Right To Love

In the Middle East, perceptions of “gay” or “homosexual” are different from those of the West, and even Ohio University. Simply going against cultural norms can cause one to be labeled as “gay” in the Middle East; this categorization of homosexuality may be on pure assumption as well. Unlike Western culture, there are many classifications of “gay” in the Middle East, including words that do not have English translations. Another contribution to the mislabel of “gay” can be the lack of distinction between “sex” and “gender”, which, as a communication studies major, I have recently studied extensively. It’s not easy to be gay in any part of the world, but in the Middle East it’s almost like being invisible and at risk at the same time.

Recently, homosexuality has become readily accepted in many countries, including the United States, but in the Middle East it is the excuse for the arbitrary detention, arrest, torture, and deaths of hundreds of people. There are, however, always differing treatments across countries in the Middle East, similar to the U.S.’s state treatments. Israel is often seen as the exception by accepting homosexuality and even allowing “Pride Parades” to occur throughout the country, but many residents of the Middle East have been reported to claim homosexuality is a Western “problem.” They emphasize the differences between Eastern and Western cultures and claim that homosexuality cannot be tolerated. But are we truly that different?

“In Iran, we don’t have homosexuals, like in your country.”

-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Source)

I identify as a follower of Catholicism, a religion that is seemingly intolerant of homosexuality entirely, and I wondered if Islam followed that stance. Just like Catholicism, Islam is interpreted differently by different followers, but generally its teachings regarding sexuality (homosexual or heterosexual) can be reduced to the importance of procreation and formalized frameworks for sexual activity. Criticisms of homosexuality are generally found in Hadith, history or teachings of the Prophet Muhammad that were passed down orally through history until they were recorded in writing. Many Hadith reports contradict each other, but they include severe condemnations of homosexuality.

The Pew Research Center, as part of a fascinating new report on global attitudes toward homosexuality, asked people in 39 different countries a deceptively straightforward question: “Should society accept homosexuality?” People could answer yes, no or decline the question.

The “yes” answers are mapped out below. In red countries, less than 45 percent of respondents said homosexuality should be accepted by society. In blue countries, more than 55 percent said it should be accepted. Purple countries fall in that middle range of about half. Additionally, as you can see in the line graph, they plotted where a country’s tolerance for homosexuality falls.

However, even with oppressive forces against them, homosexual individuals in the Middle East have found ways to flourish. Beirut’s vitality as a Mediterranean capital of night life has fueled a LGBT scene like any other and in recent years, Lebanon has become one of the most liberal Arab counties when it comes to sexuality and sexual behavior. Also, isolated and secret groups have been known to form to provide support to the LGBT community, despite popular discrimination.

Whether because of politics, religion, or common cultural practices, homosexuals within the Middle East continue to fight for their lives and their right to love. Only with the cessation of these practices and the advocacy of human rights for all people will human beings truly achieve peace. What have we done in Athens to promote a peaceful environment? What cultural values do we show when we are accepting of LGBT identities?

References: The Washington Post, The New York Times, theguardian.com, International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission, Humanitarian News & Analysis, Human Rights & Human Welfare

For Freedom of Press’s Sake

With internet censorship and privacy becoming a growing issue each day, the implementation of Turkey’s new law is shocking. The law will tighten the state’s grip on the Internet and changes the majority of original Turkey internet law from 2007. Street protests and campaigns against the new law have been in full force since the law approval on Sept. 9^th.

President Abdullah Gul of Turkey sanctioned the controversial legislation, but hurt his public identity in the process. A Twitter campaign – #UnFollowAbdullahGul – was launched and his follower count promptly dropped by more than 100,000 in two days. The public is so concerned and outraged with this new law because it will allow Turkey’s telecommunications authority, Telecommunication Directorate (TIB), to block websites without first obtaining a court order, block specific URL’s (unlike the 2007 law), and regulates the amount of information saved and tracked through the internet. Even though a court order is necessary within 24hrs of a website being blocked, it will stay that way until the court makes a decision, which could take a long amount of time.

