Two Tales of The Patriarchy
November 25th, 2009 by SocProf and tagged Gender, Patriarchy, Religious Fundamentalism, Terrorism
Both involve the issue of control of women’s lives in the context of patriarchal religion.
First:
Note the very patriarchal photograph. The article itself is interesting in that it reveals a mix of religious fundamentalism and nationalism. The women themselves may reclaim suicide terrorism as a form of regaining control over their own lives but it is clear that these operatives function completely under the control of men… only to be arrested by more men (the smiling guys in the photo) when they fail to blow themselves up. Moreover, as the article notes, it is only once the US and Iraqi military started suspecting pretty much every man of being a potential suicide bomber that the insurgent groups turned to women.
Another ultimately futile attempt at regaining control has to do with the ever-so-important-to-the-patriarchy virginity of girls… Meet the artificial hymen, made in China:
In both cases, ultimately, these women end up submitting to the patriarchy.
In case you’re wondering:
Artificial Hymen Kit via kwout
Posted in Gender, Nationalism, Patriarchy, Religious Fundamentalism, Terrorism | No Comments »
