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| Women
in the Arab Media
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Table of contents:
1. Introduction
2. The historical background of the position of women in the
Middle East
3. The positive effects of the representation of women in
the Arab media
4. The negative effects of the representation of women in
the Arab media
5. Conclusion
6. Works cited
Introduction
Traditionally, the position of women in the Middle East was
oppressed and they played a secondary role in the social life
entirely focusing on chores and household. However, the socioeconomic
progress and the growing feminist movement, which is spread
worldwide, could not fail to affect Arab women in the Middle
East. In spite of the conservatism of the local society, Arab
women had started to change their position and role in the
society. In such a situation, the mass media accelerated consistently
the change in the position of women since, on the one hand,
the access of the population of the Middle East to western
media and the progress of the local media contributed to the
change in the public perception of the traditional Arab lifestyle,
including the view on the position and role of women. On the
other hand, women, being encouraged by the success of the
feminist movement in other countries and being acquainted
with culture and traditions of other countries, have started
to take an active position and, today, many Arab women attempt
to succeed in their professional career and the mass media
are often viewed as an excellent opportunity for Arab women
to realize their full potential and achieve success and respect
in the society.
However, it is obvious that such a change is quite radical
for a conservative, patriarchic society of the Middle East.
As a result, Arab women often face miscomprehension, discrimination
and opposition to their efforts to make a successful career
either in the mass media, or in politics, or in any other
field. In such a context, the mass media become the major
tool with the help of which Arab women can change the public
opinion and the perception of a woman in the Arab society.
Therefore, the representation of women in the Arab media becomes
a crucial factor of their professional success and the change
of the public opinion concerning the position of women in
the Arab society.
In such a situation, it is important to analyze in details
basic positive and negative trends and changes that have taken
place recently in the Middle East in relation to the representation
of women in the Arab media and the position of women at large.
The historical background of the position of women in the
Middle East
Historically, the Middle East was characterized by the domination
of the patriarchic principles and the entire society was basically
dominated by men, while the position of women was traditionally
inferior. In this respect, it is necessary to point out that
the position of women in the Middle East was not totally oppressed.
In fact, they had and still have larger rights, but the major
problem is that they social roles are limited by their families
and households, while social life was practically under the
total control of men. It was men who defined the political
and economic development of the society, while women had little
access to the politics, they could hardly make a successful
professional career or succeed in business, while in social
relations women did not play an active part.
In actuality, the position of women in the Middle East was
determined not only by the inequality in socioeconomic position
of men and women but also by cultural traditions and norms
that dominated in the Arab society. In this respect, it should
be said that the institution of the motherhood was traditionally
extremely important in the Arab world. This is why Arab women
were viewed as mothers and wives above all and not as political
leaders, for instance. In such a situation, it is quite natural
that women played a secondary role in the socioeconomic and
political life of the society and they were simply forced
to focus entirely on their families, raising their children
and their households. In this respect, it is worth mentioning
the fact that an average Jordanian family consists of 6 members
(Moghadam, 251). Naturally, in such a situation, a Jordanian
woman, who is supposed to be focused on household and family,
could hardly make a professional career or develop her business,
or succeed in some social activities without abandoning her
duties as a mother and without abandoning her household duties.
However, by the end of the 20th century, the situation has
started to change since the Middle East grew more and more
involved in the international economic relations, which were
accompanied by the growing cultural exchanges and which led
to certain political changes in many Arab countries. In the
result of the integration of the Middle East in the world
economy, which actually brought many Arab countries huge profits
from sales of natural resources, especially oil, the region
became more and more susceptible to external influences in
different spheres of life. Many local specialists and leaders
get their education in Western countries, learning their culture
and traditions and partially accepting them as a norm.
At the same time, the impact of media became particularly
significant, especially with the development of the satellite
television, which opened new opportunities for the audience
of the Middle East since people could get acquainted with
cultures of other countries and they could acquire new norms
and traditions. In addition, the emergence of the local media
also stimulated consistent changes in the Arab society, especially
in relation to women, who, under the impact of profound socioeconomic
and cultural changes, were willing to play a more important
social role, enter politics and make a successful professional
career.
