51吃瓜

Giving agency to Muslim women to tell their own stories is the only way to understand their identity.

Background

A cursory Google search for the term 鈥淢uslim women鈥� largely produces a single image: a black sheet. Muslim women are this single stereotype: a black robe covering a brown-skinned, exotic, sexually charged damsel-in-distress. This image brings with it a host of other adjectives that are equally restricting: oppressed, subjugated, silent, invisible.

From Princess Jasmine to the poster for聽Homeland, these women exist for the pleasure of men, hidden behind screens in a harem, patiently waiting for European colonists to rescue them from their plight. Although it seems farfetched, the idea of聽鈥溾�澛燤uslim women has been used as a justification for Western intervention time and time again: from the blue burqas 颈苍听聽to the silence over聽聽killed by the Taliban in favor of聽听辞苍别.

The assertions that Muslim women suffer are, however, true:聽,听濒颈尘颈迟别诲 to seek divorce and recourse after rape,听 补苍诲听聽are all major issues in Muslim countries. The symbolic black robes originate in Saudi Arabia, which coincidentally also tops the list of countries where lack of聽, especially the ability to drive, are frequently highlighted. It is indisputable that Muslim countries, most notably those within conflict zones, top the list for most dangerous places for women.

Why Do Stories of Muslim Women Matter?

A one-dimensional portrayal of Muslim women, however, and Muslim women鈥檚 issues, erases the multifaceted causes: globalization, conflict and patriarchal systems among them. It hides the fact that many countries, including聽聽补苍诲听, had advanced women鈥檚 rights before the brutal conflicts and intervention they now face.

Furthermore, this narrative ignores the stories of Saudi women who聽聽the driving ban, the disproportionately higher number of educated women in countries such as聽聽补苍诲听, and the movement toward trendy 鈥溾�� fashion and high clothing聽lines dedicated聽. It obstructs the stories of pioneering young women like聽Farah al-Zahrani,听,听聽补苍诲听聽from being heard.

Farah al-Zahrani 漏 Elena Koshevaya

It also glosses over the emergence of聽聽such as the late聽聽补苍诲听聽and their attempts to engage meaningfully with religious texts to redefine what it means to be Muslim and a woman. The struggles with and against patriarchal systems, abuse and even聽聽in mosques are not only ongoing, but increasingly evident.

If only the first narrative exists, Muslim women are forever the silent victims, unable to speak for themselves and waiting for a savior. It creates a binary between the聽鈥攙alidating the idea that the only way to be 鈥渆mpowered鈥� is to also be globally north or 鈥淲estern.鈥� This identity is tied closely with the idea of being individualistic, a commodified consumer and, in some cases, secular. While some Muslim women might choose to embrace this 鈥済irl power鈥� flavored identity as a valid form of self-expression and identification, allowing聽it as the only options silences any other definitions of empowerment.

The two strains of this identity鈥攚hat it means to be 鈥淢uslim鈥� and what it means to be a 鈥渨oman鈥濃�攁re an ongoing negotiation for most women that is both complex and nuanced. Reducing this process to a single image or stereotype is both counterproductive and reductive.

The response of an increasing number of Muslim women is an insistence on performing their own identities in the聽聽sphere. Whether this means becoming a Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist, a competitive boxer, a business owner and entrepreneur or an activist, Muslim women are eschewing the idea that they must adhere to anybody鈥檚 standard and critiquing the identities forced upon them by outside forces, including globalization.

The only way to understand what it means to be a Muslim woman is to listen to the stories of Muslim women.

The views expressed in this article are the author鈥檚 own and do not necessarily reflect 51吃瓜鈥檚 editorial policy.

Photo Credit: / / Elena Koshevaya

We bring you perspectives from around the world. Help us to inform and educate. Your聽donation聽is tax-deductible. Join over 400 people to become a donor or you could choose to be a聽sponsor.