Mariam Majeed
Like many girls and women around the world, I have been exposed to sexism and the concept of gender inequality from a young age. It is embedded in my culture, my education, and even my hobbies, and I cannot help but wonder where else. It was there when, at 8, I was teased and mocked for being the only girl in my breakdance group. And again at 14, when my Pakistani mother expected me to help with household chores, while my older brother was exempt. When at 17, I was the only female student in my Accounting and Economics courses at my high school. All these experiences have led me to call myself a feminist today. Feminism is best defined as “the belief in social, economic, and political equality of the sexes” (Brunell & Burkett). Or, at least the Western theory. As a Muslim woman, I know Islamic feminism has existed as long as the religion has, for Muslim feminists appeared in the wake of the spread of Islam in the seventh century. Yet, many Americans, and other people part of Western society, often misinterpret the role of gender in Islam, painting Muslim women as submissive to Muslim men. Ironically, Islam was the first feminist nation to ever exist. So, where does this misinterpretation stem from? And, why should we care? Islamic feminists have been working for years to promote the importance of women’s rights, but to what avail? Negative connotations about Islam continue to be furthered through Western mass media and common misunderstandings. Islamic feminism can be defined as “an intellectual and theological trend advocating women’s advancement and gender equality within an Islamic discursive framework” (Moghadam). Though similar fundamentally, Islamic and Western feminism differ greatly not only in terms of diversity but politics and representation.
When looking at Western feminism, it is helpful to look at the American history that has played a large role in this movement. American feminism is understood to have begun when early feminists publicly demanded the right to vote at The Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. Years later, the 19th Amendment followed in 1920 granting white women the vote and the Equal Pay Act passed in 1963 (Olson). We find ourselves today in the post-third wave of feminism where the focus on equality persists, now additionally concerning intersectionality and anti-racism. Whereas American women struggled for the right to vote and be seen as equally capable as their male counterparts in the 20th century, Muslim women led a different, yet equal struggle. Before Islam was introduced in Arabia, women were without basic human and civil rights; they had little control over who they married and could not inherit land, for example. They were considered inferior beings and treated, instead, as property. When Islam was later introduced in the seventh century, the status of women improved drastically. The right to education, to own and inherit property, and to consent to marriage all became Islamic law. Meanwhile, in America, women were denied the right to own and manage property until the 18th century (Khalaf). The question becomes, then: why was there a need for Islamic feminism when women already had all their rights according to Islamic law?
In order to understand the need for Islamic feminism, we must first recognize that this movement resulted from a different struggle than that of Western feminism. The latter differs in the sense that women are seeking equality on the basis that men and women are both human, while Islamic feminism is based on religious values – Muslim women are advocating for their equality based solely on Islam and Quranic texts. When the Quran, along with the Islamic religion, was revealed, scholars and other important societal figures at the time, primarily men, interpreted the text to evaluate how to advance their way of living. It was these interpretations that posed issues for Muslim women. The texts were interpreted conservatively where women were treated as second to men and felt pressured socially to remain home rather than enter the labour force. Fundamental interpretations of Quranic verses, as well as long-existing patriarchy, thus instigated Islamic feminism. Muslim women had their rights, they were always there under Islamic law but they lacked recognition and, thus, Islamic feminism was born. Politically, then, Western and Muslim women are fighting for the same goal of equality but we must recognize that the origin of each movement differs.
Aside from politics and origin, Western and Islamic feminism differ in terms of media representation, as well. We can all agree that, despite the sexism present within the industry, Hollywood has released countless “iconic feminist” movies over the years – Clueless, Little Women, and Legally Blonde, to name a few. These films all have one thing in common: the main characters are all white. Western feminism portrayed in mass media is, inherently, white feminism. Western feminist films are almost exclusively about white women, pushing the narrative that secular, white, heterosexual notions of gender equality should be equal to those of women everywhere. And though these stories are important, they lack diversity and exclude entire populations of other Western women.
