Nussbaum on Women in Muslim World
Ali Eteraz
Are you arguing that the problem is not Islamic religion, but its use?
Exactly. What we see in some nations, then, is not Islam itself, but a politicized version of Islam that is not a necessary interpretation of those religious texts. That point has been made repeatedly by dissidents in the societies in which this politicized version of Islam is influential, such as Shiran Ebadi and Akbar Ganji in Iran. Both are devout Muslims, and both insist, with convincing argument, that there is nothing in their sex-equal democratic proposals that is incompatible with Islam. Unfortunately, people in the West often don't know much about Islam, so they equate the entire religion with a politicized version of it that they happen to hear about. As for Ayaan Hirsi Ali, maybe she ought to have moved to India rather than the Usa: surely she'd have a lot better chance of playing a leading role in political or intellectual life there, as a woman, than in the Usa. We might also mention Bangladesh, a democracy where 85 percent are Muslims and women (both Muslim) lead both of the two main political parties.
Oh, but wait, why even read past the heading of this post since Nussbaum is a feminist!
Well, I don't know of anyone around here who objects to a feminist perspective (unless the feminist is a former Muslim, in which case one of our frequent Muslim commenters will surely find something to criticize -- and I don't mean you, or DanielH, or Aziz, just a specific commenter who you'll recognize, I'm sure), I don't know what you mean by that.
Did I mention that my second-favorite character on "Little Mosque on the Prairie" (after the Imam, 'cuz that actor is just that good) is the Muslim feminist who does a pretty good job of explaining how she can be both a good Muslim and a strong feminist? The episode where she tried (and failed) to explain the head scarf to the local high school class was absolutely brilliant. (God, I miss that show. Practically the only downside to my new job is we don't get CBC at home.)
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Jesus Freaking Allah.
I kid, I kid... :)
I would love to hear the asnwer.
Just out of curiosity, are there any feminists, anywhere, that have ever expressed admiration for this woman who has exposed herself to blood-curdling threats by challenging real, actual exsting patriarchy and sexual repression?
This interview is perfet. The real villains are America and The West, who compare unfavorably to Pakistan and India with respect to women's rights, and a genuinely courageous feminist who challenges the world's most heinous woman-oppressors (and who are wont to respond to such challenges violently) is pushed aside as some sort of unappreciative troublemaker.
I have enormous admiration for the suffragettes. Those women took serious risks - mostly social, but serious and painful, I'm sure - for a legitimate cause.
Contemporary feminism seems hung up the imperfections of those societies that have given women more freedom than they have ever known before than on those that have yet to give them any.
Of course we all lose our tempers now and then. Dean freely admits to being imperfect in this regard, which is why regulars to this establishment will generally be cut more slack than people who we don't know very well.
Still: behave like an adult, or go find somewhere else to play. Thanks.