors’ doors and say “Look this is the way to gain your freedom and liberty. This is how you do it!”
Moreover, I find it ludicrous that many feminists still believe that no Muslim woman could ever choose to wear the veil of her own free will. If a woman walks down the street in a mini skirt and someone calls her a slut, these feminists will be quick to object. But if a Muslim woman walks down in a veil then many feminists are happy to concede that the veil is patronizing and demeaning, as a religious institution forcing a woman to wear one.
Therefore, getting naked is absolutely way out of line. Instead of attempting to use reasoned debate, they are opting for shock factor - they are doing it to draw attention to greater scandals. They would do better to keep their clothes on and engage in an intelligent way of demonstrating and debating.
I strongly reject the idea that a woman's body is used to reach any objective. Using a woman's naked body to change policy is simply bad for women. This only reinforces the image that objectifies women.
As a woman who genuinely believes in gender equality, I want others to appreciate my mind, the way I speak, the way I behave and to respect the way I am trying to gain my rights.
Exposing the woman's body will get these women nowhere but bigger problems. Thus, the counterproductive tactics will result only in more serious injustices towards women.
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