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Effects of a Misogynistic Society on Women
Over the course of history, interactions between individuals from different races, sects, cultures, religious backgrounds and genders have become a key contribution towards helping to define current day society. These are the fine details that allow for an individual to distinguish between him or herself and others. Race, sects, cultures and religious backgrounds have led to ground breaking ideas such as multiculturalism and integration; however, they have also been the prime motivation for social illnesses such as racism and segregation. An ideal example of this would be the American society, in which, African Americans were racially attacked and mistreated because of their ethnicity and race. Likewise, women have also been victims of society as they are constantly targeted by sexism and misogyny; leading them to feel inferior to men in society. The novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hossieni is an excellent exemplar of this treatment. Hossieni introduces readers to two Afghani women, who are brought together as a result of their battle against sexism and misogyny which is present within their community. The analysis of this plotline and research from secondary sources helps to prove, that the premise that women within a misogynistic society are degraded is true and is reflected through discrimination within the education system, misrepresentation of women in the media and the categorization of stereotypes.
In Afghani society, women are victims of domestic violence, inequality and other types of abuse; however, the lack of education also takes an equal, if not greater toll than the abuse these women persevere through on a daily basis. Fortunately in the novel, Mariam and Laila...
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...th strangers. Women in misogynistic societies like, Afghanistan are also constantly categorized by stereotypes which allow men to expect certain behaviours from them such as only cooking or cleaning. In conclusion, misogyny within the education system, the media and marginalised stereotypes all negatively affect the way women are portrayed within the eastern and western world.
Works cited
Hosseini, Khaled. A Thousand Splendid Suns. New York: Riverhead Books, 2007. Print.
Prompt. "Newsvine - Bitches and Hoes - Exploring Misogyny in Hip-Hop." prompt - prompt.newsvine.com. 28 Feb. 2008. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. .
"UNICEF - Afghanistan - Statistics." UNICEF - UNICEF Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
Both el Saadawi and Al-Shaykh both show how perception and expression are both affected within the confines of politics, social opportunities, and male privilege depicted in their stories. Whether the reader is a follower of the feminist movement or not, it is very clear and easy to see that these women are not being treated with the respect that any human being deserves. The misogynistic stranglehold on society, especially in this part of the world, is excessive and avoidable in today’s world but it is very likely that the traditional, conservative ways of the past will continue to control and inhibit women from being able to be fully treated as equals for many years to come, perhaps even after this generation has
In the article “ From Fly to Bitches and Hoes” by Joan Morgan, she often speaks about the positive and negative ideas associated with hip-hop music. Black men display their manhood with full on violence, crime, hidden guilt, and secret escapes through drugs and alcohol. Joan Morgan’s article views the root causes of the advantage of misogyny in rap music lyrics. In the beginning of the incitement her desires shift to focus on from rap culture condemnation to a deeper analysis of the root causes. She shows the hidden causes of unpleasant sexism in rap music and argues that we need to look deeper into understanding misogyny. I agree with Joan Morgan with the stance that black men show their emotions in a different way that is seen a different perspective.
The Taliban has made education unattainable for Afghan women. Although Joya had set up secret schools for women, they all lived in fear and risked being punished for trying to gain knowledge. At this same time period between the late 20th and early 21st century, in contrast, women of the West were given the same amount of education as men. This provided the women with the knowledge to have a better chance at getting involved in politics and making a difference in gender equality. At this point, the women in Afghanistan, without the knowledge of law or politics, had only the agency to know that they have an entitlement to be treated like humans that are able to make their own decisions just as men are. Despite the limited agency due to their lack of education, Afghan women were overall better equipped to fight for their rights as opposed to the US government. This is especially true when considering the Afghan women’s major goal in contrast to the United State’s focus. The Afghan women’s major concern was the liberation of women, while the United States centered their intervention on improving the stability and economic growth of Afghanistan “lecture”. As it can be seen throughout the Second Wave of feminism in the US, women acquired rights by working together in collective groups demanding equal job opportunities and political representation (Ewig
A lot of attention has been drawn to the plight of women in Afghanistan. Many people understand what has been going on with the treatment of women in Afghanistan but very few understand. There should be more understanding of how women were treated before, during, and after the Taliban regime.
It is said that Western civilization had been primarily male dominated and as a result as diminished the feminine. Women’s roles in society have changed drastically over the past decades. While it took much time, progress for women’s rights has blossomed. Influences in civilization have affected view points of the commonly held mores, expectations, and stereotypes which define gender.
"Life as an Afghan Woman." Trust in Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. .
