After the tragic incident of September 11th, the former first lady of the United States Laura Bush, delivered a speech addressing the oppression women in Afghanistan faced. The U.S. accentuated that the war against the Taliban was a war on behalf of women and children that are brutally oppressed. Afghanistan became the spotlight in the media and the controversial topic around the burqa aroused; the veiled women became symbols of an invisible, passive, and undifferentiated “other” (Rosenberg 3). Cross cultural solidarity can never be attained because of Western manipulation of gender to imperialize foreign states by “rescuing women and children”.
Through the years of conflict between the West and Islam, the media has altered the minds of non-Muslim …show more content…
gained hegemony in the world, then took this illusionary paternal role of “saving” women and children who are abused by the Taliban. In order to maintain this power, the West has pushed the idea of modernization (white feminism) in the Muslim states, particularly in Afghanistan. The West overlooks the possibility of solidarity because they neglect the reality of Islam, which most women exist within. Western feminism implements its ideology to modernize Afghanistan instead of working alongside the pre-existing framework within the bounds of Islam. Therefore, Muslim women began realizing that they did not have to abandon their socio-cultural identity; they did not have to define themselves based on Western ideologies in order to be deemed as liberated. While the burqa is regarded as a symbol of oppression by Western feminists, Muslim feminists have returned to wearing it to protest against prevailing Western colonists attitudes. This protest proclaims that Muslim women can practice Islam and be equal to men at the same time. “Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban had for several years claimed that they were protecting women from the ravages of the infidel West’s culture of exposure and derided Americans…” (Rosenberg 4). Islamic feminists began rejecting Western feminism in order to maintain socio-cultural authenticity. Cross-cultural solidarity can never be attained because the West forcefully imperializes Afghanistan. When the West …show more content…
Western influence in Afghanistan created tension—women became pawns in the U.S. war against the Taliban. It became a rival game, where men or nation have the power to “save” women and decide the limitations on their lives and dress code (Rosenberg 4). Perhaps by deconstructing the imperialistic association of the burqa with oppression, terrorism and inequality, the veil will become a piece of cloth that women can simply choose to wear and can be accepted in Western
Through the years of conflict between the West and Islam, the media has altered the minds of non-Muslim …show more content…
gained hegemony in the world, then took this illusionary paternal role of “saving” women and children who are abused by the Taliban. In order to maintain this power, the West has pushed the idea of modernization (white feminism) in the Muslim states, particularly in Afghanistan. The West overlooks the possibility of solidarity because they neglect the reality of Islam, which most women exist within. Western feminism implements its ideology to modernize Afghanistan instead of working alongside the pre-existing framework within the bounds of Islam. Therefore, Muslim women began realizing that they did not have to abandon their socio-cultural identity; they did not have to define themselves based on Western ideologies in order to be deemed as liberated. While the burqa is regarded as a symbol of oppression by Western feminists, Muslim feminists have returned to wearing it to protest against prevailing Western colonists attitudes. This protest proclaims that Muslim women can practice Islam and be equal to men at the same time. “Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban had for several years claimed that they were protecting women from the ravages of the infidel West’s culture of exposure and derided Americans…” (Rosenberg 4). Islamic feminists began rejecting Western feminism in order to maintain socio-cultural authenticity. Cross-cultural solidarity can never be attained because the West forcefully imperializes Afghanistan. When the West …show more content…
Western influence in Afghanistan created tension—women became pawns in the U.S. war against the Taliban. It became a rival game, where men or nation have the power to “save” women and decide the limitations on their lives and dress code (Rosenberg 4). Perhaps by deconstructing the imperialistic association of the burqa with oppression, terrorism and inequality, the veil will become a piece of cloth that women can simply choose to wear and can be accepted in Western