Femen(islam)?

I recently stumbled across a website called the “WANG club” (wangclub.tumblr.com).

Yes, I know what you’re thinking.

Actually, “WANG” stands for “women against non-essential grooming”. Being a proud feminist myself, I was intrigued and beguiled by the site.

The site contains a fascinating conversation about the many “prohibitive and narrow beauty standards imposed on women”, including hair removal, make up, and dieting.

On the whole, I was impressed by this pro-equality website.

This website has opened my eyes to a silent war that has been waging between European activist group “Femen” and Muslim women around the world. 

Femen, for those who don’t know, is a pro-women movement that is probably best known for topless protests. They often protest against religious institutions and their effects, such as anti-abortion laws.

In February of this year, a young woman named Amina Tyler founded a Tunisian chapter of Femen. In March, she posted a photo of herself topless on facebook, and had scrawled across her bare chest in arabic: “my body belongs to me and is not the source of anyone’s honor”.

Although Tunisia has been regarded by many as a progressive Arab nation for women’s rights, since the Islamist party came into power in 2011, “women’s rights have deteriorated” (New York Times, April 2013).

Worried about Tyler’s act “bringing an epidemic” and being “contagious and give ideas to other women”, a Tunisian government official declared that Tyler should be stoned to death.

Hold. The. Phone.

Shit just got real.

This incident has ignited a roaring online war.

Femen activist Alexandra Schevchenko responded to the incident by saying: “We’re free, we’re naked, it’s our right, it’s our body, it’s our rules, and nobody can use religion, and some other holy things, to abuse women, to oppress them. And we’ll fight against them. And our boobs will be stronger than their stones.”

And, on the other hand, Muslim women around the world have come forward to declare that they are in fact, not oppressed. Many have taken to facebook to have their voiced heard, creating groups such as “Muslim Women Against Femen” which claims to be a group for “Muslim women who want to expose Femen for the Islamophobes/Imperialists that they are.” They say they have “had enough of Western feminists imposing their values on us.”

I’d encourage all of you to check out the facebook page, but for those who don’t have time, here are some of the things women have contributed:

“I respect Amina’s choice to use her body the way she wants – BUT Amina does not represent Muslim women around the globe – Femen stop generalising!” – A Muslim Pakinstani Woman

“You talk about Feminism? Feminism is not about walking around naked; it’s about equality and women’s rights. You do not represent feminism by sexually objectifying yourself.”

“I DO NOT need you to speak for me and I DO NOT need you to liberate me!”

"I'm promoting a universal message of modesty"

Some of these are good points, others less so. I don't really have the time or space to delve into a lengthy conversation about the rights of Muslim women in the Arab world. Like everywhere else in the world, some women are oppressed, others are not. I shall leave it at that.

What I really wanted to highlight was the fact that, although it might look like it, at the end of the day, this is not an argument about women’s rights. Both sides (almost) agree on a woman’s right to freedom, and particularly a right to dress the way she chooses.

Personally, I think that nudity IS a form of freedom, but of course it is not the only form of freedom. 

Perhaps Femen’s “white-feminist” attempts to “help” these women actually ends up aggravating the whole situation. The world is already full of hatred between these two cultures. Femen women dislike Islam, so Muslim women retaliate against Femen. In the iconic words of Tina Fey, "there's been some girl-on-girl crime here". 

Personally, I think all women have a right to dress the way they like, whether that be in burqa or in the nude.

I recently found out that Australia is one of a very small handful of countries that allow women to walk around topless. This, to be perfectly honest, was going to be the topic of this blog post. But it looks like I got pretty distracted.. I guess I’ll have to save that one for another time.

In the mean time, have a look at the whole Femen vs Islam debate. I'd love to have a bigger conversation about it. 

“Why do people say "grow some balls"? Balls are weak and sensitive. If you wanna be tough, grow a vagina. Those things can take a pounding.” – Sheng Wang

the reckless philosopher