Throughout my life, I have been exposed to many foreigners from various nations, as well as many people from different Arab countries. I may not be a scientist or a sociologist, but I am an Arab woman, and this is the way I see it… I can’t deny it… life isn’t perfect. Many things could be better than they currently are, and a lot of changes and improvements are needed. But after all there is no heaven on earth, and being an Arab woman isn’t as bad as it may seem. If you really think about it, you’ll find that Arab women and women globally aren’t that much different; they both at one point in time fought for their independence, women globally aren’t that much different; they both at one point in time fought for their independence, their right to be educated, the right to work, the right to dress as they please, and the right to marry whom they choose.
The Facts as I see them:
Education:
Awareness is constantly increasing about the importance of education and the problem of illiteracy around the world, as well as in Arab countries. There are still many illiterate women, but most of them come from illiterate families in lower social classes. They are not being educated due to economic problems or the lack of importance of education to their family in general, and not because of their gender.
Education is crucially important for the middle and higher classes; the percentage of uneducated women in those classes is probably very small. A lot of women even seek higher education, such as an MBA degree or a master in their field, depending on their personal ambition.
Why Not pity:
If you compare the educational level of Arab women to that of foreign women of the same social level, you will find that it is generally similar. Education is just as important to Arab women as it is to foreigners.
Work
A lot of Arab women work, even the uneducated and illiterate. It is a fairly common thing in our society. Sometimes it’s a personal choice to work; sometimes it’s a way to help raise family’s general income. A large number of women with no education, work on farms to help their families. They also work as maids, housekeepers, and nannies. They work in households, schools, restaurants, and public places. They may even work as traders, selling bread, vegetables, and other goods. To these women, working is a fact of life, not an earned right, and not working is simply a luxury.
Middle and upper class women work in many different fields, depending on their educational level, field of study, personal choices, or work opportunities. Like women around the world, some work just to earn money, some try to reach a goal, and some simply follow their passions.
Why Not Pity
Arab women have the right to work, as well as the choice in most cases. Like women worldwide, they are sometimes obligated to work to support their families.
Dress Code
Usually when people picture an Arab woman she’s veiled and dressed in long black drapery covering her face and everything else. While you can find the image personified in most Arab countries, it’s definitely no longer the main dress code. Depending on the country and social level, the way women dress varies greatly.
In rural areas and low social levels, women tend to wear long loose dresses, covering their hair with a scarf. Other women in the same area may wear generally conservative clothes such as pants and a blouse, or a long sleeved top and skirt. In the middle and high levels of society, women’s clothes varies from highly conservative to very revealing, also depending on the area they live in as well as general family values.
Why Not Pity
It’s a social thing! If you go to a nude beach wearing a bikini you will feel weird having it on. It’s the same with the dress code in Arab countries. For religious or moral reasons some people choose to wear conservative clothes, while others choose not to, nut in the end, it’s a personal choice that should be respected.
Family
Family is the most important thing in the Arab community and in most cases the bond is unbreakable. Having a close relationship with family members is very important. It may seem at times that having a family holds a person back from their dreams or ambitions, but the fact remains that all the unbearable meddling and all those rules emerge from care, love, and sincerity. Providing a secure environment, constant support, and unconditional love is what makes having family a huge benefit. To some it may seem like a limit on freedom, but it’s not.
Why Not Pity
Yes… maybe we could do without the meddling sometimes, but you can’t get the good without the bad. The family bond is important to maintain; a greeting card or a phone call every now and then is not enough. Being around family provides security in life because you know that no matter what they will always be there when needed. Seeing how your family acts in certain situations will also help you in decision-making later in life.
Legal Rights
Most Arab women have a lot of legal right, such as the right to vote and the right to vote and the right to divorce. Just like in all other countries, some women think that they have enough rights, some think they more. Feminists all around the world, and in Arab societies fought and will keep fighting for more and more rights everyday.
Why Not Pity
Don’t try to judge what you think is important for women globally, because this varies from one society to another. What is crucial to a foreigner may not be of any importance to an Arab, and vice versa.
Sex and Relationships
This varies considerably from one family to the other, but the majority of Arab families reject the idea of their daughter having a boyfriend or going on a date. They would also reject the idea of sexual intercourse out of wedlock.
Why Not Pity
A woman (or a man) may only have sex and intimate relations when married, but if the marriage is not successful, the couple can get a divorce and marry someone else. This generally is a positive thing, as it sets basic rules and helps eliminate problems such as not knowing who the father of a child is, and preserves the rights of the woman and her child.
Marriage
Most Arab women nowadays have the freedom to choose whom they want to marry, but the family reject a groom if they believe he’s a bad match despite the girl’s opinion.
Why Not Pity
Having the family decide who a girl may or may not marry may seem like a negative point. The fact remains that the older you are, the more you know, the wiser you get. By rejecting a marriage proposal, the parents could be saving their daughter from a life of misery or abuse, or even simply helping to avoid failed marriage. The possibility of divorce or an unhappy marriage is higher when the new member of the family is not accepted or welcomed by other members of the family.
Applying one culture’s rules and expectations to another isn’t fair to either. Arab women may not have the easiest lot in life, but as a whole, we have many more rights and privileges than outsiders know.
