Malala’s real enemy

By
Lejla Kurić
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29
298

Anti-Malala vitriol is a direct expression of misogyny

“When I was born, people in our village commiserated with my mother and nobody congratulated my father.” This is how Malalala Yousufzai describes the reaction to the birth of a girl in her memoir I Am Malala.

Malala, a young heroine from Swat, Pakistan, has rightly risen to international acclaim. At the age of 11, she defied a terrorist organisation and stood up for the rights of girls to education. At 16, she has sparked a dialogue about children’s education on a global scale that led the UN to recommit to the Millennium Development Goal 2. She has put her words in action and created the Malala Fund, helping to empower other girls. Malala has become an agent of change, bettering this world.

But while Malala is admired by millions of people from all corners of the world, in her homeland, her noble struggle is variously derided as a conspiracy, a meaningless drama or even a mendacious attempt to defame Pakistan. People in the West are genuinely perplexed by the toxicity of the vitriol thrown at this brave young woman by her countrymen.

As a woman also born and raised in Islamic culture, I am not surprised. The backlash against Malala follows a very familiar script. It is a small part of a larger anti-feminist narrative that seeks to discredit any push for gender equality within Muslim societies as an act of Western Imperialism, thus indefinitely preventing the emancipation of Muslim women.

This narrative absolves oppressors of their responsibility. Muslim women don’t suffer at the hands of patriarchal men, militants and terrorists nor are they victimised by the societies and laws deliberately stacked against them — instead they and their oppressors are both victims of an abstraction; sometimes described as Western Imperialism, neo-colonialism, neo-liberalism on so on.

Direct actions of the West such as military interventions and drone warfare shoulder the blame for all that is wrong in Muslim societies. This myopia is only concerned with perceived wrongdoing of the West, while native misanthropic practices, such as violence against women, clerical tyranny, sectarianism, militancy and terrorism, are ignored or even excused as an understandable response.

Anything, even the attempted assassination of a young girl, can be explained this way. Criminals, in this case the Tehreek-i-Taliban become the victims of Western imperialist violence, while women activists who resist their anti-women agenda are discredited as collaborators and pawns of the Western Imperialism. This effectively shuts down any debate on women rights. Women can only be victims of direct or indirect Western violence, while violence committed against them by the native patriarchal men is conveniently overlooked.

This notion of permanent Muslim victimhood at the hands of the menacing West can be traced back to the work of the highly influential academic Edward Said. According to Said, the West is engaged in a sustained and systematic attempt to diminish and subjugate Islamic society and culture. Thus, Western attitudes towards the Orient can only ever be racist, imperialist, exploitative and ethnocentric in nature.

While most Muslims probably, have never read Said, his premises have become widely circulated memes, are repeated endlessly by various commentators, and internalised by Muslim masses to the point where they are accepted as unquestionable truths. This has had catastrophic consequences for Muslim societies. First, it has fostered a collective inability to recognise and address the fact that it is religious dogmatism and reactionary cultural practices, not the West, that have plunged the Muslim world in state of stasis and decay. Second, it has bred a rejection of the universality of the human rights and individual freedoms, which are wrongly and maliciously labelled as tools of Westernisation.

The conflict between Malala and Taliban is a conflict between inalienable, universal human rights, on the one hand, and “rights” as defined and limited by religious authorities on the other. The position of the Taliban on this matter is one shared by all Islamist and religious/cultural conservatives who are reluctant to cede the obvious benefits of male supremacy. Anti-women practices are rationalised and excused as a “divine” and/or an opposition to Western Imperialism.

The argument that universal human rights and personal freedoms are expressions of the Western culture is profoundly untrue. Rather, universal human rights transcend culture by elevating the rights of the individual above it, irrespective of race, creed, sexual orientation or gender.

In opposition to universalism, relativists argue that human rights are subservient to culture and religion. It is important to note that, as Michael Ignatieff has correctly observed, cultural relativism an argument is almost exclusively used by those who wield power in cultures and who commit human rights abuses; those they oppress, whose human rights are compromised, are rendered powerless.

Thus, the rejection of egalitarian universalism — the very values Malala espouses — protects the interests of patriarchal men whilst simultaneously disempowering women. When this is done under the guise of anti-imperialism, misogyny acquires the legitimacy of moral righteousness and, in case of Pakistan, a reactionary religio-nationalism. The result is that feminism and women rights are disparaged as treachery — a vey cunning political defence of women hatred, indeed.

