On Friday, I took my daughter and her friend to the mall. It was hot. While we were there, my daughters friend saw a Muslim woman who was covered from top to bottom, with nothing showing but her eyes. Like this:



And she remarked that it was sad that she was obviously repressed. I asked her why she automatically assumed that. Her reaction was that she couldn't imagine any woman choosing to live a life where they were totally covered in public, and still had to wear such overbearing garments on such a hot day. She went on to say that this woman most likely didn't choose this religion, or lifestyle, and that it was undoubtedly forced on her at birth by her family, who are still pulling her strings. My daughter casually agreed.

The whole thing seemed very assumptive and mouthy to me. I'm not a Muslim, but I still didn't like the blanket cynicism. It did, though, make me wonder how much was choice versus expectation.

Do you think Muslim women are opposed by their culture?

In many cases, yes. Like when rape victims are executed. For being raped. But Muslim women aren't the only ones being oppressed.

First Off, let me congatulate your daughter and her friend for being spot on with their assumptions. Whether forcibly oppressed against ones will or willfully oppressed by some bullshit cultural constraints that have been brainwashed into you, oppression is the same.

And yes, Muslim cultures oppress women more than Christian/Puritan culture.

Women in the U.S. are mostly not free. If a woman walked down the street in any city in America* like I do, without a shirt, she will be arrested. Isn't that inequality? Cultural oppression of women? The Muslims just do it to a greater extreme.
*(outside of Rochester NY where it was successfully challenged in court)

Now, you may hide this pic of me & a friend to prove my point.

Yes I consider them oppressed. After all we know that in most Islamic countries they have special police to see that the women are modestly dressed. That can mean he full damn bag over their heads, or just a scarf. In divorces they have to go before a court and they never get their children if the divorce is granted (very rare). The man has only to say 3 times "I divorce you", he doesn't even have to say it to her. Then depending on the country she may not go out in public alone without a male escort, or drive a car. Saudi Arabia (the US's good friend) even has a special room for disobedient women, it had no light, no window. She is placed in the entirely dark room she is given food, but no one is allowed to speak to her, she slowly goes crazy. Then the Koran also tells men that they are superior to women, it tells them they may beat her if she is disobedient. Some versions say beat her lightly, never the less she is to be treated as if she were a child. Then of course if she should be raped, she is to be stoned if she is foolish enough to admit it, or her father, brother, uncle might feel she has dishonored them by being raped and kill her themselves. I'd say that is oppression.

Hell yes and I DO have to agree with your daughter, you see how these women live, how they are treated, and why would ANY woman consciously WANT to join that? Sure there may be a few with enough mental problems that it actually sounds good, but for most of us, the answer would be HELL no.

Eh, IDK, yes and no. But I suppose it is a good comparative tool. lol

LOL. I think your daughter was being very presumptive....but it's not her fault. They are only oppressed by OUR standards. Now granted, I can't imagine living my life like them because I wasn't raised that way. And some of the things they do and and tolerate seems fucked up to me. But that's their culture and their religion and I recognize they choose to do it and they should be able to. If you can't imagine going to a Muslim country and participating in their culture, what makes you think it's so easy for them to come over here and assimilate themselves into ours?