Arab ladies are frequently subjected to a variety of stereotypes. From the’silly couched girl’ that is portrayed as an oppressed sufferer in need of a savior, to the notion that women who wear veils http://projectbritain.com/valentine.htm are unable to assume for themselves or do not have any ambition. These prejudices are dangerous in their portrayal of a society, but also in the method that they deny the trailblazing work of women role models across the area. Whether it is the first female president of a town in Iraq or the many Arab female politicians, these women are a clear obstacle to the tale that has been created that says Egyptian women are powerless and never consider charge of their own lives.
Studies conducted by George Gerbner, parents of Cultivation Theory, shows that bad prejudices are cultivated through repeated media representations. This is particularly true when it comes to the Arab media. During the coronavirus pandemic in 2019 for example, a large percentage of jokes circulated on social media sites reflected negatively about arab women. The’silly veiled female ‘ image was the most prominent one. Other negative images included women being illiterate, limited in intellectual capability, immoral, materialistic or opportunistic.
Dr Balaa pakistani girl for marriage highlights the importance of countering these stereotypes with positive portrayals of Arab women and how these are achieved in literature. She uses the example of Firdaus in Saadawi’s novel The Book of life where she is able to rebel against her rapist and show ‘ a different type of femininity.’ This is important as it illustrates that women can face multiple forms of oppression at the same time that are not solely related to their religion or their ethnicity as Arabs.
