{"id":3640,"date":"2009-04-28T00:00:01","date_gmt":"2009-04-28T08:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/muslimahmediawatch.org\/?p=3640"},"modified":"2009-04-28T00:00:01","modified_gmt":"2009-04-28T08:00:01","slug":"sexy-things-women-or-lingerie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/mmw\/2009\/04\/sexy-things-women-or-lingerie\/","title":{"rendered":"Sexy Things: Women or Lingerie?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

You know things are sad in the world of news about Muslimahs when \u201cMuslim women value sexy<\/a>\u201d seems like not a bad headline.\u00a0 After all, it\u2019s a nice change from \u201cMuslim women are oppressed,\u201d \u201cMuslim women are passive objects and could not possibly have any personality\u201d and \u201cMuslim women need the West to rescue them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Image via modernghana.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But this article, originally an AFP news piece<\/a> that was recently re-published on modernghana.com<\/a>, is about lingerie sales in a market in Damascus, making \u201cMuslim women value sexy\u201d a bit of a gigantic leap.\u00a0 \u201cMuslim women who visit the lingerie stalls in the market value sexy\u201d might have been more accurate.\u00a0 But then again, when was the last time accuracy was anyone\u2019s first priority?<\/p>\n

The headline also functions as a caption for the picture accompanying the Modern Ghana article, of a woman in hijab looking pensive.\u00a0 What is she thinking?\u00a0 Is she indeed deep in thought about the value of \u201csexy\u201d?\u00a0 We may never know.<\/p>\n

To set the scene, the article starts off with:<\/p>\n

The only embarrassment is of choice. Sex sells in the souk, where Syrians flock to buy the latest lingerie, some of it edible, some sporting flashing lights and all of it kitsch personified.<\/p>\n

Chocolate knickers, panties adorned with singing canaries, feathered bras that twinkle in the dark\u2026 all this and more can be found in the popular Al-Hamidiyeh market, the best known in the capital Damascus.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Thanks to a book published last year on the subject, Syrian lingerie has already been discussed<\/a> a couple times on MMW<\/a>.\u00a0 But this article shows that it\u2019s still a hot topic.\u00a0 What could be a more titillating image than that of a Muslim women (presumably veiled, of course) picking out something sexy to wear when in her private harem<\/span> home?\u00a0 It might as well be proof of the Orientalist fantasy of the seductive, exotic temptress that exists within every Muslim woman, if only we could unveil her. (*shudder*)\u00a0 To emphasize this point, a Syrian sociologist is quoted:<\/p>\n

\u201cA Muslim woman works hard to ensure she is attractive. But she keeps her eroticism for her husband. She may be limited in personal liberties outside the home, but inside anything goes.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In other words, for those of you who just knew<\/em> that behind all that weird clothing was a sex goddess just waiting to jump out and make all your dreams come true, well, you were right.\u00a0 (Okay, even though I know I\u2019m being sarcastic, that image makes me feel icky.)\u00a0 But, predictably, this sex goddess has little control over her own sexuality, and exists only to fulfill male desires.<\/p>\n

Indeed, despite the headline, which may have suggested that women are defining and valuing sexuality on their own terms, it soon becomes clear from the article that Muslim women apparently \u201cvalue sexy\u201d only in a patriarchal and heteronormative context in which \u201csexy\u201d really refers to whatever their husbands want.\u00a0 Mohammad Habash, the (male) head of the Damascus Centre for Islamic Studies says, \u201cIslam orders the woman to keep herself pretty for her husband, that\u2019s well-known,\u201d implying that female sexuality equals \u201cpretty,\u201d and that this \u201cpretty\u201d is only important insofar as the husband acknowledges it.\u00a0 One woman interviewed for the article reinforces this perspective, stating that \u201cMuslim wives must be desirable and pleasure their husbands so they don\u2019t stray,\u201d and that it is essentially the wife\u2019s responsibility to mould herself into the object of her husband\u2019s desire.\u00a0 If he goes elsewhere, it is probably because she did not \u201cvalue sexy\u201d enough.<\/p>\n

Of course, being attractive to one\u2019s spouse can be an important part of a healthy sexual relationship, but the idea that women\u2019s sexuality is only relevant as long as it fulfills her husband\u2019s desire is demeaning, and implies that women don\u2019t have their own needs or desires.\u00a0 I would find it hard to imagine a similar article on what these husbands are doing to please their wives.<\/p>\n

The suggestion here is also that male desire might override what the woman wants or feels comfortable with.\u00a0 What bothered me this most was this quote at the end of the article:<\/p>\n

\u201cA woman can buy whatever she desires, even a dancer\u2019s outfit for when she wants to give pleasure to her husband,\u201d Habash adds. \u201cThis is not only her right, it\u2019s an obligation.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

According to this quote, the \u201cMuslim women\u201d described in this article don\u2019t actually have the choice not<\/em> to \u201cvalue sexy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You know things are sad in the world of news about Muslimahs when \u201cMuslim women value sexy\u201d seems like not a bad headline.\u00a0 After all, it\u2019s a nice change from \u201cMuslim women are oppressed,\u201d \u201cMuslim women are passive objects and could not possibly have any personality\u201d and \u201cMuslim women need the West to rescue them.\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":155,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,18],"tags":[928,1215,1225],"class_list":["post-3640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-web","tag-muslim-women","tag-sexism","tag-sexuality"],"yoast_head":"\nSexy Things: Women or Lingerie?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You know things are sad in the world of news about Muslimahs when "Muslim women value sexy" seems like not a bad headline.\u00a0 After all, 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