Talk of Western Imperialism, “Malala Drama-zai”, colonialism, drones and ridiculous conspiracy theories is simply misdirection designed to hide and deny the obvious — that there exists within Pakistani society a deep and abiding contempt for women and notions of female equality and emancipation. This is clearly illustrated in the derisive propaganda comparing Malala to Mukhtaran Mai, another incredibly brave woman who refused to bow down to violence and be reduced to a mute victim.

As Andrea Dworkin, a feminist writer, noted:

“Feminism is hated because women are hated. Anti-feminism is a direct expression of misogyny; it is the political defence of women hating.”

 

Lejla Kurić writes on women rights, human rights and social justice for Left Foot Forward, Britain’s No 1 left-wing political blog.

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29 COMMENTS

  1. .
    A 'Noble Cause' dies malnourished …
    .
    The state calfs an 'Image Campaign' …
    .
    Milking the cow is now the 'Opportunity' …
    .
    The grass eaters are content …
    .

  2. Hate is sin; therefore, it covers and comes within the definition of “Crime”.
    Although Man since his or her birth (Adam and Eve) have the difference of opinion due to personal liking and disliking which comes in Man mind because of difference in ingredients of gender, yet male or female are bound to live together , marriage each other and develop New Man for forthcoming future.

    Well if discourse of Ms Lejia Kuric expressed it “Anti-Malala vitriol is a direct expression of misogyny “ and if She understands the true meanings of “misogyny” ( hatred against women) and effect of” hate “ then it promotes direct expression of misandry ( hatred against men).

    This world is developed by Allah just for “love , love and only for love “, and Allah’s all books and Holy persons promoted love only .
    Writer should avoid all gesture of hate and follow the methods and means of love and Publishers must take their responsibility to promote love only.

    (S.A.Hussain)
    [email protected]

    • Excuse me, but why do you regard "seculars" as enemies? Why do you hate people who are not like you? Malala is a hero, and you, as a Muslim, should be supporting her. You really should bow your head in shame.

  6. Writer is real enemy, many supporter gone when Islam and Pakistan deframed in book,no one can tolerate it, further women in Pakistan is much better even from west, in every field

    • Idiots like you don't deserve Malala. you keep following tha stupid Beduin (Muhammad) and leave Malala alone.

  7. Why is there a huge global push on this girl’s stance on women’s rights. There were many before her, so why is Malala any different. Is she preaching a new type of women’s rights? Is she saying something that’s not already been said before. Or does she have the charm that the previous women’s rights advocates didn’t possess? No. Malala has been pushed to the forefront to make all other news push to the back. It’s amazing how Malala’s plight has been pushed onto our screens daily in the news. But even more amazing is that it’s not been pushed anywhere else around the world. Her cause, as noble as it is, is only being exploited to make certain countries seem backwards. Because if we as a group of people believe a country is backwards, we as a group of people will demand that something be done in these countries. But why? Why should we “the all knowledgeable” assume that it’s ok to inflict our ideas and morals onto another country. Does another country inflicts communism onto us? Does another country say that all women here should cover up? Does another country suggest we stop serving alcohol or cigarettes? No. Then why are we inflicting our ideas onto other countries. Regardless of how morally correct we feel they are. Malala’s plight is no different to any other human rights. But we as a nation choose to ignore many other and worse human rights abuse. But we are now told that’s this particular human right, Malala’s right, should be listened to carefully and taken on board. When we as a nation disgregard even one human right, then it’s hypocritical of us to defend any human rights. We cannot and should not, pick and choose what human rights to support. The only right we should all be fighting and supporting is the right for each person on this earth to live the way they want.

    • The idea that she is pushing is only education…education is always better than lack of education…pushing people for more eduction is not imposing will on others…it is an attempt to help others..only uneducated people would not understand this…

  8. Really well argued piece regarding the fallacies of culture relativism and that universal Human Rights transcend culture/religion – it's hard to believe there are people who believe otherwise.

  9. There really is no big mystery that by the Pakistan Taliban failing to silence a schoolgirl blogger who campaigned on education and women's rights with an assassin's bullet, the world wanted to listen to what she had to say.

    I suppose for some it is easier to shoot the messenger than to listen. The future for our children comes before the fancies of mullahs or the whims of clerics. Heritage and tradition cannot hold hostage the rightful birthrights of our children – a better tomorrow than our today.

    Thanks for writing Lejla.