This is worrisome because news reports and other sources of information can be blocked immediately when uploaded. As an American, I know our freedom of the press is protected and we value it greatly; what are the political and social implications of having news continuously blocked and censored? Is it truly “helping the citizens of Turkey”? A primary example of the cultural impact this could have is seen in the blocking of YouTube from 2007 until 2010 for videos against Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. This changed the entire outlook of internet and social media usage.

One of the many reasons this law was adopted so quickly was because of leaked phone recordings that have evidence of “document corruption in state tenders and bribery involving businessmen and the Turkish government.” The head of TIB is appointed by the government, so it is speculated that the government may be working to control this situation more than they will admit. Their response to the public outrage is that the law was necessary for reasons of “national security, to protect public order, and to prevent a crime from being committed.” It sounds reasonable, but time will tell if this is truly why the law was enacted.

“The real problem and the bitter truth, which is mostly ignored, is the excess of power to undermine the judiciary and providing juridical immunity to government officials.” (Source)

The Republican People’s Party, the opposition to the Turkish government, released a statement stating that “the AKP government, striving to restrict freedom in every domain, is stepping up its pressure on the Internet, which is becoming increasingly important in our daily lives.” I cannot imagine not having freedom of speech, which is (as I understand) the primary concern in Turkey. This new law is seen as a severe form of censorship and puts citizens out of touch with the rest of the world. News in Turkey can become extremely biased and distorted only certain coverage and reports are allowed.

Summed up, the latest amendments mean that the Turkish government can now “legally” hold information about all Internet users in Turkey, including which websites they visit when and for how long, and have the power to block websites and URL’s whenever they deem necessary. This is an issue that needs to be addressed, for the sake of free speech and free press.

References: Turkey’s Main Opposition, Turkey’s Top Court, New Turkish Internet Law, Online Freedom vs. The Red Flag, Turkey Pulse, New Internet Law In Turkey Sparks Outrage

Side note: Andy Alexander, an Ohio University Alumnus, was part of a group of American journalists representing the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI) in Turkey. See the news article here.

Expression through Henna

For over five thousand years the art of henna (Arabic) or mehndi (Hindi) has been used as a way of enhancing beauty. Legend has it that Mohammad used henna to dye his beard and that the henna flower was the Prophet’s favorite. The plant has since been associated with positive magic and “provides a link to an ancient age full of good and bad spirits.” It holds a place in religious, magical, and cultural practice.

Enough though there is some controversy over the creation of henna as a dying agent, the earliest clear evidence of henna application appears on the hair and nails of Egyptian mummies. It is believed that the henna plant, Lawsonia inermis, originated in Persia and is now found throughout parts of Asia and the Middle East. Henna has also been used for medicinal purposes, to dye cloth and leather as well as hair, and to color the manes of horses and fur of other animals.

In Arab weddings, brides would, and still, participate in a traditional henna ceremony. Henna is a symbol of good luck, health, and sensuality and thus used for marital purposes as well. Typically, the bride’s hands and feet are painted with intricate designs with a paste of dried henna leaves. Black henna is reserved for the soles of feet and hands while red henna is used for the tips of fingers and toes (as seen above). It is carefully applied and needs to dry for long periods of time without being removed, bumped, or otherwise touched; this is when the staining happens. (The longer the paste is left to dry, the darker and deeper the stain will be.) Henna can be used in the actual ceremony as well. What is the religious implication of henna in weddings? As I see it, each culture’s take on henna is different, but the purposes are similar.

Each henna artist usually has a personal recipe and apreferred technique. Some artists will use toothpicks, plastic cones, or tools from henna kits; all of these make the application easier, but require different skill sets. The paste is also made according to the artist’s skill level – if the paste is thicker, then it is harder to apply and if it is thinner, it is easier. The designs range from simple to intricate in every culture, but can have many distinct differences. Arabic henna designs are usually large, floral patterns on the hands and feet. Indian mehndi involves fine, thin lines for lacy, floral and paisley patterns covering entire hands, forearms, feet and shins. African henna patterns are bold, large geometric designs.

