The trip to Egypt is starting to acquire a focus. Lately, and in the dim recesses of my thinking, I’ve been so focused on a group poetry project, set to possibly happen next Spring, I’ve been thinking less about my plan to write four female monologues.
Following the Freedom Showcase I’d been thinking of writing 3 other pieces, to fit alongside Lizzy Heyrick and potentially build a show around. One of the women I’d wanted to do was Delilah, another was Huda Shaarawi, an Egyptian Feminist, born into the last generation of the Harem system.
The fact that one of my initially planned monologue subjects was born along the Nile is suddenly really exciting. I could at least in part use the trip to gather material for my back burnt piece on her.
As a way of both re exciting me about Huda, and of course the trip to Luxor (as if I needed much help with that!) I’ve been reading the book I first picked up on her.
I found “Harem Years” in a place called Black Cat Books: a second hand book seller in Leicester. I’d seen the book, covered over by a film of dust on a number of book riffling occassions. For some reason though, I’d hesitated before picking it up, and hesitated again before buying it. Weeks later, I heard that Black Cat was closing down and I went straight back. I bought Huda on her sellers last day of trading, and she was still there, waiting for me.
“Harem Years” is a mad book, written in the 80’s and before any of today’s extreme Islamic controversy. The essay, introducing the main subject’s memoir, discusses the oppression of the Egyptian Harem system and talks about Huda publically removing her veil to the rapturous applause of her surrounding retinue. The essayist tells the story as though this action not only put an end to the harem years, but also the widespread wearing of the veil. In her summary the veil itself is subtly linked to the same system of oppression.
Today, things are very different - and it feels more complicated. As a western women I don’t feel comfortable comdeming or rejecting the wearing of the veil-as Huda, way back in 1923 did. But this one women’s act of defiance has not led to the collapse of the current gender segregated culture of Islam.
Looking through my Egyptian guide book, it advises me that - as a women - tourist or not, I would be best advised to wear a wedding ring - especially when accompanied by my boyfriend. Without one Egyptian men will have no respect for me, they’ll -what?.. think of me as a women without morals? See me as a whore? Apparently, I must avoid eye contact with men too, so as to avoid inflaming passions and leading them on. Needless to say I must also dress demurely-in all but the most cosmopolitan clubbing centres of Cairo.
None of this sits well with me. Huda Shaarawi refused to conform to these rules - challenged them - separated her Islamic faith from it’s Patriarchal culture. But as a westerner, who isn’t a Muslim, I don’t feel I have the right to do the same - and this frustrates me - especially when as a western woman abroad in this culture I have to conform to it.
The Islamic attitude towards women really does confuse me. As a cultural liberal, on one hand I instinctively want to embrace other cultures-accept others peoples ways of doing things as there right and enriching of (in the case of immigration) domestic cultures. So, part of me wants to be fine with Islamic women-choosing to wear the veil…But part of me really kicks against it. Thinks of it as indoctrination.
I don’t agree with western girls being given tiny tears dolls and pink dresses-tiny prams and fisher price cookers. I don’t care whether their parents say they want them-that they are not forcing these types of toys on them, that their children ask for them and want them of their own accord. Their children want these things because they have been exposed to them in the media-they have been indoctrinated to want them.
As a western women I am not afraid to say this-but I’m afraid to say the same about Muslim girls who want to wear the veil.
Hmmm. Writing this monologue could be tricky…if anyone has any maps for minefields, feel free to let me know…
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