Senior Theses

Publication Date

5-26-2024

Document Type

Thesis (Open Access)

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing

Department

English

Faculty Advisor(s)

Jesse Donaldson

Subject Categories

Creative Writing

Abstract

Women fight injustices and underrepresentation all over the world, however, the women’s right movement does not look the same all over the world. Every country and every woman is fighting for different rights that they need, but not all women share the same experiences when it comes to the women’s rights movement. There are many intersections that determine the experiences of every individual woman. One of the intersections this paper will examine is the lived experience of women and Islam and the intersections between identity and gender in the Arab world. It’s important to note that in this paper, although the theme of gender and religion will be explored, not all Arab women identify as Muslim and not all Muslim women are Arab. There is no one way to be a woman who is Muslim, and every Muslim woman has their own experiences. Despite this, many people, many westerners, even western women, argue as though Islam is the sole reason women in the Arab world face oppression. It is a fear of Islam that extends to their own homelands, fear that can be seen in backlash against Muslim women who adorn the veil. Headscarf bans in France. Bans in Austria, Belgium, and Denmark. Like the complicated relationship between Islam and Arab identity, the veil has a complicated symbolic meaning in both the Eastern and Western worlds. In the Eastern world, the veil is a symbol of protection, the protection worn when their countries were getting invaded during war. The idea of women having a safe space besides their home was no longer there so when women needed to go anywhere besides their house, they needed to veil. In the western world, well, it still provides protection but it also evokes fear. In this paper, I will look at the intersections between Islam, the veil, gender, and Arab identity through the story collections of The Sea Cloak by Nayrouz Qarmout and Hijabistan by Sabyn Javeri. These stories explore the lives of Muslim women in both the Eastern and Western world. They also explore the idea of the veil and the different journeys these veiled Muslim Khan 5 women take. And in the process, I hope I will at least partially answer the question: what does the women’s rights movement in the Arab world actually look like?

Download

Share

COinS