Anthropology Week 8: Free Sample Essay To Follow

What is it about Western attitudes towards women in the Middle East and North Africa that provokes her to ask these questions of us?
It is commonly believed that women in the Middle East and North Africa are oppressed. They are considered to be victims of the regimes, vulnerable to the violence from their male relatives and almost helpless in this situation. Representatives of the Western civilization used the liberation of women as the reason for their conquests in different countries including Egypt, Algeria and Afghanistan. They consider burqa, the traditional covering of the Pashtun women, the symbol of the tyranny. Therefore, the freedom of not wearing was granted to Afghani females after the war. Surprisingly, burqa did not disappear from the women’s faces. The issue is that the Western attitude towards women in the Middle East and North Africa is based on the ignorance of their traditions and moral values. For them burqa is not viewed as a sign of oppression. Furthermore, this kind of covering is their freedom to feel comfortable in the unknown places. It is a kind of portable home. Wearing burqa or headscarf means to be moral and respectful for these women. Therefore, modern politicians and feminists should not care about the veils but concentrate on the other problems such as corruption and repressive regimes. Besides, Western attitude is based on the Western perspective of good, evil and moral. While banning veil, Western civilization shows disrespect towards the values of the Eastern women. It is an attempt to implant the Western ideas without taking into consideration that the cultural background of the East is different. What seems to be just and justified in the West can be considered immoral for the society in the Middle East. Abu-Lughod considers this attitude as wrong and maleficent.