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Wednesday, October 10, 2007
"Bab el Hara": Not Good for Women?
It seems everyone is talking about the Syrian Ramadan soap opera "Bab el Hara." I haven't see it, but here's a critical look at it from a feminist point of view. The writer is objecting to the stereotypes of Syrian women in the drama. According to her, all of them are obedient and terrified of men. They are constantly insulted by the men, but they don't fight back. No models of strong women are offered. She interviews Syrian women from the generation of the soap (1930s) and some of them confirm her critique.
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16 comments:
I completely agree with this critique.. I feel so humiliated watching bab el Hara because its portrayal of women is so humiliating. You have not even one assertive women in it, and it seems that the father, husband, brother, son, can kick, slap, shout, and humiliate the woman without facing any sort of resistance. On the contrary, most of the women not only accept the patriarchal repression, yet reinforce it upon their own sex.
I feel disgusted watching women being treated that way!
You know i was just thinking about bab el hara the other day myself. I'll admit, i'm hooked- i do like the plot. (the full season is on youtube) what bothers me of course is the protrayal of women in that show: you're either a bitch or u follow orders. And i'll admit there are some pretty disturbing scenes that i found disgusting. there was an article in al-akhbar the other day and some men were interviewed and they said thats how things should be. women responded and expressed concern. so i don't know if this show is giving people ideas or is reflecting the situation some women- and i would say a minority- face in the arab world today. i'm just bummed that women can't be 'abaday's too.
That is actually a very good point. I'm sure there is some level of truth to their portrayal that way, but I doubt it was to that extent. I think Syrians are experiencing this mass nostalgia for bygone days and this can be dangerous. If you fall in love with history you start to want to recreate it.
By the way Amal, some of the comments people leave for you here...ouch! Maybe you want to disable anonymous comments.
OMG we just had this same "discussion" last night. When I had the gall to inform my hubby these women were fictional he replied, "no, they existed". Then him and his nephew planned a hypothetical trip to Syria to find some for themselves.
Aren't you just a tad bit over reacting to this whole thing? This was the old ways, the old days. They were trying to show how society and culture was. I don't believe the intention is to degrade but to show how men protected and "respected" their women. They were their honour and their integrity. And you forget something, it's as if the non-arab world wasn't very similar to what you've seen, as if in the old english/european culture this did not exist either. If anything/ I Applaud the tradition, the way men revered women and respected in fear of shaming. Not like today... no more sharaf and no more MEN around.
Cheers.. and take it easy.. will ya?
This fiminist clearly has a lot of time on her hands.. first of all its a show and its being real to its time.. YES THAT IS HOW WOMEN WERE TREATED.. almost EVERYWHERE in the world. And it hasn't really changed much, cough cough Saudi Arabia.
But before she sttacks it for not being good for women, she should notice that in general they were harsh to everyone, for example how fathers treat their sons, giving them orders without explaining why, or how the France-backed police is constantly taking bribs and running their own show...
Look, humane beings are ruthless, to everyone.. they do not discriminate against women or races.. so this writer should object to life, and respect the fact that bab el hara was true to the time period it was trying to portray
What are you talking about? if you havent seen the show, how can you judge it? Plus, women are respected and treated very nicely by their fathers and mothers and so forth...stop trying to be liberated by going to the wrong things in western culture...seriously...I do agree that some treatment of women is a bit overdone, but you have to realize that that is how it was then. I LOVE bab elhara and i think its great.
Bab el hara is riplication of the 1930's in terms of how people lived. nothing is fabricated nor is it untrue. The woman those days did obey their husbands because it was the right thing to do at that time. In today's society things has changed a bit and woman learned to grow independently....It is used for entertaiment and may i add is very well put. The actors, writer, director and Syria did an amazing job. GO syria....:) it is number one show for a reason..
Salaam waleykum!
Is there a way to find the article in English? I'd love to share it with my readers.
wulla the anonymous person above my comment allah khelina yaki YA 7A2! I think the syrians are doing an OUTSTANDING job on the soap opera and does betray the way they lived at that time and you cannot change the past my FRIEND!
And furthermore
I LOVE MUTAZ!!!
AND MY MOM LOVES ABU SHAB!
AND I LOVE FILLOOOZ!
GOO BAB EL HARA
AND SYRIA
AND I CANT WAIT TIL NUMBER 3 COMES OUT!
Bab el hara did an excellent job portraying how women were treated and are still treated to some degree today. Everyone understood their place. Women were the care givers and the men were the providers. Children respected their parents because everyone knew role and responsibility. Part of the problems (separation, divorce) we have today is because there is no longer an authoritive figure. Equality has enabled woman to be part of the work force which has ultimately contributed to our children's misbehaviors and lack of repect.
I LOVE THE SHOW!!! AND THIS IS DEFINITLY ONE OF THE TIMES THAT I WOULD WANT TO LIVE IN!!! AND WHAT ARE YOU TALKIN ABOUT WOMEN BEING DEGRADED IN THE SHOW!!! THERE IS ONE CHARACTER IN THE SHOW THAT CONTROLS HER HUSBAND SO MUCH THAT HE IS AT THE TIP OF HER FINGER...AND BY THAT I MEAN HE IS THE ONE THAT IS SCARED OF HER AND HE DOES WHAT SHE TELLS HIM TO DO!!! YES SOME WOMEN KEPT THEIR MOUTHS SHUT AND DIDNT TALK BACK TO THEIR HUSBANDS...BUT NOT ALL DID THAT...I MEAN TAKE SOUAD KAHNO....SHE TALKED BACK TO HER HUSBAND AND IT ENDED HER UP IN DIVORCE....BUT LUCKILY THEY GOT BACK TOGETHER IN THE END!!! BUT POINT BEING IS THAT WOMEN WERE TRYING TO BE RESPECTFUL TO THEIR HUSBANDS...AND THEIR DAUGHTERS ALSO!!! THAT TIME WAS ONE OF THE TIMES THAT NOT MANY SINS WERE CREATED!!! LOOK AT OUR SOCIETY NOW...LOOK AT HOW CORRUPT IT IS!!!
AND I LOVE MOE3TAAZ...THAT GUY ROCKS MY WORLD!!!! LOL JK JK!!!! HE IS AN AWSOME ACTOR!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaRpwl-vURQ
mu3taz's video
oh and by the way, i dont agree with ur critique. this is the way it should be. women respect their husbands and fathers. i hope ur not muslim... because then ur not following ur religion.
But seriously who wouldn’t want a wife like that? Ya heek elneswan ya bala.
"I haven't see it, but here's a critical look at it from a feminist point of view. "
How can you have any justified opinion if you havent even seen the show? You just opened up a discussion from a completely bias point of view, claiming yourself to be a feminist!
"No models of strong women are offered" That is ridiculous to say because its not true at all. Souad is an extremely strong woman and the reason she is divorced twice in the series is because she defended herself, had her own opinions and spoke back to her husband when she didnt agree with him.
Another strong but ignorant and troublemaking woman is Ferial who listened to nobody. As is Fawzee who told her husband where to go and what to do etc.
The writer and producer and director of the show are not trying to degrade women because thats not even the point of this series at all. They are simply trying to show the people of today how the society and culture in Damuscus was in the 1930 era.
although i applaud this comment:
"But before she sttacks it for not being good for women, she should notice that in general they were harsh to everyone, for example how fathers treat their sons, giving them orders without explaining why, or how the France-backed police is constantly taking bribs and running their own show..."
Thats the absoulte truth. And we ALL know it!
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