Comments on: A Class Apart

By: musafir

musafir — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 15:36:00 +0000

Salam.I found the cartoon pretty funny, although there were several that I didn’t fully understand probably because I’m not that familiar with Syrian culture/politics. I think you could think of similar types of “hijabis” in America too, although with different headlines: ghetto hijabi, abaya hijabi, nojabi, ninjabi, etc. I wouldn’t use any of these categories to label any of them pious or not pious because piety lies in your heart. I also didn’t take this cartoon offensively because I don’t think the artist had the intention of insulting people, just to point out interesting differences. I find it amusing to see the diversity in hijab styles/opinions/etc.

By: pillarsofsalt

pillarsofsalt — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 12:58:00 +0000

I would agree tht the depiction of the Indonesian woman was particularly racist if she were the only one depicted that way, but she isn’t. The depiction of the Qubeisya woman is closer to actually being offensive in my opinion. I guess its a matter of perspective here, and a matter of our own experiences with some of the depicted groups or the lack of such. also, as safiya outlines pointed out, the line between social caricature and racial caricature is a fine one, and can easily be overstepped. I have found this especially to be true in areas where race relations arent even discussed in any kind of public manner. The artist of this cartoon is definitely flirting with that line, but i seriously doubt that the intention was to cross it. it seems that the intention is to show he variance of styles, and make a joke about it at the expense of those who would try to claim that there is only “one real way” to veil.

By: Safiya Outlines

Safiya Outlines — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:05:00 +0000

Salaam Alaikum,Thanks pillarofsalt, your comment was a far more eloquent version of what I was trying to say.It’s true though, that we have to be careful to distinguish between caricature and racial caricature. It’s a fine line.The Qubeisya are a women’s Islamic group in Syria. They hold a lot of study circles and provide a kind of network for Muslim women.

By: Duniya

Duniya — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:15:00 +0000

I do find the picture of the Bedouin woman offensive as well. And I’m not sure what a “Qubeisya” is so I wouldn’t know if the unibrow was implying something prejudice. If it does then that too is offensive.

By: nadia n

nadia n — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:08:00 +0000

Maids in MENA are almost exclusively Asian migrants (in Leb there’s quite a few Ethiopians) and generally are treated horribly and have few rights. When I first saw that cartoon way back when, my first impression was that it was a critique of the upperclass woman, not the maid.

By: mbk

mbk — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:09:00 +0000

Duniya:After I read your comment, I looked back at all of the faces, and they all seem to be pretty similar (most have two dots for a nose, small eyes). Actually, if there wasn’t a label explaining that this is a woman from Indonesia, I would not have thought that this was a picture of Asian person. (Although admittedly, I don’t know very many people from Indonesia.) Whereas for pictures of black people with exaggerated features, there is no mistaking which ethnicity the picture is portraying. Do you find the depiction of the Bedouin woman to be racist as well? Their faces are practically the same – i.e. huge, toothless grin. I think the pics are reflecting more of a class difference than anything racial. On the other hand, if I were the Qubeisya women, I’d be pretty insulted. Hello unibrow!

By: Duniya

Duniya — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 23:30:00 +0000

pillarofsalt:There is the classist thing and I see what you are saying. But for me the actual depiction of the Indonesian woman is racist. The way her face is drawn. It reminds me of the ways in which Black people used to be drawn with their exagerrated features.

By: pillarsofsalt

pillarsofsalt — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:15:00 +0000

The Indonesian one seems racist and classist until you actually see just that scenario, a non veiled woman, with her veiled Indonesian maid, who is usually the one carrying all the groceries and towing the children. It is a class and race thing, but not in the way you initially think.if you think that the maid being “portrayed as an accessory” is sick, then think about this for a minute: a good deal of the maids that i have come in contact with in Jordan are treated like an accessory by their employers. The cartoon is going no farther, and in some ways not far enough in the presentation of how Southeast Asian women are treated in these situations.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:22:00 +0000

The maids may very well be South Asian or Indonesian due to unfortunate socio-economic realities, but the cartoon is still just as racist. Perhaps it would be more neutral if the maids and the hijabi’s were all of one ethnicity. It wouldn’t imply any stereotypes for any one particular ethnic group as a whole. It’s odd that it even titles itself “Syrian Hijabi’s” and then includes an Indonesian one. It’s as though she’s an accessory. Sick.

By: janene

janene — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:48:00 +0000

btw, also agree with duniya and anonymous, the racist overtones.