6 | November 2011 | woman this month Letters Your October issue of WTM, in which Natasha Bird interviewed Dr. Margot Badran was illuminating and a call to action. With the presence of our four women in parliament and eleven in the Shura Council, it is apparent that more and more women are affirming their right to be heard. Women can no longer stand to be treated as second class citizens, without a voice. Dr. Badran’s dedication and commitment to studying the role of women in the Islamic world, based on the teachings of the Qur’an is to be highly commended. In a bid to be taken more seriously, all women need to take a stance, stay true to their convictions and be united in their fight for freedom and equal rights. If one woman can make a difference, imagine what the future holds for each and every one of us. C. Farose, by email. A Call to Action The Feminism Issue I really appreciate that this magazine talked about feminism in the October issue. It is a commonly used word when I discuss Islam with my peers. A lot of people don’t know anything about it, but they are still throwing around the word as if they own it. I have been in Bahrain for three years and I am married to a Bahraini. I was not originally a Muslim, but now that I have been living in their culture for years, I appreciate its values. So often women assume that the Muslim religion is antiwomen and this isn’t true. I can see that in Bahrain, the Muslim religion is often used to treat women with respect and love. My husband, who is Muslim, treats me superbly. Leslie, by email. WRITE IN AND WIN Send your letter to [email protected], by fax to 17 813-700 or by post to PO Box 20461, Manama. The star letter will receive two amazing slimming treatment sessions at Bliss Salon. Using a state-of-the-art LPG machine, this treatment is three times more effective than anything else available in the Kingdom! Bliss Salon contact details can be found in the Pink Pages at the back of the magazine. Write Here Write Now 9 woman this month | October 2011 | 8 | October 2011 | woman this month *OUFSWJFX 'eminism” has become a dirty word. It shouldn’t have and it’s bizarre that it has, but it has. So, what is it about this particular term for female equality that makes it stick in people’s throats? It isn’t just that men see it as a label for the disruption to their status quo, because there are many, educated women who also recoil at its mention. In some parts of the world, the word has been hijacked by minority groups who have used it as an excuse for extreme behaviour. It has become identifiable with bra-burning and man-hating, which is a shame because these things have nothing to do with the original tenets of feminism. In this part of the world, though, the stigma attached to the term possibly has more to do with the fact that it is seen as a Western term, or a Western phenomenon. Wrong again. One of the most interesting things that I gleaned from my conversation with Dr. Margot Badran was that feminism, as a term and a concept, developed fairly simultaneously in the East and the West. It seems, then, that this association with the West may just be another method, contrived by opponents of the feminist cause, for putting women off the push for equality. It might seem odd to solicit the opinions of an American on the subject of Islam, but it would be imprudent to let her nationality cloud your reading. Dr. Badran is more than qualified to talk about such subjects. She is an academic, lecturer and author, whose career has centred on gender and feminism. She has spoken globally, held many fellowships, won a plethora of awards, helped set up the women’s studies programme at the University of Sana in Yemen and has written on women and gender for the Al-Ahram weekly in Cairo. More than this, though, she has made it her life’s work to study the role of women in the Muslim world and has dedicated herself to reading, understanding and discussing the teachings of the Qur’an. According to Dr. Badran, “feminism” appears as a word in the late 19th century, but it doesn’t actually enter the English vocabulary until the next century. Interestingly, it appears to develop in both the United States and Egypt at roughly the same time. So, to call it a singularly Western phenomenon is inappropriate. In fact, in Egypt it emerges in the context of the rise of Islamic modernism and as part of the anti-colonial struggle, which argued against the inequalities of Western colonisation. Badran points out that: “certain patriarchal forces or conservative groups know that if they want to suppress a movement in the Middle East, the most effective way to do it is to label it Western, as something that is beyond Islam and a threat to the culture. This is a pernicious manipulation, but it has such power that people buy it”. “It is a contentious word, but use it, to uphold the value of it, because if even I won’t, then who is going to?”. It seems glaringly obvious to me and to Dr. Badran, that the more time one spends denigrating the word, the less time we will spend concentrating on its meaning — social justice and equality. Because this is exactly what Islamic feminism refers to, in its most basic sense. “It is an articulation of the idea of the equality of all human beings. What makes it Islamic feminism is that this understanding of social justice and gender equality is derived directly from reading the Qur’an. It is a feminist discourse that is grounded in interpretation of the Qur’an and also the Hadith”, says Dr. Badran. The Qur’an is extremely complex. To suggest that it is not open to interpretation is to ignore its depth and value. As Dr. Badran points out, “You could choose to read into it some degree of inequality. For example, the Qur’an mentions polygamy. Marrying up to four wives is technically