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.