Women in the Middle East Essay

Saudi Arabia is commonly known for its strict moral values and customs regarding religion and women. Gender discrimination is a global conflict but it is prevalently seen in Saudi Arabia. Gender discrimination is so poignant in Saudi Arabia because there are strict sets of moral guidelines and ideologies that Saudi Arabian culture implements on its people. Although Saudi Arabian men impose restrictions on women for the sake of upholding their cultural beliefs and family’s honor, there is no doubt that Saudi Arabian culture is male dominated and holds misogynistic views on women, but progress is being made.

Women's rights in the Middle East have always been a controversial issue. Although the rights of women have changed over the years, they have never really been equal to the rights of a man. This poses a threat on Iran because women have very limited options when it comes to labor, marriage and other aspects of their culture. I believe that equal treatment for women and men is a fundamental principal of international human rights standards. Yet, in some places like Iran, discriminatory practices against women are not only prevalent, but in some cases, required by law. In this essay I will explain to you the every day life of an every day Islamic woman living in Iran. You will be astonished by what these women have endured through the

“Life is full of unhappiness and most of it caused by women (Harik and Marston 11)”. For women in the Middle East life is faced with great and unequal odds, as their human rights are limited, due to Islamic beliefs and that of patriarchy. From their daily actions at home to their physical appearance, Middle Eastern women are portrayed as quiet, faceless women veiled from head to toe. While this image is just another stereotype, women in the middle do face many obstacles and challenges of creating their own identity as they are frequently denied a voice in their rights. Living in a society dominated by men life is not, but regardless women in the Middle East, predominantly Muslims, continue to fight for

Although Muslim women are different than most of society, they should not be targeted, and they should continue to wear their headscarves because it is sentimental to their cultural beliefs, and a symbol of feminism. According to the Los Angeles Times article, Muslim women have been ridiculed by Americans. Muslim women do have the right to be strong to their religious beliefs. As stated in the Los Angeles Times article, it is not just a Muslim issue, but an American women’s rights issue. I think that Muslim women should walk out of their home in the morning and not have to worry about being ridiculed by society. Also stated in Los Angeles Times, some women are not wearing headscarves anymore because they don’t want to be ridiculed. Even though

The women of Saudi Arabia have been oppressed by the men of the country for generations due to the ignorance of the people, their Islamic faith, and the government. They have no rights and they must receive permission from their husbands or fathers to work, travel, and receive medical attention. The memoir Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia by Jean Sasson, is an excellent example of the oppression of women in Saudi Arabia and the literary devices of characterization and setting help to bring the oppression to life.

The women right movements are nothing but the resource of creating more women related issues in different societies. Every women even in the Islamic world have many differences. The difference in cultural and social backgrounds and sometimes within the same culture women have different economical background which make the huge difference. In Islamic world some Muslim women get influenced by the western culture and thinks that the taking of the veil and running away from home will gives them freedom and rights. At this moment the different women organizations and movement trying so hard for Muslim women to get them freedom, but what they are not understanding is that Muslim women are free in their own culture and religion. Those movements do not become any beneficial for Muslim women in the light of religion. However, where book explains that Muslim women do not need savings, at the same time there are some critical issues going on in the Islamic world related to women rights and freedom.

In the US, we think that women are oppressed in the middle east. Some of the stereotypes that we use against the women who live in the middle east are that they are not given fair treatment from all men. Some men are do not think the same way.The men (in the middle east) treat them like slaves.For example, women should just stay at home and take of their children. This would be an accurate statement for some of the women ,but the women think that there is nothing wrong with staying at home. Another statement that we misinterpret is that women are not educated because they stay at home with their children. I found from CNN that two-thirds of women make up the majority population of Middle Eastern Countries when enrolling in college . Next statement,

Every American girl has the opportunity and ability to become someone successful in our ever-growing society here in America. As they grow older, young ladies have dreams of becoming a doctor, astronaut, or even President racing through their minds. Especially now, girls can vision becoming anything, whether it be a construction worker or head CEO of a company, the opportunities are endless. Women in America are now set at ease with laws that protect their rights from being violated and discriminated against just for being female. Unfortunately not every place in the world is as lucky as the women here in the US. The rights of Muslim women in the Middle East are despicably being violated in many different ways. Many people foolishly argue

