Tuesday, 2 August 2022

Pakistani women are more protected than women in the West?

Although Imran Khan has back tracked a bit and agreed that a rape victim should not be blamed herself, he makes the statement that Pakistani women are still more protected and respected than in the so-called West. Needless to say, the relentless comparisons to the so-called West when discussing patriarchy and feminism cannot be made with such convenient broad brushstrokes. I've seen the same being done by progressives that somehow patriarchy is less violent and less shitty in the West. This is insulting to the struggles of women living in advanced , prosperous countries, our former colonial masters. Not only do immigrant women from former colonised lands face layers and layers of racism and misogyny but we have also the struggles of indigenous women that we can't obliterate just because it suits the vehemence of our feelings with the slaughter of Pakistani women. "Say her name"! There are women from every background, class, race who face violence in the West. Patriarchy is older than capitalism and the modern state! Let's not forget, they burned women as witches in Europe just a few hundred years ago. So, what is Imran Khan essentially trying to say ? Let's read between the lines: he means that our religion protects women, gives them a respected status. Those who commit violence against women will be punished yes , when the state is finally rallied to take action against criminals. But, we cannot lose faith (pun intended) in our culture, in our religion that gives women a certain status. So, unpack that if you really want to understand what the condition of Pakistan women is.

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