Modern day Arab women still use henna for body adornment, but in a more fun and decorative way. Western societies have also adopted henna as a way to temporarily tattoo oneself (as seen right by the University Program Council at Ohio University) in addition to other methods of self-decoration. What is the cultural implication of henna as used in present day societies? I personally have gone to a party with henna and my friends and I match our henna designs. For me, it’s used as a personal bonding measure between my closest friends. Have you ever tried henna? What’s your favorite design?

                             References: Henna: An Enduring Tradition, Customs of Middle Eastern Makeup and Decoration, HennaArt Connection, Henna, Silk and Stone, Earth Henna

Saving Muslim Women?

We are always told never to judge a book by its cover, but I find it very hard not to jump to conclusions when I see certain pictures. There are specific images that work really well on covers to help them sell (of course there are others that do not sell). An example that comes to mind is the “White People Almost Kissing” book jacket that author Nicholas Sparks uses on almost every novel he writes. It can be expected that these images will vary from author to author, especially in different cultures. In Arabic literature, there are also “go to” types of images such as “Tiny Men Walking” or “Women Looking Out Over Water”; One in particular, though, has been used often – “Saving Muslim Women”.

It’s understandable that book covers help us choose a book (it’s natural to go to what intrigues you), but with this type of consistent marketing there is no room for choice. The “Saving Muslim Women” book covers not only become repetitive, but it may also change the way and perspective from which the book is read. The meanings and themes in one novel are almost never exactly the same as another sitting right next to it; however, the covers give that perception. While most of the novels cover sexual abuse, there are other aspects of a Muslim woman’s life that have been written about as well.

Lila Abu-Lughod, author of Do Muslim Women Need Saving?, explains that these types of books were “published by trade presses, reviewed widely, and adopted by book clubs and women’s reading groups, a lurid genre of writing on abused women – mostly Muslim – [which] exploded onto the scene in the 1990s and took off after September 11.” One of the more notable “memoirs” written in this genre is the story of Hannah Shah in her novel The Imam’s Daughter (this is one of the more brutally honest novels out there). Even so, English translations of Arabic novels were virtually nonexistent until the 20^th century, so it makes sense that Americans may have a narrow view (if one at all) of Arabic literature. Why is it, as observed by myself, that Americans are more likely to pick up an Arab based novel, but not read an Arab based news article? Is it possible that they only think in terms of fictional work that is becoming increasingly popular?

As I have learned from research, writing in the Middle East can be dangerous and potentially deadly if seen as a threat by publishers or censorship reviewers. Even though previously banned books may now be reconsidered, censorship plays a large role in what can be written about. Sex, religion, and politics are typically topics that get a novel in trouble; this is no surprise then that books about the lives of Muslim women may be controversial. It has been said that the books have “reduced Muslim women to a stereotyped singularity, plastering a handy cultural icon over much more complicated historical and political dynamics”.

Since the reading culture is not a large part of some Middle Eastern regions, it can be especially hard for Arabic literature to grow. It is odd that this “Saving Muslim Women” theme is one of the only ways the focuses of the brilliant novels and memoirs about Middle Eastern life, particularly because struggles and abuse are discussed heavily in other cultures as well. Why was this particular topic chosen to be the focus, especially in America? There are so many other ways to portray subject matter – even comically! – And having the same book jacket over and over could potentially reduce the impact of the book if it is solely on a particular struggle. There are plenty of Middle Eastern based novels to read – even more so if they’ve been banned! “Saving Muslim Women” is not always an applicable focus for Arab literature; we are learning there is much more to their lives than that.

References: Why So Many “Saving Muslim Women Book Covers?”, Do Muslim Women Need Saving?, Nicholas Sparks Books Have One Thing In Common, Six Banned Middle Eastern Books You Should Read, Hannah Shah, Don’t Judge Books By Their Cover