Islamic feminism in Western mainstream media, on the other hand, is nonexistent. Talk about exclusion, huh? Instead, we are fed the stereotypical narrative of a Muslim woman in need of a “white male saviour”, craving the life of a non-Muslim woman. Take Netflix’s Spanish teen drama, Elite, for example, which gained popularity in 2018. In the show, high-school student Nadia, a Muslim hijabi woman, rebels against her conservative Muslim family by taking off her hijab, drinking alcohol, and having sexual relations with a white, Christian male classmate. Elite forced the narrative that Muslim women who wear the hijab are oppressed, a narrative that is old, offensive, and perpetuates stereotypes on-screen. Suddenly, after removing her hijab, we are to believe that Nadia is liberated, free from supposed oppression and submission. Why is that the only way to empower Muslim women on-screen? This is not to say that suppression does not exist within the Muslim community, but if this is the only representation Hollywood and other streaming platforms have in store, we are better off without it. Looking at Western and Islamic feminist media representation side-by-side, then, both are lacking – one in terms of diversity, the other in breaking down stereotypes.
Growing up in a Western society, I have been exposed to sexism and Western feminism alike. Yet, the concept of Islamic feminism is novel to me. Over the years, seeing how Islam and Muslim women are portrayed in the movies, shows and media I consume has made me uncomfortable and embarrassed as a Muslim woman. There was a time when I believed these portrayals to be authentic, and it is a time that brings me great shame today. Maybe it is for this reason that most Muslim-Western women have not felt comfortable identifying themselves with Western feminism, considering many early Western feminists did not see the movement as global or diverse. Even at the beginning of the third wave of American feminism, from the 1990s to the first part of the 21st century, it was not unusual for Western feminists to exclude Muslim women’s voices, declaring that it was impossible to be both a Muslim and a feminist (Curtis 194). As a result, I have a lot of anger about how Muslim women are excluded from Western feminism. My anger is not only directed at Western society but at myself for not discovering Islamic feminism sooner as I developed as a woman. Though I want to call myself a feminist, this title has become conflicting. Yes, I believe in the equality of the sexes. So yes, I believe in feminism. But does the term “feminist” really fit my identity? Does Western feminism really support my beliefs and struggles as a woman of colour? As a Muslim woman? So, I turn to Islamic feminism. And I am met again with clashing ideals. I see the line separating cultural standards and religious values blurring, as societal norms become mistaken for religious teachings. I am left, then, in limbo between Western and Islamic feminism and understanding where I, and my unique experiences as a woman, fit in. Ideally, I wish to live in a world where Islamic feminism exists, but in reality, I live in a world where Western feminism prevails. I have come to understand that though, currently, I may not be comfortable identifying with Western feminism, there may come a time when I will. A time where Islamic feminism will take its place in Western society, changing the premise of Western feminism for the better. I have lived in North America my entire life, and I will likely continue to do so. Western society does not accept nor respect Islamic feminism, but I cannot simply advance to a nation that does, for such a society does not exist. Instead, I acknowledge that both feminist movements are fighting for a similar cause, but their differences in origin, politics and representation must not go unnoticed.
References
Brunell, L., & Burkett, E. (2019, December 16). Feminism. Retrieved February 14, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/feminism
Curtis, Edward E. “Feminist.” Encyclopedia of Muslim-American History, Facts on File, 2010, p. 194.
Khalaf, Rayana. “This Is How Islam Led the World with Women’s Rights.” StepFeed, 8 Mar. 2017, stepfeed.com/this-is-how-islam-led-the-world-with-women-s-rights-0090.
Moghadam, Valentine. Modernizing Women: Gender and Social Change in the Middle East. 3rd ed., Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc., 2013.Olson, John. “Feminism.” HISTORY, A&E Television Networks, 20 Nov. 2019, http://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/feminism-womens-history.
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Mariam Majeed is a writer, student, and Canadian who now lives in Michigan. Her favourite authors beyond her older sister, Amna, and best friend, Shukria, range generations from Mohammad Iqbal to Rupi Kaur. In her free time, she enjoys baking and being in nature. You can reach her @mariam.majeed13.
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