28 June
2011
Muslim women activists spoke out in support of women's right to wear hijab at
the annual conference of the National Organization for Women (NOW) held in
Tampa Florida. They also spoke in support of Islam and its compatibility with
women's rights.
NOW is a national advocacy group focusing on fighting all forms of sex
discrimination. The organization's annual conference was held in Tampa, Florida
from 24-26 June 2011.
Neveen El-Nawawy a Muslim community activist speaking at the conference, said
during a panel discussion about violence against women that Islam and Feminism
are not conflicting ideals as some would think. She also said that women in
Middle-Eastern states which manufacture oil -- or places with a higher standard
of living -- are less likely to speak out about violence against them.
Jerin Arifa, a NOW board member, said Americans should focus more on stopping
the abuse of the women in their own backyard rather than the women in the
Middle East.
Amala Abdur-rahman, a recent law grad and member of CAIR-Tampa, said she wears
her hijab as a way of expressing her American rights.
A psychologist for sexual abuse, Juanita Baker, was a member of the audience
during one panel discussion. Baker compared how Americans judge rape victims
and how they dress with the way Islamic women are judged on their cultural
dress.
Sexuallly explicit depictions of women in public advertising were blamed for
contributing to violence against women.
The group Girls Inc. of Pinellas received the Girl Powered Media award for
taking a stand against a sexually explicit billboard on 66th street. Girls Inc.
takes the position that there is a correlation between sexual images of women
and the violence their generation is facing. Melanie Campbell, the president
and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, motivated the
crowd with a victory chant.
On Saturday, there was a panel discussion entitled "Behind the Veil: Islam
and Women's Rights."
The purpose of the panel was to be "an honest and eye-opening dialogue
about the role of women in Islam, and learn how both Muslim and non-Muslim
feminists can work together to further feminism."
With the recent burqa ban in France, there has been much talk about the role of
women in Islam. from this point of departure, the workshop explored the
following questions: Is Islam inherently sexist? Can a woman actually choose to
cover herself? As feminists, should we have a goal of helping to liberate
Muslim women? What is the role of women in the recent Arab Spring?
Workshop panelists include a human rights activist who has traveled extensively
in conflict regions; an American of Palestinian and Egyptian descent outspoken
on feminism and the Middle East and North African uprisings; and a civil rights
legal fellow at the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Tampa.
The panelists were N. Jerin Arifa (Moderator), Amala M. Abdur-Rahman, Neveen
Nawawy, Laila M. Abdelaziz
Right-Wing Reaction
Even before the conference started, some American right-wing groups criticized
the feminist organization for failing to blame Islam for the mistreatment of
women and for "trying to hide from American workers the reality of
Islam." Some people placed a picket at the NOW conference.
Anti-Islam activist Pamela Gellar singled out for criticism Jane Castor, Tampa
Chief of Police who delivered the Welcome Speech at the conference.
Gellar said: "The irony is thicker than blood. Jane Castor, Tampa Chief of
Police — scene of the misogynistic Abdallah cover-up in submission to Islam —
is speaking to a feminist crowd on what? The upside of the dehumanizaton of
women? The hypocrisy is crushing." Gellar was referring to the Police
Chief's upholding the coroner's determination that the death in Tampa of Fatima
Abdullah was an accident. Some groups have argued the death was really an honor
killing.
Sources:
Lachelle Roddy, "National Organization for Women 2011 Conference in Tampa
looks at violence" WMNF
88.5 June 27, 2011
"Workshops & Issue Hearings" NOW
Felix Quigley, "The Feminists Evade the Issue Of Repression of Women In
Islam…Contrast with Geller Who is Specific" 4international June 24, 2011
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