By Gözde Guler; edited by Cheryl Lopez

When Middle-Eastern immigrants, specifically Muslim women, migrate to more “liberal” countries like America, their identities usually remain tied to the misconceptions we have about their cultures. Their existence often rises a question of modernity and whether or not their identities align with our current progressive, feminist agenda. There is a general consensus that women from “underdeveloped” countries cannot be feminists because their cultures support anti-feminist ideologies. As a result, these women are often kept out of the feminist movement and aren’t given proper representation.

Although sexism is not an issue that is peculiar to Islam or the Middle-East, men’s unequal treatment of women from this part of the world is explicitly misogynistic and legally binding. There is no denying that many women who live in this region are part of a culture that oppresses them; however, generalizing their experiences undermines the diversity of lifestyles that exist among these women. Accustomed to stereotypical depictions, Middle-Eastern women are often characterized as submissive individuals who lack complete autonomy. These stereotypes are not representative of the reality for many Middle-Eastern women. I’m not suggesting that these women have reached gender equality, far from it. Women in the Middle-East, much like in America, still face socio-economic and educational disadvantages that need to be addressed. Even so, we need to recognize that the stereotypes these women face, ultimately discredit the forceful efforts made by Middle-Eastern feminists. It undermines the role that they have played in supporting women’s rights.

There are many women in the region who have had a powerful impact on the feminist movement. Ahed Tamimi, for example, a brave advocate of Palestinian human rights, is a symbol of the Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation of their land. Another very young and brave feminist is Malala Yousafzai, a lead activist who has helped increase global efforts in the fight for girls right to an education. There are countless scholars and professionals who have forged a path for women in this part of the world, breaking stereotypes and creating spaces for women like themselves. Other less recognized activists include average women like the 29 women in Iran who were arrested for not wearing their hijab in protest of the government. It’s important to remember that these women’s acts of resistance can often cost them their liberty, or worse, their life. Therefore, they don’t just deserve our recognition, they require our support. At a time when their resistance is coupled with the tragedies of war, these women can benefit from a collaborative effort.

Even though gender discrimination is an issue that affects all women, it disproportionately impacts women of color. This is especially true for women with distinctive ethnic or religious backgrounds from the Middle-East or those who identify as Muslim. Despite the impressive progress of feminist initiatives in recent years, these women still lack adequate representation in the realm of feminism. Because these women’s cultures are affiliated with anti-feminist undertones, intersectional feminist movements often fail to support their efforts in attaining equality. As the feminist movement becomes more intersectional, it is important for feminists to recognize the diversity in women’s lifestyles across the world and instead of using their differences against them, find ways to accommodate them in our collective movement. It is our duty to do so.

While sexism is not an issue that is peculiar to Islam or the Middle-East, men’s unequal treatment of women from this part of the world is legally binding and explicitly misogynistic. There is no denying that many women who live in this region are part of a culture that oppresses them; generalizing their experiences undermines the diversity of lifestyles and experiences that exist among these women. Accustomed to stereotypical depictions, Middle-Eastern women are often characterized as submissive individuals who lack complete autonomy. These stereotypes don’t represent the day-to-day reality for many of these women. I’m not suggesting that these women have reached gender equality, far from it. Women in the Middle-East, much like in America, still face socio-economic and educational disadvantages that need to be addressed. Even so, we must recognize that the stereotypes these women face, ultimately discredit the forceful efforts made by Middle-Eastern feminists. It undermines the role that they have played in supporting women’s rights time and again.

There are many women in the region who have had a powerful impact on the feminist movement. Ahed Tamimi, for example, a brave advocate of Palestinian human rights, is a symbol of the Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation of their land. Another very young and brave feminist is Malala Yousafzai, a lead activist who has helped increase global efforts in the fight for girl’s right to an education. There are countless scholars and professionals who have forged a path for women in this part of the world, breaking stereotypes and creating spaces for women like themselves. Other less recognized activists include average women like the 29 women in Iran who were arrested for not wearing their hijab in protest of the government. It’s important to remember that these women’s acts of resistance often cost them their liberty, or worse, their life.

Despite the impressive progress of feminist initiatives in recent years, Middle-Eastern women still lack adequate representation in the realm of feminism. As a result of these women’s cultures being associated with anti-feminism, intersectional feminist movements often fail to support their efforts in attaining equality. Middle-Eastern women don’t just deserve our recognition. They require our support.