The positive effects of the representation of women in the
Arab media
The development of the media in the Middle East contributed
consistently to the improvement of the position of women in
the Arab world. In fact, the media produced a multiple effect
on the audience in regard to the change of the traditional
perception of women in the Arab society. In this respect,
it is important to underline that, on the one hand, the Arab
media have started to represent women more objectively and
women have got larger opportunities to convey their message
and state their position to the mass audience via the media,
while, on the other hand, the Arab media have become a good
opportunity for Arab women to make a career within the media.
The latter is particularly important because the employment
of women in various media, from printed media to visual media
becomes more and more widely spread. This means that Arab
women get larger opportunities to make a successful professional
career since they have access to the job in the media and,
therefore, they have opportunities for the professional growth.
At the same time, Arab women could use the media not only
as their workplace or as a basis for their professional development
and growth, but also as a tool by means of which they could
convey their position to the mass audience. To put it more
precisely, the only presence of women in the Arab media could
be viewed as challenge to the traditional norms and views
of the Arab society because, in such a way, Arab women show
their active social position and demonstrate their desire
and ability to work in the media being equal to men. In such
a situation, the media becomes a powerful tool that contributes
to the elimination of the discrimination of women in the Arab
society and stimulates women to take a more active position
in society, while the audience can perceive women in a different
way. In fact, the presence of women in the media and their
work as journalists stimulate the change of the biased attitude
to women as secondary or inferior compared to men.
In addition, women can convince their ideas to the audience
as well as they may raise problems which are currently very
important for the Middle East. For instance, as journalists,
they can raise the problem of the discrimination of women
and their unequal representation in the politics or the lack
of opportunities for Arab women to launch their own business
simply because they are women, etc.
Moreover, some women use the media as a means of representation
of certain groups of women in the Arab world. For instance,
Muna Abusulayman is one of the four anchorwomen on the Saudi
popular show “Speaking Softly” which deals with
various issues in a talk format. Of the four women working
on the show, Muna Abusulayman is the only one who wears a
hidjab, or headscarf (Esposito and Haddad, 167). In such a
way, she represents a large part of the Saudi women who also
wear a hidjab, which is actually an essential element of their
clothing which they had to wear in accordance with their religious
beliefs and the existing socio-cultural norms. On wearing
a hidjab, Muna Abusulayman apparently wants to show other
women that being a woman or being a muslim, or both, does
not necessarily meant that they cannot be a journalist, or
that they cannot take an active social position. In stark
contrast, she attempts to show other women that they can lead
an active life, they can work and, what is more, they can
be successful, regardless of the existing prejudices and stereotypes
as well as socio-cultural norms, which used to deprive them
of these opportunities and restricted their life consistently.
Moreover, Muna Abusulayman is divorced and lives alone with
her child in Saudi Arabia, which is atypical for the local
society and cultural norms. At the same time, she proves the
fact that a Saudi woman can live independently with her child
and she does not need the support of men. In such a way, Muna
Abusulayman attempts to convince the audience that a Saudi
woman can be equal to a Saudi man and that she does not need
the assistance of a man to lead a normal and even successful
life.
Obviously, the example of Muna Abusulayman is quite challenging
to the conserviative part of the Arab society, but still her
example is very important for those Arab women who still cannot
take a decision concerning their future and who cannot make
a professional career just because of the existing stereotypes
and the possibility of social condemn. In fact, it is possible
to estimate that Muna Abusulayman creates a totally new image
of an Arab woman.
However, her example is rather exceptional than typical. Nevertheless,
it is important to underline that women have started to use
the media more effectively in the Middle East. In this respect,
it should be said that women have started to enter politics
and the media became a powerful tool for the promotion of
their ideas and gaining the public support. In fact, as women
have got access to the media they could compete with men and,
hence, they could make a successful political career if they
managed to create a positive public image with the help of
the media. Obviously, promotional campaigns involving the
mass media are very effective before the elections and the
access of women to the media and the use of the media in the
promotional campaigns increase their chances to the success
during the elections, while getting legislative or executive
power women can influence decisions taken on the top political
level in the Arab world that creates favorable conditions
for the democratization of the Arab society and the improvement
of the position of women in the Arab world.
