Transcript Woman and Islam - multicultural Australia

Woman and Islam
Muslim Women in Multi-faith
Australia
1
Changes in women’s status
introduced by Islam







Spiritual equality with men
The right to a separate legal identity
The right to own and manage their own property
The right to inherit
The right to divorce
Female infanticide prohibited
Restrictions on polygamy
2
Women in the early days of Islam
We see examples of Muslim women who:







Owned their own business
Worked for a living
Fought in battle
Taught men religious knowledge
Led an army
Argued with the Caliph
Held public office
3
Patriarchy returns!
In time, Muslims:
 adopted customs such as the veiling &
seclusion of women from other cultures
 Came to rely on interpretations of the texts
by male jurists exclusively
 Allowed women’s rights to be eroded &
forgotten
4
The position of Muslim women today

Varies considerably from one country to another –



The lives of Saudi women are still very restricted by the
law
Women in South East Asia have traditionally enjoyed
much more freedom
Women’s lives are affected by poverty, illiteracy &
traditional custom
5
Current trends

Religious revivalism:




More women choosing to wear hijab
More women seeking religious knowledge
Reinterpretation of the primary texts in relation
to women’s issues
Slow but positive change in women’s status
in some Muslim countries
6
Muslim women in Australia:
The stereotype:
 They come from Arab countries
 Are uneducated
 Speak English badly or not at all
 Dress in long black robes with face veils
 Do not work outside the home
 Do not participate in society
 Are dominated by their husbands
7
The reality: Muslim women are a multicultural
community. They come from many different
countries:








Egypt
Turkey
Pakistan
India
Sudan
Sri Lanka
Iran
Iraq








Lebanon
Fiji
Bangladesh
Afghanistan
Palestine
Somalia
Bosnia
Australia
8
Muslim women & education



Approximately 36% are Australian born &
educated in Australian schools
Recent research indicates that Muslim
women are more likely to be engaged in
higher education than other women
On the other hand, recently arrived
migrants & refugees may have poor English
skills & little formal education
9
Muslim women & dress: is it so
important?





Some Muslim women wear hijab (a scarf
covering their hair)
Some wear traditional long robes with or
without a face veil
Some wear ordinary western dress
Modesty is important to Muslim women
Dress is not necessarily an indicator of
religious commitment
10
Muslim women work in many
different occupations:
Engineers
Nurses
Court officers
Accountants
Doctors
Lawyers
Pharmacists
Farmers
Artists
Journalists
Academics
Podiatrists
Social workers
I.T. profs
Teachers
Hairdressers
Office workers
Shopkeepers
Students
Dentists
Homemakers
11
But not yet…






Magistrates
Judges
Governor-General
Members of Parliament
Cabinet Ministers
Premier or Prime Minister
12
Muslim women are active in society
in:

Education


English classes for migrant
women
Vocational education







Computer classes
Learn to drive
Children’s activities
Educating women about
their Islamic rights
Welfare work




Migrant resettlement
Domestic violence
Care of the elderly
Prison visiting
Helping refugees
Inter-faith and Intercultural dialogue
13
Recent events have impacted adversely upon
Muslims in Australia:




Border protection & the Tampa crisis
September 11 in the US & the ‘war on
terror’
In NSW, the ‘Lebanese gang rape’ trials
Media opinion that Muslims are
incompatible with Australian society
14
The effect on Muslim women

Muslim women are visible targets of
vilification because of their dress &
standards of personal modesty.
Unfavourable public action has led to:




Cancellation of swimming classes for girls at a Muslim
school
Attempts to close a ‘women only’ gym
Forcible removal of Muslim women’s headcover
Insults and verbal abuse of Muslim women
15