Women’s Roles in Independence Movements Throughout the...

Women’s roles in independence movements throughout the Middle East were as varied as their male counterparts’, though arguably not as well remembered. Many women rebelled from within traditional feminine spaces, as defined by colonizers and male nationals, rather than vying for roles in the traditional political sphere. Female and male revolutionaries risked the same dangers, but almost invariably women did not hold any significant leadership positions within nationalistic movements. Colonial powers often did not differentiate between male and female enemy combatants, punishing both with equal severity. In both Egypt and Algeria, independence movements employed a language of ‘women’s rights’ and ‘women’s issues’ to advance their aims, yet†¦show more content†¦When their rebellion became more active they faced the same, and often a worse, fate than men. The state regarded acts of open rebellion as criminal and Mamluk soldi ers treated female transgressors especially brutally. Women, in general, were more susceptible to the violence of nationalist movements, bearing the brunt of crime. Despite all of this, women were not welcome into elite anti-colonial circles and their experiences and opinions were largely ignored by both Colonial and anti-Colonial powers. In revolution-era Algeria, independence movements utilized a language of feminism to attack the social ills caused by Colonizers. The French had already politicized religion by imbuing it with greater meaning than even Algerians gave it; they placed it at the center of Algerian life. They then set about crafting an image of Islam as a social system which was inherently oppressive of women. The Colonizers had succeeded in setting the foundations for all future discourse on women’s rights. From here on, both secular independence movements such as the Young Algerians (modeled on the Young Turks) and religious movements would argue the nature of women’s rights based on the precedent set by the French. In this way, Algerian women would have to fight an uphill battle: first to establish a new language, a new code within which to speak about rights, and secondly to winShow MoreRelatedRole of Women 1500-Present Day Essay examples1520 Words   |  7 PagesRole of Women 1500-Present Day His 104 Prof. Steven Brownson Role of Women 1500-Present Day Early portrayal of the role of women was of domestic nature, dominated my men. Influenced by religion, culture, and world events, the role of women is ever-changing. In this paper I will look at the evolution of women; their role in society from historical periodsRead MorePositive Changes in the Quality of Life for Woman in Morocco1709 Words   |  7 Pagesthe current spotlight on the Middle East, life of Muslim women still remains invisible. It is valuable to explore the ways in which Muslim women explain their place in society today. 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