EIGHT REASONS Feminists Should Protest Islam’s Treatment of Women (But Don’t)

Feminists claim that conservatives have been launching a war on women for some time (e.g. abortion, discrimination). Such claims are groundless. The truth of the matter is that Islamists (who are actually carrying out the core principles of the Koran) are the ones who are carrying out a war on women. Here are a few examples.

1. Domestic violence and submission. The Koran sanctions (even requires) wife-beating, and violence towards any disobedient female for that matter. The Koran also mandates all wives to be completely obedient to their husband, including fulfilling their husband’s sexual needs.

2. Rape. In order to prove a woman was raped, the Koran mandates the testimony of four male witnesses. Technological advances (e.g. DNA, surveillance footage) are dismissed because 1) Muslims have a tendency to be conspiracy theorists, i.e. the evidence was doctored in order to frame the accused, and 2) some Muslims regard technology as un-Islamic.

3. Honor crimes and Adultery. Any woman who is believed to have brought shame upon her family (even if she was innocent) is killed, hence an honor killing. Honor killings took place before Islam, but the Koran put its stamp of approval on them. Thus, 91% of honor killings are committed by Muslims. There are even honor suicides, in which females accused of dishonoring their family are forced to commit suicide. Meanwhile, many Muslim females are forced into marriages regardless of their wishes of whom they want to marry. Sometimes these forced marriages are done under the disguise of arranged marriages. Those women who refuse such marriages are threatened with death or forced into submitting to their family’s wishes. In addition, the Koran states that any woman who commits adultery is to be stoned to death.

4. Child marriages. Muhammad married Aisha when she was six years old (and consummated the marriage when she was nine years old). Thus, the Koran states he was setting an example, and therefore all Muslims should follow suit (or try to). One Islamic cleric stated that the desert heat results in girls reaching puberty faster. But then how does such (unproven) logic apply to Muslim girls who don’t live in desert regions? I guess Muhammad setting an example is the answer to that question.

5. Sex slaves. The Koran condones slavery, which of course would include having females as sex slaves. Ever since the Middle Ages, Muslims would make sex slaves out of captured females via their conquests. Such practices continue to this day, although sometimes in the form of domestic servants being sexually abused.

6. Lack of freedom. Muslim women are sometimes forbidden to leave the house without a male relative. A majority of them are forced (under the threat of violence or even death) to wear the veil, or even be covered from head to toe. In some areas, females are forbidden to get an education. In addition, the Koran considers a woman’s testimony to be half of a man’s testimony, as well as putting restrictions on women inheriting property.

7. Divorce. If a Muslim man wants to divorce his wife, all he has to do is say “I divorce thee” three times and hence they are officially divorced. One cleric stated that Muslim men can even divorce their wives via text message (no doubt divorce via instant message, email, etc. is also allowed). Meanwhile, women are not allowed to seek a divorce, because the Koran considers them to be property of their husbands.

8. Interfaith Marriage. Muslim men are allowed to marry non-Muslim women, but Muslim women are not allowed to marry non-Muslim men. This is a form of marriage jihad, in which Group A (Muslims) can absorb Group B (everyone else).

Feminists should be protesting the Muslims’ war on women. But they don’t. Their reasons: 1) it’s none of their business, and 2) protesting Islam’s treatment of women would be considered Islamaphobic.

As a result, they consider conservatives to be a threat to women’s rights.

Image: http://uncovering-irans-history.wikispaces.com/Islamic+Revolution-Sarah+Petersen