The negative effects of the representation of women in the
Arab media
However, the growing representation of women in the Arab media
does not always lead to positive outcomes. To put it more
precisely, the presence of women in the Arab women is not
always perceived positively by the audience. Moreover, under
the impact of the existing stereotypes and biases even Arab
women do not always perceive adequately the representation
of women in the Arab media. What is meant here is the fact
that women represented in the Arab media are often perceived
negatively because they do not meet the cultural and moral
standards of the Arab society. The problem is that it is not
only Arab men but also many Arab women that cannot accept
the idea that a woman can make a successful political career,
for instance. Many people, including women, believe that women
are unable to be as successful as men or, what is more, often
the qualification of women represented in the media, either
politicians or journalists, or other professionals, is put
under a question. In such a context, the successful work of
women in the media, especially on television, as well as in
politics is particularly important because their successes
will change the existing stereotypes and the extremely biased
attitude to women and their professionalism.
In this respect, it is worth mentioning the fact that women’s
employment in Arab countries’ radio and television or
print media was the crowning achievement of their educational
qualification, since 60 to 70 % of information and communication
Institutes’ students are women (Moghadam, 207). However,
it is important to underline the fact that they have been
unable to access high-level positions that allow them to influence
media strategies in a way that changes traditions’ negative
view on women or how women are presented. Consequently, the
successes of female journalists are rather an exception a
norm.
Moreover, it may be very dangerous for women in the Middle
East to work in the mass media. In this respect, it is possible
to refer to the example of May Chidiac, who is the host of
a Lebanese TV program called “With Audacity”.
In her program, May Chidiac covers tough stories and raises
very important problems, which often do not meet the cultural
norm and local tradition. In fact, she is well-known in the
Arab world for her tenacious journalism. However, it was because
of her professional work she became a victim of an assassination
attempt by suspected Syrian agent, and she lost a hand and
a leg in a car bombing in September, 2005. Nevertheless, after
numerous surgeries she went straight back to work (Zuhur,
122). This example shows that women in the Arab media may
face serious threats to their life, but their boldness and
persistence can change the public view of women in the Arab
world.
Conclusion
Thus, taking into account all above mentioned, it is possible
to conclude that the position of Arab women is changing and
the Arab media produce a significant impact on this process.
In fact, the media provide larger opportunities for women
to present their position to the mass audience and show the
positive example of an Arab woman who has achieved a tremendous
success. Moreover, the media are used by Arab women not only
as a tool for making professional journalist career, but they
are used by female politicians to promote their ideas and
position to the electorate. Nevertheless, Arab women still
have to overcome biases and prejudiced attitude to them and
the wider representation of women in the Arab media can solve
this problem.
Works cited:
Ahmed, Leila Women and Gender in Islam: Historical roots of
a modern debate, Yale University Press, 1992.
Armstrong, Karen The Battle for God: Fundamentalism in Judaism,
Christianity and Islam, London, HarperCollins/Routledge, 2001.
Bernadette Andrea, Women and Islam in Early Modern English
Literature, Cambridge University Press, 2008
Esposito, John and Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad. Islam, Gender, and
Social Change, Oxford University Press, 1997.
Moghadam, Valentine (ed), Gender and National Identity. Oxford
University Press, 2005.
Nadje Al-Ali and Nicola Pratt, Women in Iraq: Beyond the Rhetoric,
Middle East Report, No. 239, Summer 2006.
Suad Joseph, ed. Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures.
Leiden: Brill, Vol 1-4, 2003-2007.
Saddeka Arebi, Women and Words in Saudi Arabia: The Politics
of Literary Discourse, Columbia University Press, 1994.
Zuhur, S. “Women and Empowerment in the Arab World.”
Arab Studies Quarterly (ASQ), Vol. 25, 2003.
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