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Joana Aziz is a student in Spain. She is a friend with experience growing up in Syria followed by Lebanon. Now, as a student, she is in graduate school. I wanted to get her perspective on gender roles in the Middle East based on real experience. This is part of an initiative, from me (possibly others), to expand the flavor of narratives for and in The Good Men Project. Here is the first session in this educational series.
*Audio interview edited for clarity and readability.*
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: I wanted to talk about gender roles in the Middle East. I ask you this because we are friends and colleagues and have discussed these issues casually over Skype. I wanted to make a short educational series from an educated person – and gather their thoughts on the Middle East or the Middle East-North Africa region, generally, and those roles. What is the range of restriction on gender roles?
Joana Aziz: From my knowledge, I would say three countries in particular. One is Saudi Arabia, where gender roles are followed rather strictly. Lebanon is more liberal in that sense and Syria comes somewhere in between.
Jacobsen: When it comes to the first example, Saudi Arabia, what are some of the restrictions on, for example, women to start?
Aziz: When it comes to Saudi Arabia, you need to consider the religion. Any restriction comes from a religious background. For example, there is a strict code for what to wear and there is a punishment for not wearing it. Driver’s licenses are not issued for women.
Jacobsen: What about the men, for the mix of religion, law, and custom, if they’re not following the particular attire?
Aziz: Men have a traditional attire, but they are not forced to wear it. Usually, men do the enforcement roles.
Jacobsen: What about Syria? I know it ranks low for gender equality and for women’s status generally. However, there are tragic cases such as war and refugees at the moment.
Aziz: When you focus on gender roles in an area, you want to focus: religion and culture. How much is this religion influencing things? Is it a collectivist or an individualist society? In Syria, for example, religion is not as pervasive, but there is still the adherence to a stereotypical man and a stereotypical woman. From this, the gender roles follow.
Jacobsen: What are the stereotypical man and stereotypical woman in this context?
Aziz: It is the macho-infused archetype. The man here is defined by wealth, status, domination, and the power he exercises; the woman, in this case, is seen as an extension of the man. This is something that you can see by the language that is used. When we are in Syria, we say, “The man took this woman. He took Fatima.”
The man makes the decision. He chooses; the woman gets chosen. That’s how such roles play out.
Jacobsen: Does this reflect terms such as “Mr.” and “Mrs.”, where the terminology reflects the historical trend of ownership or property status of women.
Aziz: Definitely: yes.
Jacobsen: Where is the separation between religion and culture there?
Aziz: They have become so infused that it is hard to separate them. What happens is the woman internalizes this notion, that she becomes this property. For example, marriage is really focused on. It becomes a right of passage or an achievement.
I don’t want to generalize, but some women in Syria I assume would feel lacking if they don’t get married. It is not emphasized on the men.
Jacobsen: If a man sleeps around, what are the consequences culturally? If a woman sleeps around, what are the consequences culturally? If we take the two examples discussed, Saudi Arabia and Syria in these instances.
Aziz: It is the same thinking. If it is a man, it is a man fulfilling his needs. It is similar in religion. The Quran has an agreement that lets you sleep around. Of course, for women, you can’t sleep around.
Jacobsen: That begs the question. From a secular perspective, who are these men sleeping with? [Laughing]
Aziz: [Laughing] Special women.
Jacobsen: Let’s turn to Lebanon, what is the status of the gender roles there? What is some specifics from experiential or personal background insight?
Aziz: I think Lebanon is really trying to move forward with activism there. There are some organizations such as KAFA and ABAAD campaigning for women’s rights and fighting against violence against women and their effort is recognized as they are producing actual change on the ground by repealing laws and attempting to introduce new ones that guarantee equal rights. There is this tug-of-war between those who want to progress and those who want to resist.
This tug of war can be seen by those who want to progress and those are afraid of change.
Jacobsen: It is the context of saying, “She was asking for it. She was wearing little clothing or revealing clothing.”
Aziz: “Were you alone? Was it late?” and so on.
I saw an interesting note the other day. High Schools boys in Michigan, US left a note in the girls’ bathroom asking them to reconsider their outfit as it is affecting their concentration.
The same logic, found in religions like Islam, is present here. It shifts the blame for actions committed on to women or girls moreover attempts to resolve it through control.
Jacobsen: I believe the term is “victim blaming.” It seems like another instance in a different culture, with a different history, a different people, a different context, and a different majority religion still having the same outgrowth of perspective – of an expectation of purity of women.
Those that do not meet that – even in the cases against their will such as rape or sexual assault – then still get blamed.
Aziz: Exactly.
Jacobsen: You live in Spain, which is a different context. I don’t know the culture, though. I know it is different, but don’t know how different. Reflecting on your sense of Saudi Arabia, and personal experience with Syria and Lebanon, how does Spain differ? How is it the same?
Aziz: It is the same because I still get cat-called the same level that I used to back in Lebanon or Syria. Here I feel women can answer back, they can put those boundaries. Where in Syria or Lebanon, I would feel more taken back, not protected, and not as supported. Perhaps, it’s just me as I know many brave women who do answer back.
Such were the brave women who, as of late October, last year were campaigning in Douma, Syria. Women wanted to increase female representation in the council. This happening during war time signifies strong will and determination.
Jacobsen: That is remarkable. Thank you for your time, Joana.
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Photo Credit: Getty Images