Several of the readings and films we’ve read and seen present women in ways that shatter the stereotype of the powerless, Middle Eastern female. What examples have been most important and instructive for you?
Harems, veils, and stereotypes … OH MY!
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I think the most significant and instructive one was The Syakh's daughter, Zaynab. She was really powerful leader. Actually her status should not be surprising because the rights granted to Muslim women in the Qur’an and also the spiritual role of women is really important. However, after Hz. Muhammed's death the situation of women unfortunately started to decrease in Islam. In addition according to some Muslim scholars women are absolutely precious like a diamond and they should be kept. As a result of this idea, harems were built. Harem means forbidden essentially. They were a kind of institutes. The condition of women in Islam is absolutely controversial. It has almost always been seen as oppressive and as an image of a Muslim woman’s obedience to men by the Western society. The approaches of veil can be good example.
The two most significant examples that I can recall of women shattering the stereotype "the powerless, Middle Eastern female" are Persepolis and the Burke reading, "The Shaykh and His daughter." Persepolis tells of the life of Marjane Satrapi growing up in Iran. Gender barriers are very distinct in the book/movie, for example her constant need to wear the veil and her inability to touch or flirt with men in public. Despite this, however, Marjane proves to be a rather strong woman figure. She seems to be rebellious towards the segregation laws and regulations regarding women, and she even manages to travel and study abroad in Europe, which is something most would assume to be hard to achieve for a young Iranian woman.
In the Burke chapter, "The Shaykh and His Daughter," the shaykh's daughter, Zaynab, is able to take up her father's role as shaykh and maintain an impressive following against pressing odds. At no point in the reading did Zaynab seem discouraged by the fact that she is a woman. Even her rivals and enemies fail to describe her as weak in any way. Commandant Crochard describes her as "passionate to the point of hatred, bold to the point of insolence and impudence, very haughty and eager for deferential treatment" (Burke 132).
I believe these two examples counter very well the stereotypes of "powerless, Middle Eastern females."
A number Burke’s chapters depict the stories of women that transcend typical stereotypes of Middle Eastern females, but the ones that stood out most to me were “The Shaykh and His Daughter” and “Shemsigul: A Circassian Slave in Mid-Nineteenth-Century Cairo”. Through the characters of Zaynab and Shemsigul, we see empowering and self-sufficient women who completely altered my preconceptions of Middle Eastern as portrayed by Western civilization.
Zaynab epitomizes a character that not only surpasses expectations for women, but also those for men. She gained respect and trust from her people and was able to become and heiress to her father’s position, which was a great feat for any woman in the past. While Zaynab’s accomplishment may seem more influential, Shemsigul’s fight for justice after her owner raped and impregnated her shows defiance and bravery for both a woman and a slave. I would never have thought that women or slaves had the opportunity to convict their owners in the justice system in pre-colonial times.
These two chapters introduced in me a novel image of Middle Eastern women that I never thought possible. Along with Rick Steve’s documentary on Iran, this course has enlightened me and created a broader view on Middle Eastern culture, especially women.
Many people (particularly Western civilizations) have preconceived notions about the roles and rights of women in the Middle East. Today, more and more people are becoming aware of this unproven, powerless claim through writings and videos such as Burke's collection of Middle Eastern biographies and films such as Persepolis. Many of the biographies in Burke's collection have struck me as examples of shattering stereotypes. In terms of breaking female stereotypes, however, I believe the most important stories are those of Shemisigul, the slave from Egypt and the shaykh's daughter, Zaynab from Algeria.
Shemisigul has a particularly stunning story that really shows how Middle Eastern women break the stereotype of "powerless" and submissive. After being raped and impregnated, Shemisigul was determined to come to justice. Rather than taking the easy route and remaining quiet about the issue, Shemisigul spoke out and argued for what she knew was rightfully hers. Her ability to not only recognize her rights but also to publicize her case and fight for her justice against all odds is what really struck me. She had an incredible "sense of her own worth and a remarkable ability to utilize the system to her advantage" (Burke, 49).
Zaynab is another example of how Middle Eastern continually surprise us by shattering the stereotypes of Middle Eastern women. After the death of her father, Muhammad ibn Abi al-Qasim in 1897, Zaynab stepped up to become his spiritual successor. She worked hard at gaining the support and trust of the people and it was due to this honest and courageous behavior that she was able to defeat her cousin. She did whatever it took to become her father's successor, even declaring celibacy to show her unwavering determination, focus and authority to the people. According to Burke, her "sainthood and special piety placed her outside of the normal boundaries circumscribing female behavior and status in the Muslim society" (127-128).