    • thanks, very well articulated point, among all those muddying the water by trying to single out Malala's support as contradicting and countering the rights of other 'Malalas', its far from that, Malala's becoming a symbol thanks to a horrendous act of a zealot, should not detract from her positive msg as an accidental worldwide celebrity status.
      _kalim Irfani

  10. Brings to mind the burning of "witches" as was the practice years ago…. To my knowledge men were never accused of being a witch. I wonder how long it will continue? How many more centuries this apparent fear of women, differently expressed to varying degrees in cultures all over the World…? I hope that one day, somehow, we humans will make some progress in ridding ourselves of all this fear and insecurity and self-centredness.

  11. I think when a child is hurt in any battle, we all have our sympathies with that child. In Malala's case, the world wants to listen to her because of her age and the power of her message.
    As far as this is concerned that Muslims are afraid of emancipation of women; it has to happen and it will. We are living in a global village today and people of this world are coming close to each other and learning from each other every passing day. Change is inevitable. Malala's call is a wake up call for all the people in this world to realize that women rights are human rights and neglecting women will be resulting in the suffering of societies in the long run. The societies and communities who commit themselves to women rights will be the ones who win the race for sustainable development in my opinion.

  12. Lejla – thank you for a very good article. Those who disagree with Lejla need to have a really good THINK!!

  16. " s.a.hussain · 4 days ago

    Well if discourse of Ms Lejia Kuric expressed it “Anti-Malala vitriol is a direct expression of misogyny “ and if She understands the true meanings of “misogyny” ( hatred against women) and effect of” hate “ then it promotes direct expression of misandry ( hatred against men). "

    Can (Mr) s a hussain explain how description of misogyny may promote misandry? Does for instance description of violence promote violence?
    Thank you for explaining. As far as I know, peace includes understanding of war and its effects, love (love love) includes understanding of hate, anger, violence and their effects. The holy books tell us how to live well, and do not avoid telling us how NOT to live.

  17. This is a great article by Lejla Kuric.

    I’m just busy reading the book “The Religion Virus” by Craig James. In it, he speaks of the “Underdog meme,” which means that religions – particularly the monotheistic ones – even though they may be dominant in a particular culture or polity, constantly portray themselves as "victims.” This they do in order to keep people “committed” to their particular ideology.
    We can understand what you described regarding the Malala issue in the same light, that whenever any Muslim advocates issues pertaining to universal human rights, such as gender equality, the right to education, democracy, freedom of expression, freedom of choice, etc., they are immediately branded as being agents of the West, as being traitors to the cause of Islam, and the like.
    Secondly, the puritanical Muslim clerics, as well as their modernist Islamist counterparts’ claims that they are in fact upholding “divinely sanctioned” laws and values, which they wish to impose on society, becomes another segment of their memeplex (meme collection), which sets themselves up as the incontestable and unquestionable “authoritative spokesmen for God.”
    This ensures that the religious hegemons remain in power, and the lay masses, especially women, remain ever subjugated.

  19. Lejla, svaka čast! Zelo pogumno napisano.
    Brave & right on the spot. You nailed the main problem: the problem of how woman rights are understood within the Muslim cultures. A recent poll from the Thomson Reuters Foundation has shown shocking results. Female genital mutilation is endemic and there has been a surge in ***ual violence since the uprisings. Egypt scored as the worst country according to more than 300 gender experts in the states of the Arab League. I was deeply shocked by a recent BBC documentary on ***ual violence in India.
    The other problem is that Europe has deranged from it's own core values of gender equality with the rise of new right. Those who are today crying out against immigration in favor of the 'European way' themselves are Europe's worst enemies. Gender equality, along with freedom of speech and religion must be in the core of our societies. I remember when you father told you not to forget that you came both from western and eastern roots (when we meet in island of Krk in the nineties). Somehow you manage not just to be a proud successful woman yourself, but you also argue and fight for the right of other women to be such.
    ___

    Slavoj Žižek (almost my neighbor here in Ljubljana, we go to the same hairdeser – seriously!) at India Habitat Centre engages in a debate with the Indian host concerning European values in globalized culture. The question is whether the questions of gender equality, poverty, ecological problems can be solved within the horizon of liberal democratic liberalism. It's a question you are touching with your article. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vweb37dJgV4 (and the following videos)

  20. this is an excellent piece Lejia and apologies for not coming across sooner. The culture of misogyny that is so prevalent in Pakistan and other similar cultures is much evident by some of the earlier comments. The bravery of Malala and many thousands of other young girls & women who are making a stand every day at great risk to their personal safety is to be admired & applauded by all rational thinking people. I wrote a blog post on honour killings and the hate mail & threats that i received were extraordinary!
    http://ramblingsofanightowl.com/?p=108

    Keep up the good work. We need many more voices like you.

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