"Wherever Islamism gains power and influence, it comes for women first. And it’s always a sign of worse to come, hence the saying: ‘the freedom of society is measured by the freedom of women.’
"Islamism but also the Christian-Right, Buddhist-Right, Jewish-Right, Hindu-Right, Sikh-Right … have turned misogyny into an art form. They police women’s behaviour and sexuality to make certain it doesn’t challenge male “honour”.
To ensure compliance, modesty rules are enforced by any means necessary – whether by threatening and shaming a Muslim woman twerking in public in Birmingham, spitting at an “immodest” 8 year old girl in Israel, disappearing the babies of unwed mothers in Ireland, barring women from straddling motorcycles and dancing in public places in Indonesia’s Aceh province and even stoning women to death in Iran in the 21st century.
“Immodesty” – anything from singing in public, laughing out loud, gender mixing, to the refusal to veil or conform – are deemed dangerous for the family, community, nation and society and in need of suppression and control.
In this “communally-based politics … women are seen not as individuals with rights but as bearers of their community’s honour, to be protected or raped, depending who they are”. ISIS’ Yazidi sex slaves are the most heinous case in point.
Modesty is big business, with profits made at the expense of innumerable dissenters. Having bought into the narrative of the religious-Right, Bloomberg calls it a “modest revolution” despite the fact that there is nothing revolutionary about modesty or religion’s control over women and their bodies..."
Read entire article @: Free Thinker
"The Freedom of Society is Measured by The Freedom of Women"
Until all leaders and governments adhere to the values of Freedom and Individual Rights, females will be fighting and demanding them. But if your laws are made by your religion, and your religion says females are fourth class citizens, dogs, donkeys, property, do you think anything will change, until you realize your religion is wrong. That it was made to shackle you and your mind, own you, make you role play things written thousands of years ago, by individuals you never met, but obediently adhere to without question, because you were told it is true.
