Jeannina Perez
WST 3015
April 4, 2010
Girl Power and Post-War Iraq
Riverbend is a very courageous woman. She faces a lot more daily trials, than many people in the states can not even begin to comprehend. In the her blog Girl Power and Post War Iraq dated September 16, 2003 she discusses Iraqi women and the troubles they face when traditional Iraqi life, dress, or attitude is not upheld. Women were beaten, raped, abducted forced into acting or dressing a certain way. "Perhaps one of the most far reaching effects of the war is the normalization of violence in everyday life, including violence against women by family members, acquaintances, or strangers..."(Kirk and Okazawa-Rey 504). Riverbend ties in discussions of militarization by discussing all these troubles Iraqi women are faced with due to the effects of the war. A young girl and her younger brother were abducted of the streets and brought to a place miles and miles away from their home, where they were beaten and held against their will, not allowed to eat or sleep. The only reason the two survived was one of the men felt mercy for them and helped them escape from the gang. Occurrences like this happen daily on a daily basis in Iraq.
There are also some forms of a women's liberation going on as well. It is said that some Muslim extremists will go into public, private, and technical universities and remove all safirats, women who are not wearing a Hajib, and tell these women that if they return to class not wearing a hajib that they would not be allowed to return to class. There are banners and fliers around these campuses condemning these safirats. "A girl wearing jeans risks being attacked, abducted, or insulted by fundamentalists who have been...liberated!" (Riverbend 527). The women who choose to not follow the traditional Iraqi way of life, whatever their reasons may be, are taking baby steps and in their own way beginning a women's liberation. By not following the path of least resistance and by not giving into the threats, bashing, and cynics, they are standing up for all women and their fight for equality. Some women die fighting for this right. Henna Aziz for example, Riverbends friend and prominent electrical engineer, who refused to stop going to work just because she was female. Riverbend states,"she wasn't the first, and she won't be the last" (Riverbend 529).
Iraqi culture is a complex society that as been negatively effected by the war, in more ways than one. The women, children and men are being effected daily by what the war has turned their country into.The economic struggles caused by war has started, water and gasoline shortages. Women, no longer equal. They no longer have "unalterable divorce, marriage, inheritance, custody, and alimony rights" (Riverbend 529). Riverbend is only one of the women who are beginning to see what the war has cost them, Iraqi women are outraged, if death was not an immediate option for those who stray from the norm, I am sure more women would be putting their foot down.
There are also some forms of a women's liberation going on as well. It is said that some Muslim extremists will go into public, private, and technical universities and remove all safirats, women who are not wearing a Hajib, and tell these women that if they return to class not wearing a hajib that they would not be allowed to return to class. There are banners and fliers around these campuses condemning these safirats. "A girl wearing jeans risks being attacked, abducted, or insulted by fundamentalists who have been...liberated!" (Riverbend 527). The women who choose to not follow the traditional Iraqi way of life, whatever their reasons may be, are taking baby steps and in their own way beginning a women's liberation. By not following the path of least resistance and by not giving into the threats, bashing, and cynics, they are standing up for all women and their fight for equality. Some women die fighting for this right. Henna Aziz for example, Riverbends friend and prominent electrical engineer, who refused to stop going to work just because she was female. Riverbend states,"she wasn't the first, and she won't be the last" (Riverbend 529).
Iraqi culture is a complex society that as been negatively effected by the war, in more ways than one. The women, children and men are being effected daily by what the war has turned their country into.The economic struggles caused by war has started, water and gasoline shortages. Women, no longer equal. They no longer have "unalterable divorce, marriage, inheritance, custody, and alimony rights" (Riverbend 529). Riverbend is only one of the women who are beginning to see what the war has cost them, Iraqi women are outraged, if death was not an immediate option for those who stray from the norm, I am sure more women would be putting their foot down.
Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women and the Military, War, and Peace, Women's Studies. Women 's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. 5th ed. New York: McGraw Hill , 2010.3-18.
Riverbend. Baghdad Burning: Girl Blog From Iraq(203-04)-Excerpts. Women's Studies. Women 's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. 5th ed. New York: McGraw Hill , 2010.3-18.
Riverbend. "Girl Power and Post-War Iraq." Web log post. Baghdad Burning. 16 Sept. 2003. Web. 4 Apr. 2010. .
This reminds me of Phoolan Devi, a woman against all odds and still managed to become fearless. Yet, this fearless in Iraq that is spoken of can lead to very harsh conditions for women. It is true that women in Iraq came a long way from where they once were with equality, but now it seems as if the country is taking a step back. I believe that Riverbend wants to "put her foot down" but is taking pre-cautions in doing so, because she does not want to hurt or shame her family in doing so. Furthermore, Riverbend is doing something positive for all women, allowing the world to see the harsh conditions of war, not just against a country, but against a group of people, women.
ReplyDeleteWe see a step back in Iraqi's women liberation. The religous extremist have highjacked the religion and used it to their advantage. The islamic clerics have used Sharia law which is their religous code that muslims must follow . By using Sharia law that have used this to opress women , these leaders are the community leaders and now have more power as the secular government was toppled. Under Saddaam Hussein women were given more rights and were liberated . This is an interesting dynamic as we were seen as freedom fighters yet we destroyed the freedom of some women,
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