People find inspiration….

Young Saudi Women Look to Oprah

I remember being 18 or 19 and reading some American Feninist poetry for the first time; it mentioned such things as menstruation, sex, gender politics – heady stuff for a Catholic virgin from 80s Ireland. Re-reading it now, it’s dated and polemic, and irrelevent. But then – then I would have campaigned to have it canonised with Keats, valued with Heaney. It gave me courage to live my own life, rather than the one society had predetermined for me.

Other friends drew inspiration and courage from rock bands and politics, from Nell McCafferty and Maeve Binchy. I have friends who sneer at Saudi girls finding inspiration from Oprah but they forget they once thought Sinead O’Connor was intelligent.

And at least they’re not drawing inspiration from Sex and the City. Go Oprah.

Told you so….

As I mentioned or rather wondered about in a bewildered manner in my last blog there’s always an agenda. Why cause such a fuss when the child was given permission already? why form a committee to push for more?

well the Herald today reports  ”Al Jazeera TV focus on Irish family who want hijab in schools” – read the article it’s too deeply depressing to bother repeating much of it here. Suffice it to say that the Egans are self-serving and disingenuous. And should be ashamed of themselves frankly.

The Government has a right to allow individual schools their rights – that’s democracy for you.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T?

I had two emotive debates recently, one on the recurring subject of the Hijab in Irish schools, prompted by the news that the mother of the girl allowed to wear it in Goery is now forming a group to push the issue further. Which is the first time I’ve heard of a protest group being formed to protest when they actually won their point; perhaps the school allowingthe Hijab wasn’t on the agenda? Either way a group is protesting the lack of clear regulations to allow Hijabs when in fact their test case was allowed wear it…hmmm. Especially as the Ministers have already agreed a common appraoch, stopping short of directives to schools.

Maybe the Islamic community could calrify their position on it as the Irish Times reports that:Meanwhile, “nine Muslim organisations in Ireland issued a joint statement pointing out that “the hijab is an Islamic obligation as stated in the Quran and Prophet Muhammad’s traditions” but that “it is not a religious symbol”.”

SO it’s an obligation under Islam but not a religious symbol? The Jesuits must be green with envy that whoever came up with that feat of logic isn’t in their ranks.

The second was on the treatment of women in Egypt; a friend who is originally from Egypt was called a liar publicly by one of her fellow ex-patriates because she recounted stories of routine sexual harassment on the streets of Egyptian towns. She was further called racist – by an Irish woman- because she said that many Islamic cultures foster such disrespect of women.

An interesting article appears today by the BBC showing the sexual harrassment of women in Egypt and I can’t help but feel that some people owe my Egyptian friend an apology! If they’re reading this morning they might like to get in touch with her? After all obviously her own experiences of her own country aren’t good enough for you so maybe the blessing of the BBC will help?

Or maybe try accepting that the factual reportage of a cultural/societal problem is not racist. It does not mean the person believes everything about that culture, society or creed is wrong; it does not mean they have a secret agenda to foster dislike and distrust. Especially when speaking of a culture they were born into, lived in, and to which they hope to return.

And try understanding that the raising of such issues among polite society is not a clarion call for your bigotry and narrowmindedness. It’s called “debate” and it’s something that intelligent adults like to indulge in from time to time. Or and here’s a radical one; listen, be shocked, get angry and focus that anger where it belongs – on the thugs perpetrating the harassment. Do something positive about it.

But start by apologizing.