allowed”, so it might appear to condone the practise. However, “the conditions are so stringent that if you actually followed them, you’d find it very difficult to actually practice it”. In the society in which the Qur’an was revealed, polygamy was rampant. So, according to Dr. Badran, the Qur’an is less concerned with excusing the practice and more with trying to contain it. “The Qur’an contains a message of human equality and justice and encourages working toward the implementation of these ideals in the real world, but many people get stuck on what is permissible, rather than on aiming to live out these higher ideals or principles”. Knowing the context in which the Qur’an was conceived, asserts Dr. Badran, will help you to understand it as a more egalitarian document. And it is this egalitarian interpretation which fuels Islamic feminism. If you ask me, now is the perfect time to get over any disdain for the terms and to discuss the principles. In Bahrain, more and more women are finding their public voice and asserting their right to be heard. Now, more than ever, we can see that ideas about women circulated by conservatives — such as the idea that a woman’s place is solely in the home — are problematic. Women are not a singular, homogeneous group. We are each unique and must be allowed to act so. Dr. Badran suggests that, quite apart from letting the term “feminism” intimidate or bother us, the best thing we can do is use it and talk about it. “We need discourse to help us clarify, realign and legitimise our thinking. If people are going to use religion to tell you what to do, you need to be clear about your own understanding and the justification for it. Islamic feminists are able to say, “excuse me, no I don’t have to do what you say, and this is why, according to the Qur’an’”. Even if it is structural changes that need to take place in order for women to have equal rights to men, it is study, discussion and greater understanding that will facilitate the movement to make these changes happen. For example, the famous revision of the family law, in Morocco in 2004, making men and women equal heads of the family, came about after many forces, including well-versed feminists, campaigned for its modification. Having spoken to Dr. Badran, it seems that to suggest, as many do, that women already receive equal rights, is misguided. It is also unfair to suggest that the rights that women do not receive are not afforded to them by the Qur’an. There is still a long way to go before women can enjoy gender equality and social justice. We are lucky enough to live in a country which permits female academia and allows women a public voice, so it is about time that more of us started using it. It is abundantly clear that, of all the words we should seek to outlaw, “feminism” isn’t one of them. It is a concept that has been with us for years, in word, and for centuries, in practise. It is the term for our freedom, the term for our rights and our equality. Most of your day-to-day practices, including reading this magazine, wouldn’t be available to you without it. Even if you find the word irritating, it is silly to use that as an excuse not to talk about female rights. A word is a word, but injustice is all-consuming. %JSUJFTU 8PSE 5IF /BUBTIB #JSE UBMLT UP %S .BSHPU #BESBO BCPVU UIF UIFPSZ CFIJOE *TMBNJD 'FNJOJTN BOE XIZ UIF XPSET TQBSL BMBSN JO FWFO TPNF PG UIF NPTU GPSXBSE UIJOLJOH BNPOH UIF .VTMJN QPQVMBUJPO We need discourse to help us clarify, realign and legitimise our thinking. If people are going to use religion to tell you what to do, you need to be clear about your own understanding and the justification for it. 47 woman this month | October 2011 | 46 | October 2011 | woman this month $BNQBJHO .PUIFSIPPE JT UIBU UJNF JO B XPNBOµT MJGF XIFO XFµSF TVQQPTFE UP SFWFM JO UIF KPZ PG UIF OFX CBCZ #VU XIBU IBQQFOT XIFO GBS GSPN GFFMJOH FVQIPSJD ZPV GFFM MJLF LJMMJOH ZPVSTFMG 'JHIUJOH 5wenty-five year old Reem has just had a healthy baby girl after a normal delivery. Yet rather than elated, all she feels is tired and miserable. Instead of smiling endlessly, she occasionally dissolves into tears for no apparent reason. Despite being a first-time mother, she is taking no pleasure in the baby at all. What Reem feels and countless other new mothers experience is Postpartum Depression, a widespread illness that can take a devastating toll on a mother’s mental health. While it is common for mothers to experience a period of low mood after childbirth, PPD is more severe, occurring in 10 to 15 per cent or one in seven to ten mothers. According to psychotherapist Thoraiya Kanafani, it is important to make a distinction between Postpartum Depression and the usual “baby blues”. “Baby blues are extremely common among women within the first two weeks of childbirth and do not require professional help. However, if the symptoms persist for longer than a month or become more severe, it can develop into Postpartum Depression and professional help should be sought. If left untreated, PPD can last for months or years and may put the mother and child at risk,” she warns. 