On Feminism

I believe most, if not all, feminists will come to a point where they doubt their convictions. In a world of diverse cultures, how do we ensure emancipation? Let us remember emancipation in most parts of the world is mere spiritual and psychological gesture. No matter how much women may believe they have rights, their culture and religion keeps them under the thumbs of men, who also happen to provide for them.

My recent romp to the neighbouring country of Malaysia and thereby encounters with conservation Muslim women was one of strongest cause for my doubt. They are dressed in burqas and veils and sitting in the shade at water theme parks while their husbands and sons run about in speedos and ogling other women. Fundamentally, this is wrong by a WEIRD (Westernized educated industrialized rich and democratic) standard. Yet the more I think about it, the more I start to understand how we can never expect to assert our own cultural understanding on them. By talking about women’s rights to independence from husbands and brothers and by talking about ditching the veil we are in fact inciting them to disobey religion. Who are we to do that? That can only come from a closeminded viewpoint, to even question someone’s religion as, plainly, sucky. Are you going to be responsible for their salvation?

We know why religion favours men and disses women. It’s all written in the histories and nothing can change that. Religion is important to the masses; there are many deeply religious people in this world. If we ask them to consider a faithless life, they lose their spiritual guidance, and all the practicalities that come with. In a way, we will end up starting a train without building the tracks. Where do recently emancipated women in a conservative society go?

And so when I met these women is their conservation garb toting LV purses and herding their children, I wondered if they feel like they have a fulfilled life. It was a Huxley-esque moment; they were evident brought up to believe such a lifestyle is wonderful and that those of other women of other cultures were undesirable, just as we were socialized from young, as Singaporeans, to believe that girls can, will and should go to college, work, own cars and houses. Transplant either of us into each other’s cultures we cannot survive. There’s no envy, there’s no pity, it’s mere respect. Each culture have their own dirty linen, airing it serves no purpose but to incite hate and prejudice, and pity from the White Supremicists. We have no need for that, no, we don’t.