Arab Feminism

Susan Muaddi Darraj wrote an essay called It's Not an Oxymoron: The Search for Arab Feminism where she discusses her views on feminism and it's role in Arabian culture versus in American culture. In her title, she is calling "Arab Feminism" as an "oxymoron" because usually people will see these to concepts as nonexistent together. Throughout her essay she supports her idea that Arab Feminism can exist. In her essay she says "I had encountered in my feminist theory class, but the standards of a different feminism- one that allowed women to retain their culture, to have pride in their traditions and to still vocalize the gender issues of their community" (Darraj 301). In my opinion Darraj feels that women can still perform their domestic duties as well as traditions in theit cultures while trying to find their own independence. Feminism is a movement for women to find their own way of life and not have to be directed into a stereotype that society usually holds about women. At the end of Darraj's essay she tells that she has successfully fulfilled the role of being an Arab Feminist. She is a married woman who plans to have children but also is a working woman. Through reading this essay I have gotten an idea if what it is exactly to be a feminist and that pursuing both sides of a woman,being both a working woman and a domestic woman. I think it is very important for woman to feel a sense of independence and importance in society as well as not forgetting that their role as a woman also includes taking care of a family. It isn't an easy task, but it just makes a woman all the more stronger.

A Prejudice America

We all live in a society where everyone is judged based on their appearance. People automatically assume the type of lifestyle you live and who you are based on the way you look, dress, speak, or present yourself. Gene Luen Yang discusses this issue in his graphic novel American Born Chinese. Jin Wang and his family have recently moved from San Francisco to a new neighborhood where Jin will start a new school. on his first day his new teacher introduces him to the class and informs them that Jin had just moved from China. Jin then corrects her by saying "San Francisco". the author is introducing the issue he is trying to address in this scene. he is elaborating on the issue that because Jin expresses Chinese features, people automatically are assuming he is from China when in fact he is just as American as the rest of them are. Yang also discusses the issue of stereotyping in his novel. Timmy, an american boy in Jin's new class makes a comment about Chinese people eating dogs. Because Jin is of a Chinese background, he automatically assumed that he also eats dogs because that is what he had learned about ALL Chinese people. Yang is emphasizing on the issue that many think just because a few people do something, EVERYONE of that particular group does it also which is not always the case. Americans do tend to prejudge people of a certain ethnicity or people who are "different" than the average American. this is usually done for Americans to feel a sense of superiority over these minorities or to downgrade their customs and traditions to make themselves look better.