5IF TJHOT A mother suffering from PPD experiences dramatic mood swings, loss of sleep, appetite and interest in activities. She may appear confused, fatigued, experience uncontrollable bouts of crying or major disruptions to her sleep cycle. In the most severe cases, a mother’s thinking can be disrupted to the point of psychosis and she might develop a desire to hurt herself. Severe or ongoing PPD can hinder a mother’s ability to care for and bond with her child during the critical early developmental phase of an infant. $BVTFT CFIJOE 1PTUOBUBM %FQSFTTJPO While there are a multitude of factors contributing to PPD, it mainly results from hormonal changes within the body, especially the fluctuating levels of oestrogen and progesterone. The stress of the new responsibility and change, sleep deprivation, high parenting expectations, and lack of a support network all add to the stress levels of a new mother who is often juggling the multiple roles of wife, mother and career woman alone. Women who have a family history of depression are genetically more susceptible to it. )BOEMJOH UIF CMVFT While it’s possible to recover completely from PPD with the right treatment, those who suffer from this condition have a greater chance of experiencing it again with the next baby. Often, new moms worry about the way they feel and their lack of bonding with their baby, but they avoid seeking help because they’re ashamed to divulge their feelings. However, depending on the severity of the condition, a series of interventions, including dietary changes, exercise and therapy can help these mothers shake away the blues. &BU IFBMUIZ BOE FYFSDJTF Since a major cause of PPD is changes within the body, a good diet and healthy eating habits are important to fight this condition. “We tell young mothers to develop healthy eating habits and ask them to exercise. If she can lose the weight she gained during pregnancy, it makes her feel light, energetic and good about herself,” says Julie Abillamaa, senior dietician at Health Watchers Bahrain. A diet rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants can help lift the mood of mothers who otherwise feel frustrated and lacking in energy. Increasing intake zinc-rich foods, such as eggs, sea food and legumes, boosts the immune system, while colourful fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants including Vitamin C, A and selenium, which help the body recover from tiredness. “Eating bigger portions is not required of new mothers. If breast feeding, a mother needs to increase her food intake by 400 calories at the most. Mothers who eat healthily can actually drop up to half a kilo of weight every week during the lactating time,” says Julie. Exercise causes the brain to release endorphins which make you “happy” and half an hour’s exercise could be enough to make a mother feel comfortable in her own skin. The trick, Julie advises, lies in preparing yourself during the pregnancy and monitoring your weight gain instead of acting when it’s too late. 5BML JU PVU Therapy is the most effective way to treat PPD when it is moderate to severe in nature. In cases where the illness is experienced with severe functional impairment or with psychotic or suicidal characteristics — which is rare — it is necessary to seek therapeutic as well as medical help. “It’s best to talk about what you’re feeling. Psychotherapy is a very effective way for mothers to communicate openly, in a non-judgmental atmosphere, about what they are experiencing. If you or someone close to you is suffering from PPD, it is important to seek professional assistance from a medical doctor and a mental health professional,” says Thoraiya. "TL GPS TVQQPSU Every mother needs some “me time” everyday, so that she can look after herself and simply “be”. For this, support from family and friends, especially her partner, is crucial. Furthermore, a support network is essential to every mother experiencing PPD. “Having a support group or network could be a pivotal part of a PPD treatment programme because, regardless of the difficulty one is encountering, it is comforting to know that there’s someone who offers non-judgemental support, is able to listen and provide sound advice, and who has experienced the same, but has come through the difficulty,” says structural yoga therapist, Lavina Faleiro. Lavina offers pre and post-natal yoga classes as well as birthpreparation workshops in collaboration with colleagues Jasmine Smith, doula and Vicky Honar, lactation consultant and midwife. The group also offers breastfeeding and early parenting support groups for mothers-to-be and mothers with babies. Lavina feels such a network is especially important in Bahrain, where a Bahraini mother might find herself isolated, if extended family members are working, and expat mothers, who may find themselves without support because their families are all back home. Mums In Bahrain is another social networking website where moms can meet and exchange notes with other mothers. Boasting over 5,000 members in Bahrain, the club recently held a seminar at the Royal Hospital in Bahrain with dedicated doctors advising mothers on PPD. The website is also launching an interactive section: “Ask the Doctor” on its website, where parents will be able to communicate directly with family doctors and paediatricians and have their queries resolved. For further information: Health Watchers Bahrain 17 811-449; Thoraiya Kanafani 36 692-377. UIPTF #BCZ #MVFT No More Baby Blues Your article in the October issue on post-natal depression gave a sad account of a woman’s experience. Someone once asked me what it feels like and the only thing I can compare it to is swimming in glue. It’s impossible to get anywhere no matter how hard you swim. It’s a crippling feeling that comes when you least expect it or indeed least have time to deal with it. You have a wonderful new baby — a bundle of joy and then, suddenly, you feel unhappy. It’s hard to motivate yourself to do the simplest of things. It takes blood, sweat and tears to be a mum. The only way to get over it is to take action. See your GP, get out of the house, give yourself small goals each day, talk to people, laugh, breathe, chill out, accept help and think positively. Just think that you are a fantastic and wonderful person. You have created another human life. Be proud. Be positive. You will be a stronger person when you get through to the other side of this. Euna, by email.
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