Gender role goes beyond biological sex, it is more based to identify leadership as masculine and feminine gender stereotypes. In the middle east, women viewed as housewives, they can not be open with men, and they are not freely to wear what they want. That is because of the tradition, the culture, and the religion that everyone takes very serious. The patriarchy is well known in the Arab World It is getting better over time, but very slowly. Leadership, the final dissections, and all the power belongs to men. They have the freedom to do anything at any time. In the books of Season of Migration to the North and Miramar, genders play an important role in both of the novels.

For centuries the Islamic women have been thought of as the homestead worker who takes care of the house, the kids, and the husband. Even though women are seen as the breed winner, when it comes to keeping the home up to par, women have no jurisdiction to divorce or claim in custody disputes of children and inheritance. The struggle of women’s rights of inequality has also been seen in the workforce and in education. For instance, in the midst of war, men left the home to fight the battles, this left women to fend for themselves and their children. This raised concerns, that if their husbands did not return home how would the wives find the means to survive if all their inheritance were stripped from them. Finally, a couple of decades

The region of the Middle East and its inhabitants have always been a wonder to the Europeans, dating back to the years before the advent of Islam and the years following the Arab conquest. Today, the Islamic world spreads from the corners of the Philippines to the far edges of Spain and Central Africa. Various cultures have adopted the Islamic faith, and this blending of many different cultures has strengthened the universal Islamic culture. The religion of Islam has provided a new meaning to the lives of many people around the world. In the Islamic world, the religion defines and enriches culture and as a result the culture gives meaning to the individual. Islam is not only a religion, it is in its own way a culture. It may be this very

In Women and Gender in Islam, Leila Ahmed skillfully conveys her perspective on current ideologies about Islamic women by taking into consideration the chronological framework for which it help to shape women’s position in society. By covering a vast range of Islamic doctrines during various historical periods ranging from pre-Islamic times all the way to Western influences in nineteenth century Egypt, Leila is able to provide a distinctive picture of the often misunderstood topic of women’s role in Islam. What makes her book more fascinating is that she includes lots of details surrounding Islamic society, while focusing on the inherent stereotypes of women’s oppression and their cultural aspect of veiling. Throughout the book, Ahmad

Gender segregation is still common in the Middle East and both genders are expected to fulfill their designated roles within society. There is a lot of pressure for both genders to marry and to not do so is considered “social disaster”. Arranged marriages are not uncommon, especially among the more traditional families (Whitaker) and in this relationship, men are generally considered the “active” partners while their wives are the “passive” partners (Tolino 5). These ideas are prominent throughout society in the Middle East and create problems for individuals who do not conform to their assigned roles, specifically members of the LGBT community. LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, although all gender and “sexual minorities” are considered part of this community (Human Rights Watch 69). LGBT individuals face struggles all around the world, but their problems are more pronounced in the Middle East, where the concept of homosexuality is vastly different than in the West. People in the Middle East generally view homosexuality as a “Western invention” and there is no clear distinction between “sex” and “gender”. The classification of an individual as “gay” does not always relate to “a physical act with someone of the same gender”. A male could be considered “gay” simply for not conforming to gender roles or acting feminine (Simmons 1). In the Middle East, members of the LGBT community face extreme inequality, primarily in the form of homophobic laws with

The Secular Feminism of the Western Society does not understand Islamic feminism which is inclusive with Islam. Western feminists see Islam as oppressive in nature and Western Feminism does not recognize the struggle of the women of the Middle East and does little to help their plight where they yearn for basic rights women in the West take for granted. Where Islamic feminism is very strong is in Iran where women deal with oppression within their everyday lives.

Women's Status in Islam In Islam, women and men are equal in terms of their relationship with Allah. It can be clearly seen that Allah has created men and women differently, this is so that they may fulfil different purposes in life. It is not a question of the superiority of one gender over another, rather it is a matter of role differentiation. Islam teaches that men and women complement one another and are both equally important.