A R C H I V E S
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Not Without Her Make-Up |
|---|
| Sabr |
| 02/05/03 at 12:16:51 |
| assalamu alikm .....this is an article i came across /...... interesting This is a satire written to mimic articles, reports >and stories generally written about Muslim women by >women from Western non-Muslim backgrounds. It is, to >some extent, an attempt to convey to the readers how >it feels to be 'othered' and to be judged >superficially in accordance with only one's own >perceptions. I hope you take it for what it is - a >satire. > >I do not clearly remember the first time I was here. >My earliest memories of Australia start when I was >around six or seven, probably my first trip after I >was born in the city of Sydney. My parents were not >particularly happy with the idea of me growing up >there. So, they took me out to Iran at the first >opportunity. > >As I grew up, my impressions of Sydney were formed >from stories I heard from my parents, shows I watched >on television and of course, what I saw on my trips. >From my first trip at the age of seven, I vaguely >remember the people I met and the places I visited. I >remember more from my second trip, though, which was >at the age of fourteen. I recall my parents warning me >over and over again about how women were treated in a >society so fundamentally Western. While I was there, I >learnt that individuality was something Australians >only dreamt about. I soon discovered I had to conform >to the dress code everyone else followed. I had to >have my hair highlighted and defrizzed. I had to spend >between fifteen ad twenty minutes every morning >brushing it and putting on clips and hair ties. I had >to make it into a ponytail one day, a braid the next >and a bun when I went to dinner parties. I was coerced >to wear short skirts and tight tops, with a push-up >bra to give me cleavage. My legs had to show, smooth >and unscarred, and everyone had to be able to make out >my waist. They told me I had to 'fit in'. Part of the >ritual of fitting in meant that I had to paint my face >with what they called make-up everyday. I discovered >that Australian females liked to attract as much >attention as they could to themselves, by hiding >behind their make-up. They made their kohl in liquids >and pencils, instead of pots like we do, and sold them >in stores under a range of different names and prices. >They all seemed the same to me, though. Anyhow, I >bought what they told me to buy and used what they >told me to use, from lipsticks to abdominizers, >changing my body from head to toe to please their male >gods. Such things ensured that everyone wanted to >'hang out' with me (a term denoting something to the >effect of spending time and/or social acceptance). > >In the five years between then and now, I had >convinced myself that Australia would have joined >other countries on the road to progress. But my return >to Sydney both shocks and saddens me. While many parts >of the world have seen development, Australia has >dragged behind, especially with regards to the status >of women. It seems as if it has only succeeded in >digging itself deeper into a bottomless pit of >regression. At this rate, I fear that Australia is a >second America in the making. > >Upon arrival, I have come across some typical Sydney >women. I can see that they are dictated by the strict >dress code imposed on them by the social system. They >are not allowed to wear loose clothing, headscarves >until they are old or ailing, and it is preferred that >they show as much of their bodies as possible. Women >who break this rule face harsh penalties. Sarah, a >victim of such injustices, told me the specifics. As >punishment for wearing non-revealing clothing, she is >deemed unattractive and given unequal treatment by her >employers. She says she is not considered 'normal'. > >A day in the life of a normal woman here requires her >appearance to be the focal point. Her sexuality must >be available for everyone to consume. She cannot >choose to whom she will disclose her intimate parts or >exercise her sexuality. She does not have much choice >in what she wants to do with her body. Since the >fundamentalist regime insists that it must be >available for display in a certain manner, she must >follow these rules. > >The rules are based on the Australian Holy Scriptures, >two of which are Dolly and Cosmopolitan. Also known as >magazines, these contain the teachings of hard-liner >editors and reporters/writers who design the way in >which society must view women and the way women must >dress and act. Since the advent of these magazines, >there have been mass conversions in the country to the >faith they preach. Authority and control have been >transferred onto them and they play a vital role in >the life of women. They have institutionalized radical >guidelines such as the 36:24:36 measurement of a >woman's body. Furthermore, they propagate intolerance >and hate to be internalized in all women - hate for >their own bodies, natural intelligence, privacy and >inherent dignity. These women are brainwashed into >believing that their Creator is to blame for their >deficiencies in not automatically meeting these >standards. > >In accordance with these oppressive impositions, the >country's commerce has developed. Industry is devoted >to the development of products to assist women in >looking as artificial as possible. The market is >filled with products for the face and every different >part of it plus the hair, the hands, the legs, the >nails...the list goes on. I suppose one must concede >to the fact that Australia's delayed development >causes it to prioritize looks over the fact that >millions of people in the world go hungry. > >It is interesting to look at some of the >advertisements for the beauty products. I will warn >you, though, that coming from an emancipated society, >these will be very disturbing. For instance, an >advertisement for hair color uses the motto "L'Oreal - >because I'm worth it". A model in an ad for a shampoo >claims that using the shampoo gives her more >confidence. These poor women must shampoo, condition >and color their hair in order to legitimize >themselves. They need the perfect curl, the right >bounce and the shiniest color. Their value to society >is directly linked to their hair. > >Other significant practices are the prevalent marriage >customs. A woman is required to perform the ceremonial >'going out', which can span any period of time from a >day to ten years. This starts as early as primary >school and as she grows up, she goes out with various >men. Until she finds the one she wishes to marry, she >does not commit to any one man. > >All the men she goes out with are allowed to touch her >and sleep with her. All this time, her status and >acceptance in society is determined by how many of >these men she has accommodated in her life. The >greater the quota of men, the more sufficient she is >considered. Particularly in high school, young girls >have little to contribute to their own identities. >Their identities derive from who they go out with and >how many boys they go out with. Though this kind of >mental torture is less obvious in later years of their >life, my conversations with many women in university >and work indicate that they still suffer. Some feel >they must get married in order to make a place for >themselves. > >Marriage, though, is subject to a bizarre rule. A >woman cannot legally marry until she is eighteen years >old without parental consent. It is socially expected, >however, for girls under eighteen to lose their >virginity. When I was listening to one of the popular >radio stations, 2DayFM, I was informed that the >average age that Australians lost their virginity at >is between thirteen and fifteen. As a consequence of >this, many girls under eighteen become pregnant. >Society accepts these girls as mothers before eighteen >but does not allow them to have husbands, who could >also take responsibility as fathers to the children >born. While women must bear the responsibility of >parenthood, men can get away with it. This is one of >the many contradictions that exist in Australia today. > >Inequalities also exist for women who do get married. >Marriage requires the woman to play multiple roles. >She must be wife, mother and often a breadwinner of >the family. She shoulders the responsibility of taking >care of her husband and children at home while also >earning money not only for herself, but also for the >family. Whatever she earns is not solely her property. >Unlike Islamic societies, her husband and her family >have a claim to her income and she even pays for >groceries! > >Often, she is not given the choice of whether she >wants to stay at home or work. The society she lives >in enshrines materialism and money, money and more >money. It is vital to their lifestyle. As a result, >she must go out and work. On top of that, her position >in society is judged on her ability to work outside >the home. She must suffer the greatest burden in >society. She really does not have the right to choose. >Can you imagine a life where your identity is judged >by everything you have and not everything you are? > >Even more surprising is the widespread cultural >practice of women changing their surnames to that of >their husbands' once they are married. Amanda, a law >student, who opposes this practice, tells me that, in >previous times, this act symbolized the transfer of >all of a woman's rights and property to her husband >from her father. Though the custom of a woman becoming >her husband's property has ceased to exist, women >still change their names to that of their husbands'. > >Seeing all this, I am aware that Australian women are >denied the rights that are basic to many Muslim women. >What concerns me, though, is whether or not they are >aware of that fact. > >I remember from my second trip to Australia that I >felt I had a Western noose tied around my neck. I felt >I had no space to breathe or to let myself free. The >air around me cloaked my beauty, my spirit and my >soul. But I was lucky. I could leave. > >Most of the Australian women I spoke to do not have >that alternative. They do not even know of their >plight. They are pushed into a corner where they >cannot see outside the boundaries of such a >fundamentally Western society. Women immune to Western >correctness - mostly the educated Muslims - have begun >programs to educate others around them. They are >asserting themselves by breaking out of the >confinement, wearing loose clothing and denying just >anyone access to their sexuality. I see their efforts >as a glimmer of hope. It is crucial that before women >can improve their lot, they are taught the rights they >have that society has taken away from them. > >Nevertheless, there is still hope. I call upon all the >Muslim women in the world to come to the rescue of >Australian women. I urge that all of us stand up >against Western oppression in different parts of the >world. It is our responsibility to bring progress into >these societies and it is up to us to save them. |
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board |