"And even while the fashion brightest arts decoy,
The heart distrusting asks, if this be joy" - Oliver Goldsmith
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The heart distrusting asks, if this be joy" - Oliver Goldsmith
I don't mean no disrespect when I say what I'm about to say and I do hope that no one understands this the wrong way.. I'm merely stating the way I feel about things and how I see them from my perspective..
I believe in our world today, we are all "galmorously" chained, hence the pearls around the wrist in the photo.. Our sense of style is not our own, but is the idea of what others consider as beautiful.. And I myself am not immune to it either.. I am a victim of the ideas of "beauty" that are set to us by a group of people we don't even know and who mean nothing to us..
And to me, that is oppression my friends. It isn't a covered Muslim woman who CHOOSES to be covered.
I believe that women in general are still oppressed.. Their oppression is indirect and is marked as an "aesthetic" choice.. This is done through the media where they manipulate the power and the importance of women by indirectly making them strive so hard to become the “right image” in order to get somewhere in life.. In order to be someone in life..
Today a thin, young looking woman with little fabric is considered as beautiful.. While in the Muslim world, a covered up woman, although to the rest of the world will be labelled as "oppressed", she is considered as respectable and beautiful.. Therefore, this constructive illustration that is presented to women is not less than the oppression the media has claimed Muslim women experience..
Freedom of expression is merely an illusion that is fed to us.. Because if a Muslim woman dresses the way she wants to be dressed, she is instantly judged and thought of as being forced to be covered when most of the time, that is far from the truth.. Let us not forget that nuns also cover up.. Are they oppressed?
There is a huge misconception about Muslim women in the world that we can't all deny.. And it's a misconception that can easily be fixed by doing a little more research and a little more thinking.. Let's not all fall victims of the media.. Let us not be bought by what is being sold to us.. It ain't right.. And it ain't fair either.. Coz at the end of the day, we are all the same.. Problem is, no one thinks so..
Feel free to disagree but that's just my 2 cents ;)
Peace
xoxo
13 comments:
Though provoking post, I believe the "western women" and "Muslim women" are probably both oppressed. Both "choosing" to subscribe and conform to what is expected of us by the media/culture/religion machine that surrounds us. Ahh but we cannot be free from it all, we can only choose to be happy with whatever "chains" we wear.
@Jadegrrrl - "we can only choose to be happy with whatever "chains" we wear".. Love how you put that.. Thank you for sharin your thoughts.. Really appreciate it
whilst this is a thought provoking post I don't think you can categorise all western women as 'oppressed'. Granted alot of people are influenced by the medias idea of beauty but most of my friends and people in my life are not atall. I don't think I have ever looked in a magazine and thought'ohh i love what she's wearing i need to dress more like her', and I certainly have never seriously wanted to have a figure like anyone else ive seen, and I am by no means skinny. I think that alot of western women including me and most of my friends are comfortable in their own skin because we are given the choice of so many styles and lifestyles, and feel very little concern or pressure for what media or society is doing. That said, I think your post can certainly be applied to some women (not just women), but from my experience they tend to be younger and often grow out of it. Interesting post, got me thinking :) x
@Rachy - You're absolutely right.. And like I said in my post.. I was speaking generally.. I shouldn't really say Western women.. I should say women in general.. Ima edit that now.. I have friends that are also uneffected by the image put forward by the media.. And I admire them for it.. I was tryna make a point that oppression isn't just just a covered woman.. But an "exposed" woman is also "oppressed" in a way..
Thank you soooo much for your input.. Really great points you made there.. =)
I totally agree with you! You know I live part time in Oman, and I have Muslima friends. It takes more than a hijab to chain women to unrealistic standards, whether they be about beauty, culture or religion.
Thank you for the insightful post. I am not a Muslim woman woman living in the Muslim world, so I can never fully understand the perpsective you are coming from, though I really appreciate the insight you give. And I do agree that Western women, for whom it is considered glamerous to look like a pornography star, are certainly living under oppression, even if they think they are free. If that is freedom, then I don't want it! Thanks for your post,
~Clare
Sad to say, but yes, beauty is a culturally conditioned thing. It's also genetically instilled in us for reproductive purposes, and it is a sad reality.
Very thought provoking post as others have said.What I think also has to stop is women being so hard and judgemental about other women. It has to stop. I worked in a high school, and girls can be so awful to each other. I wish all mothers would teach their daughters to praise and celebrate our differences and not judge others by looks. That we are all beautiful human beings. That is my wish.
@Jamilla Camel - Amen to that! Thanks hun =)
@Clare - If that is freedom, I don't it either! Thanks for your input sweetie.. Really appreciated it =)
@JC - What bugs me is the definition of beauty that is fed to us.. There shouldn't be a definition coz we're all beautiful in our own way..
@Tracy@Beauty Reflections - I totally agree with you! Was actually discussing that with my friend the other day.. Women all around the world are all already struggling with so many things.. And it really saddens me to see that it is women who bring other women down.. Thank you for your insight =)
I love these insightful, thought-provoking posts you write. I think it's true. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and most things in life are subjective. I think it's important to keep an open mind and see things from a different perspective other than your own comfort zone. :)
@Danielle - You're absolutely right.. I think we get so caught up in what WE think and believe is right that we forget that there are other opinions and points of views that just coz they're different doesn't mean they're wrong..
I think there is also so much judgement from Muslims to other Muslims. If you're a Muslim woman that doesn't cover up, wears makeup you're automatically singled out and given the dirty looks. Believe me I experienced it first hand living in the U.S. That's why I don't even bother going to a mosque here. I just cannot be bothered with uneducated people who will give me their dirty, disapproval looks because they think I am living my life the wrong way. It's funny how those same people go to mosques to pray YET they are judging others because of whatever reason. But if they were judged, their response would be "Only God can judge me" It's like, hypocrite much? Nobody in my family or circle of family friends/friends covers up. That is the norm to me. In my 26 years alive, I have only had one covered friend who wasn't even from my country and this was going to middle school in U.S. The truth is that, there is oppression of women regardless of religion all over the world. Some people just choose not to see it, I think. But I do know what you mean, Muslim women are generally looked at as "poor little things". I think most Muslim women cover up because they simply choose to. Hopefully with time, people will give up believing the stereotypes they see from the media and see the reality.
You are soo right, women are oppressed regardless of the religion the follow or the race they come from. There is still domestic violence in US and also happy and content women in the middle east. Oppression exists in many forms, whether is the burkha or the anti burkha. Although free will can exist in both forms. I wish people would stop being so judgmental and that comes from the conservatives and the so called liberals.
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