Overall, I think that the women stereotypes in the Middle East need to be studied further and by a broader audience. While they may seem oppressed to some (Westerners), you may find that it is not necessarily a factor of religion but more of local cultures and traditions. While there are different interpretations, the Quran does state that God sees both women and men equally. Also, in the past (in the Byzantine and Persian empires and early Islamic society) wearing a veil was a representation of a high-class status. We just need to look at all the different views instead of relying on a single source for information. We have to look at certain issues from the perspectives of the subjects.
One of my favorite aspects of this course is that I have become more aware of the stereotypes and preconceptions that many people have concerning the Middle East, especially about Middle Eastern women. I admit that I held many stereotypes myself, yet this class has helped me to look outside the box and work against the preconceptions I once had.
Of all of the readings we have done and films we have seen, I feel that Marjane's grandmother in Persepolis has stood out to me as a strong example against the stereotype of the "powerless, Middle Eastern female." In the film Marjane has a strong relationship with her grandmother and her grandmother sort of works as a mentor figure to her. Marjane's grandmother is presented as an outspoken and outgoing woman who has a liberal attitude. She seems to have strong feminist beliefs and is willing to fight for her freedom in an oppressed Iranian society. Although she is strong, sharp-minded, and independent, she still emanates a grandmotherly tenderness and femininity. Like her grandmother, Marjane is a bit of a rebel and sees her grandmother as a role model, friend, and supporter. At the end of the film when Marjane's grandmother passes away, I feel it is almost a symbol of the lost struggle for Iranian women's freedom and independence.
Multiple stories in the Burke text feature women who fight against the traditional stereotypes of Middle Eastern women. The story of Migdim, the Egyptian Bedouin Matriarch (Chapter 14), was especially eye-opening because of the way Migdim's life and personality went against the perceived stereotype that many of us have of the "powerless, Middle Eastern female." Migdim's story shows the important place women have in Bedouin society. In some ways, Migdim is similar to Marjane's grandmother in Persepolis. She is outspoken, strong, and has a sense of humor. She is a figure of power within her family and was able to resist numerous arranged marriages. She was remarkably strong and lived through many difficulties, and her independence is shown by her ability to do this pretty much alone.
I hope that through continuing with the Burke text and watching more films on the Middle East, I will be able to break through more of the stereotypes I have.
I am very pleased with the types of stories Burke/Yaghoubian chose for "Struggle and Survival in the Modern Middle East." They really do successfully include narratives about the most independent women who break the stereotypes. Examples are Shemsigul, a slave in Cairo; Bibi Maryam, a Bakhtiyari tribal woman; Zaynab, the daughter of the Shaykh in Algeria; Migdim, the Egyptian Bedouin woman; and even Um Jamal in the reading about the Palestinian urban villager, Jamal. Out of all of these, the women that really stood out to me were Zaynab and Migdim, although the others most certainly were strong independent women as well.
Zaynab's ability to defeat her male cousin, Muhammad is really amazing. Obviously her status had a lot to do with her success, along with her father's love for her and dedication to her education and talent to lead; throughout her life it appears as if he was training her for her future, knowing that she would be his successor and so loved among the people. Also, the amount of respect the public shows for her after her father dies (when it appears she will take the lead over her cousin) is remarkable. Women were not commonly treated that way in the late 1880's in the Middle East. Zaynab didn't even have to wear a headscarf in public because of her vow of chastity and could freely roam Algeria and travel outside the country if she pleased. She visited Rahmaniya nobles, local Muslim dignitaries, and French officials. All of this put her ahead of her cousin; she strived to gain respect from basically everyone which provided a huge advantage over Muhammad. Her victory was due to public opinion and her personal characteristics: compassion and a rebellious attitude. The narrative takes note that these characteristics were seen as negative in Zaynab and positive in her father, of course because he was a man. But she didn't let any of society's judgments/conformities effect her life, and carried on doing what she felt was right, while sticking to Islamic ways (why she gained even more respect).
Although Migdim comes from a slightly different society (rural, Bedouin) with slightly different customs, she too exhibits qualities in a female that one would not think common of a Middle Eastern woman. She doesn't really have political influence like Zaynab does, but instead affects the lives around her locally and is very outspoken and independent, not caring what others think of her (again, a trait that defeats the stereotype). For example, in the narrative Abu-Lughod states, "These three facts of a woman's life define some crucial circumstances: where she lives and what kind of support and standing she has in the community, and more important, who matters to her." However, Migdim doesn't let these matters of "importance" affect her at all; she paints her own path. She continuously denied marriages her father tried to arrange for her by screaming, crying, and throwing fits (something extremely uncommon, seen as disrespectful and childish€¦but she didn't care). Her knack for giving birth by herself was also quite uncommon but shows how well Migdim can behave independently-she hated to count on anyone for anything.
These women are great examples of how, even during a time when women were mostly suppressed, they acted in ways acceptable to themselves, regardless of whether society approved. Women in the Middle East continuously become more modern and self dependent. I am very glad that the narratives either include stories in which a woman is the main character, or at least mention women and their effects.