I'm watching Question Time as I write this, and the irate musings of half a dozen middle aged white people has turned onto one of the UK's (and even the world's) hot topics: the burka. You all know what it is, the female Islamic facial garment which covers the face. Now, I'm going to assume that you are acquainted with the arguments for and against- sexism, security, tolerance, integration and so on. I'm not writing to argue for one way or the other. My stance, as a strong Evangelical Christian is this: whilst I believe nothing in the Islamic religion and my own faith is opposed to it, I disagree with enforcing a ban on it as that is part of the same attitude which would lead to my fellow Christians not being allowed to wear crosses or offer to pray for people they encounter in a working environment. It's through love and relationships these barriers are crossed, not through legislation.
ANYWAY. I'm not here to further a pro or anti argument. I'm not even here to pose the (by now quite cliched) "well what about people who wear hoodies/halloween masks/football shirts?" No. I want to point out something bigger than the burka.
A common argument against the Burka is that it oppresses and degrades women. Robs them of their power. Devalues them. I want you to think though: what else constitutes oppression of women?
Thousands of clothing/shampoo/make-up/perfume/fashion adverts which promote a size-zero, horrendously unrealistic idea of what a woman should be, and then forces countless young women into dressing a certain way. Does that constitute oppression?
The idea pumped into every 21st century female's mind through films, magazines, TV, even (I'm genuinely serious) Twilight that you need a boyfriend. Films and books that manipulate female emotions to make women believe they need to find a man for worth, to define themselves against, otherwise their life just isn't really worth bothering with. Is that oppression?
The untold amount of pornography that is so readily and easily lapped up by 21st century guys, giving them warped perceptions and expectations of women. Enforcing an idea that women are machines for sexual pleasure and that sex doesn't have any kind of innate emotional intimacy. It gives guys horribly warped ideas of women and absurd expectations which girls then have to rise to. Does that constitute oppression?
Oppression isn't just directly and physically forcing someone to do something. It's much more than that. It comes through the media. It comes through advertising. It comes from everywhere and gets into people's minds. In order to sell things. In order to satisfy selfish desires. Women are far more oppressed, I think, by our self righteous Western society than they are by a foreign piece of clothing. I'm by no means endorsing the Burka. I just want it to be clear that oppression comes in many different ways from many different directions. And we've got to be aware of it. Am I suggesting a revolution to topple our society's warped view of women and the apparatus that upholds it? Not exactly. If a young (or even old) woman can go away from this realising or remembering just a little bit what our world is pumping at her, I'll feel happy. Most of the women reading this won't be wearing burkas. But people are trying to oppress them and make them conform to their false view of what a woman should be.
AMAZING!
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