This column was originally published in the March 5th, 2011 edition of The Kingston Whig-Standard
What is happening in Egypt and in other Arab countries is so inspiring! There are no simple answers as to why this happened now or what lies in the future, but how remarkable to see populations rise against corrupt totalitarian regimes in search of freedoms and democracy.
T.G. Ash of the Guardian writes, “No one predicted this, but everyone could explain it afterwards!”
Ash asks us to celebrate the aspirations of the Egyptians and others by making “a deep bow to those who started this, at great personal risk, with no support from the professedly freedom- loving West.” How true that Western governments, because of their own self- interest, want stability over democracy for other peoples.
We must support the movement of the people to overcome the challenges ahead. It will take time to ensure the people’s revolution does not get mired, because the armies continue powerful, the presence of religious-political organizations is unclear, and there are few institutions on which democratic changes can be based.
Shall we now put to rest Samuel Huntington’s false assertions of the “clash of civilizations” – that the West is well suited for democracy while the culture and religion of the Arabs/Muslims are incompatible with human rights and freedoms?
And still another stereotype has been undone – not all Arab women are oppressed. Many women have been in the forefront of this struggle, as was seen in the large presence of women in Cairo and in other cities.
I pray Egyptian women will fare better than their Algerian sisters, who in the 1960s, fought for their independence from France. But soon after freedom came, were pushed back into home and kitchen with a curtailment of their rights. Much the same happened to the women of Iran.
USA Today interviewed some Egyptian women, and a fascinating fact emerged. They reported some incidents of harassment, especially by non –Egyptian women, but the majority of women said they experienced no sexual harassment during the 18 days of protests – in crowds where women and men intermingled with no separation by gender.
This is remarkable as a 2008 study by the Egyptian Centre for Women’s Rights found that sexual harassment is prevalent in Cairo – 98 per cent of foreign women, and 83 per cent of Egyptian women reported they have been harassed. In the same survey, 62 per cent of men admitted harassing women with 53 per cent blaming women for bringing it on themselves! This happens in Cairo where a majority of women are dressed conservatively with head coverings and long gowns.
As a Muslim woman, I am encouraged by the freedom of women and men coming together, as people, without the focus on gender segregation.
It is in direct contrast to what is happening in Canada where the interpretation of a “conservative” Islam has led to increased gender segregation amongst Canadian Muslims in many Islamic Centres, mosques and in social gatherings.
Tragically, gender segregation is based on the assumption that men cannot be trusted to behave themselves in the presence of any woman. As my husband often points out it is an insult to him and other males to assume they are but a bundle of uncontrollable lust, and no woman is safe anywhere near them.
An example of these teachings is a booklet published by Saudi Arabia, distributed widely around the world and sold in Canadian Islamic bookstores, titled “Mingling between men and women is prohibited.” These instructions are couched in religious sanctity and are being used in Canada. These same instructions can be found in several websites as well.
The first statement is false. It says there is no controversy among Muslims about prohibiting gender segregation because it “is the root cause of many evils.” Not surprisingly the book is addressed to the woman because “you are a valuable jewel” which must be protected from lustful looks.
The booklet lists 37 directives: women cannot be alone with a whole host of male relatives; nor travel without a male guardian; nor attend mixed classes at university; nor any gathering where men and women sit side by side.
Examples of other restrictions include: a male doctor cannot be alone with another female doctor or female patient; women cannot be alone with a male store attendant; or travel alone in a car, plane or bus without a male guardian. Women are to dress in such a way that she ensures men are not aroused.
For many of us Muslim women, these severely problematic restrictions, being pushed by a narrow interpretation of Islam, are creating demands for segregation and accommodation which are beyond sensible or reasonable. How can we Canadian Muslim women fully engage in Canadian life if these restrictions are to be part of our lives?
Our gender is an integral part of our identity, but we cannot allow some men to use an interpretation of our faith to control us by their narrow definition of femininity. This limits us from being fully human, fully equal and fully engaged in our communities.