Travesties are committed against women every day, in every country, in every city, town and home. In Afghanistan women are not only discriminated against, they are publicly reduced to animals. Women are deprived of basic human rights: they are not allowed to travel outside their homes without being completely covered by the traditional shroud-like burqa; they are not allowed to speak or walk loudly in public; they are not allowed to laugh or speak with other women; they are not allowed to attend school nor work; they are expected to be invisible; they are the ghosts of what were once educated, notable, and successful women. With their ruthless and extreme laws, the Taliban have effectively removed the physical presence of women in Afghanistan. The Taliban have stolen the very souls of these women and have turned them into the “living dead” of Afghanistan. The Taliban’s harsh restrictions and extreme religious laws have tainted the freedoms and basic human rights of the once valued and prominent women of Afghanistan.
As the realization of women as an exploited group increases, the similarity of their position to that of racial and ethnic groups becomes more apparent. Women are born into their sexual identity and are easily distinguished by physical and cultural characteristics. In addition, women now identify that they are all sufferers of an ideology (sexism) that tries to justify their inferior treatment.
Lila Abu-Lughod’s article titled, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?” takes a closer look at the problematic ethnocentric approach many have when trying to gain an understanding of another culture that may be foreign to that individual. In this analytical paper, Lughod looks at women in Islam, specifically the treatment of women and how it might be utilized as a justification for invading into a country and liberating its people. The country Lughod refers to in her article is Afghanistan, and Lughod points out the misunderstanding from the people to the Bush administration like First Lady Laura Bush who believed that intervention was necessary to free women from the captivity of their own homes. It is important to consider the role that different lenses play into all of this, especially when one’s lenses are being shaped by the media. Depictions of covered women secluded from society leave a permanent image in the minds of many, who would then later support the idea of liberation. This paper will discuss that the practice of using propaganda when referring to the lifestyle in the Middle East is not exclusive to the U.S; rather it has been utilized throughout history. Additionally, we will take a closer look on the importance of symbols, such as veils in this case; help to further emphasize the cause to liberate. Finally, we will analyze Lughod’s plea towards cultural relativism and away from liberal imperialism.
In his novel “A Thousand Splendid Suns”, Khaled Hosseini skillfully illustrates many aspects of Afghan culture to the reader. The novel explores the struggles that have plagued Afghanistan, and how they have affected the lives of its people. Through the story’s two narrators, Mariam and Laila, the reader is presented with examples of how the nation’s culture has changed over time. Through “A Thousand Splendid Suns” Khaled Hosseini emphasizes the struggle in the area between traditional beliefs and progressive changes, specifically as they relate to women’s rights. Throughout history it has been shown these that progressive reforms are unable to coincide with strict Islamic beliefs.
"The Violation of Women's Human Rights in Afghanistan." WIN News Winter 1999: 52. ProQuest.Web. 6 Nov. 2013 .
From the 1950’s until around 1985 the Soviet Union had Afghanistan under its control. This Soviet involvement in Afghanistan caused the ideologies of communism to spread into the Afghanistan culture. One of the communistic ideas that were assimilated into was the thought that every person is equal. This idea made life a lot easier for the women of Afghanistan. One of the freedoms they were given under Soviet control was the allowance of woman being educated, “The government had sponsored literacy classes for all women. Almost two-thirds of the students at Kabul University were women now… women who were studying law, medicine, engineering” (135) Hosseini expresses this through the character Laila. Laila’s father, Babi, was a professor and strongly urged the necessity for Laila to get an education. He was so dedicated that he would help out Laila with her homework every night. Hosseini expressed this when Laila claimed “Babi thought that the one thing that communists had done right- or at least intended to- ironically, was in the filed of education… More specifically the education of women.” (135). To Babi there was nothing more impertinent than the education of woman in Afghanistan. He knew that when half the population is illiterate the country cannot properly aspire to new and better things. Along with the new right to learn, women’s requirement to cover their skin was relaxed all throughout Afghanistan. ...
Throughout Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner, the reader observes many injustices committed due to the presence of the Taliban and cultural conflict in Afghanistan. One of the most concerning issues in Afghanistan is the mistreatment and inequality that women face on a daily basis due to Taliban mandates. Women in Afghanistan are treated as inferior beings to men and are unable to stand up for themselves due the laws the Taliban enforces. Hosseini uses the wives of Amir and Hassan, Soraya and Farzana, to represent the injustices to which women in Afghanistan are subjected.
Education of women in Afghanistan is still a big problem facing the Afghan community. The serious situation of illiterate women in Afghanistan ins...
Feminism is defined as the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. It began as an organized activity on behalf of women?s rights and interests. This concept was developed to help women earn a place in a predominantly male society. Unfortunately over the years, the intentions of feminism have become distorted, not only by anti-feminists, but also by the feminists themselves. The principle of equality for women and men has turned into a fight in which feminists wish to be better than men. Feminism has been twisted and misunderstood so much that it has become a harmful idea.