Comments on: Report on Saudi women gets child-like headlines

By: Global Voices Online » Egypt: Dalia Ziada urges Saudi Arabia to end discrimination against Muslim women

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:53:21 +0000

[...] Muslimah Media Watch tackled the issue of how women in KSA are treated like legal minors. Zoheir al-Harithi, spokesman for Saudi’s Human Rights Commission, says that the report didn’t focus on productive efforts to improve the situation as well as confused tradition with state policy. “We agree with some points and we are working on that as a commission for the government, but we don’t agree with the generalisation.” [...]

By: RandallJones

RandallJones — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 07:12:00 +0000

I am waiting to see the headline, “West benefits more from Saudi oil money than Arabs and Muslims.”But I won’t be holding my breath.

By: Tara K.

Tara K. — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 21:50:00 +0000

Well said, and thanks for the love!While the comments over at Feministing were, to say the least, disappointing, there is signifigance in the very presence of the discussion. The discussion of slanderous and ignorant media coverage is a young one for many women, and we must recognize that it is in itself an achievement, one for which sites like Muslimah Mediawatch have helped create broader knowledge. Also, as that discussion becomes more prominent, so will American feminsts’ awareness, along with the rest of the world. I don’t want to repeat my comments from Feministing, but I agree that the article is disgusting and insulting to the intelligence of Saudi women. It not only demeans them to children and/or to their legal status, but also speaks none to their constant achievements today.

By: Mike, Tara & Chuck

Mike, Tara & Chuck — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 21:42:00 +0000

Thanks for the love! While I got out majority of my rant over at Feministing in that comment, I do want to say that their other comments don’t represent all Western feminists. I get really frustrated with how often other feminists DO operate under an agenda too close to that of the media. Sometimes I think it’s most important – and probably most difficult – to remember that change is a slow machine, whether it take place in government or in a people’s mind. Sites like this, though, are so important for broadening awareness, even to those who aren’t supposed to need it. And while majority of the comments at Feministing were disappointingly close-minded, there is achievement in the very discussion itself, something we’ve seen little of before.

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:22:00 +0000

Enthusiastically agreed – what bullshit. Beyond reinforcing the problematic idea that Muslim women are oh-so-oppressed and need to be saved, the title reinforces the condescending attitude toward women that exists to create the need for a human rights report anyway. Titling it “perpetual minors” is wildly insulting to the women it purports to advocate for. Most people are not going to want to use a report that infantilizes them to their own advantage, so the whole project ends up doing harm as it purports to do good.

By: Safiya Outlines

Safiya Outlines — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:41:00 +0000

Salaam Alaikum,Thanks for posting this. I wouldn’t have read it otherwise, because the ‘feminist’ brand of Islamophobia saddens me deeply. It’s good to see some changes are happening, especially in light of Feministing’s recent pledges of WOC and minority issues.