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[–]Amareldys 20 insightful - 1 fun20 insightful - 0 fun21 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

So, this is a result of 9-11.

Prior to then, feminists were absolutely talking about these issues. Those old enough to remember the 80s and 90s may remember support for the Afghai women who were living behind painted windows, books like "Not Without my Daughter" and "Princess" were super popular with feminists, etc.

After 9-11, "Those muslims are mean to women!" became an excuse to bomb them. Which, as we all know, isn't good for women. That's when this became an issue. No one wanted to criticize Islam because many Western countries WERE at war with Muslim ones, and "bashing" them was seen as an endorsement. It became a further issue with the continuing migration.

So that's the cultural context of all of this.

[–]vitunrotta[S] 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I do understand the cultural context but I think it's high time feminists take over the discussion again. Right now the pseudo-defending of Muslim women has been hijacked by literal far-right activists ("oooh look how barbarically they treat their women aahhh!") and they, of course, do not give a rat's ass about the actual plight of these women.

While I get that there are still political and societal tensions due to 911 and all the proxy wars etc. that followed, we as feminists cannot shut up about this anymore. Discussions can be had without being racists or condescending. Ideas, religions, ideologies - none of them should be immune to scrutiny. None.

[–]Amareldys 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Agreed. I think the first step is to let the women from those cultures take the lead, and to support groups that already exist. Maybe we should start a thread of international feminist and women's aid groups.