The World's Largest Coalition of Nontheists and Nontheist Communities!

Why Do They Hate Us?

The real war on women is in the Middle East.

When Egyptian women are subjected to humiliating "virginity tests" merely for speaking out, it's no time for silence. When an article in the Egyptian criminal code says that if a woman has been beaten by her husband "with good intentions" no punitive damages can be obtained, then to hell with political correctness. And what, pray tell, are "good intentions"? They are legally deemed to include any beating that is "not severe" or "directed at the face." What all this means is that when it comes to the status of women in the Middle East, it's not better than you think. It's much, much worse.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/04/23/why_do_they_hate_us

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jezzy on April 24, 2012 at 1:33pm

It is good that we're drawing attention to the egregious, inhuman sexism of the middle east, but I don't like it ever-compared to western women in a broad implication that because women in the middle east have it so much worse, there's no legitimate concerns over here. That's what I now call a "Dawkins Fallacy".

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jessica on April 24, 2012 at 6:29pm

Makes my problems extremely trivial.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by annet on April 24, 2012 at 7:30pm

I agree with both of you. Sexism is like a mold infestation. They may have it worse, but we all have it. There is a spectrum of severity and it is lurking even when it isn't visible. Even when it appears to be gone we have to stay on top of it.

I am so proud of those women in the middle east since they are risking their very lives, and I am behind them 100%. I will also continue to fight (in my not very effective way) the disturbing anti-women rhetoric sweeping some of our nation.

Women and many men everywhere are in this fight together and have to help each other eradicate it. Let us not be divided by who has it worse.