Single Story Digital Creation
Well, here it is! I am actually really happy with the finished product. I got to include many of the women I researched or read their works to learn about the single story. A quote that I got from a play called "An Afghan Women" added a really nice touch and added to my video. The quote related to how our worlds are only usually connected through a screen, but in my work and research I got to read these women's stories. I included the "screen" I usually use to show that it is my portal into the world of Middle Eastern women- at least the closest I can get.
I also wrote two poems, the first I began at the beginning of the semester. The poem is made up of questions to show that I did not have any negative opinions towards these women, only questions about the media and stereotypes that had infiltrated my thoughts. The second poem I wrote more recently. I tried to tie in aspects of all of the women I have studied and read their works. They are all so amazing. Simply amazing. And I hope that my video shows how amazing I think they are.
I am also linking this in my flipbook, though I do not know if it will update with the link I sent, or if I have to resend the link.
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Monday, December 17, 2018
"Tapping Our Strength"
This non-fiction piece also came from Shattering the Stereotypes. Many of the works are from Muslim or Middle Eastern women and their experiences in America. This one is (even though my single story is about Middle Eastern women), but I think it is really important to discuss. The author, Eisa Nefertari Ulen, discusses feminism and Islam. She addresses the stereotype that women who wear any of the veils associated with Islam (burka, hijab, chador, and others) are a sign of oppression. She brings up that contrary to common belief, the Qur'an does not give into the sexist idea that Eve was the sinner who should get all of the blame, but rather both Adam and Eve are to blame. Sexism is not to be associated with Islam, the culture yes but America has the same problem.
She continues and also talks about sex. This part blew my mind and it quite humorous. She brings up the fact that woman openly "campaigned" for more foreplay when decades ago Islam called for the equality of physical pleasure in marriages, and if a man brings a woman to orgasm, he receives a blessing from Allah.
She also discusses female mutilation, which apparently many people worldwide do to "celebrate Islam," but the author tells her audience that she is trying to raise awareness about it and that it wasn't originally part of the Islmaic ways, but she compares it to female mutilation such as plastic surgery. She makes it a point that no mutilation of the body for such purposes are reasonable. She discusses fashion and other things that Americans and other cultures do to fit in the misogynistic culture. She compares bras and hijabs- that women sometimes wear them for the wrong reasons: "to please men" (48). She encourages women to dress and act for themselves. She tells readers that Non-Muslim women need to stop considering women who wear the headdresses as oppressed and Muslim women need to accept that women of any culture can wear whatever they want. Once this is accomplished the conversation of change can move on.
She reminds her readers that everyone has gone through hard ship and that cross cultural bridges need to be made to stop the oppression and stereotypes of others. . She The memories of pain that people have faced (even internal struggles) can bring cultures together.
She continues and also talks about sex. This part blew my mind and it quite humorous. She brings up the fact that woman openly "campaigned" for more foreplay when decades ago Islam called for the equality of physical pleasure in marriages, and if a man brings a woman to orgasm, he receives a blessing from Allah.
She also discusses female mutilation, which apparently many people worldwide do to "celebrate Islam," but the author tells her audience that she is trying to raise awareness about it and that it wasn't originally part of the Islmaic ways, but she compares it to female mutilation such as plastic surgery. She makes it a point that no mutilation of the body for such purposes are reasonable. She discusses fashion and other things that Americans and other cultures do to fit in the misogynistic culture. She compares bras and hijabs- that women sometimes wear them for the wrong reasons: "to please men" (48). She encourages women to dress and act for themselves. She tells readers that Non-Muslim women need to stop considering women who wear the headdresses as oppressed and Muslim women need to accept that women of any culture can wear whatever they want. Once this is accomplished the conversation of change can move on.
She reminds her readers that everyone has gone through hard ship and that cross cultural bridges need to be made to stop the oppression and stereotypes of others. . She The memories of pain that people have faced (even internal struggles) can bring cultures together.
"An Afghan Woman"
In Shattering the Stereotypes I came across this play called "An Afghan Woman" by Bina Sharif. And wow. It brought me to tears in such a short period of time. It wasn't so much as a play, more of a short story/personal narrative. The narrator was talking directly to the reader. She was directly addressing me, and I think that is why it made me so emotional. I think the woman is never named because many women are going through or have gone through these thoughts and situations (hence the "An" in the title rather than "The"). This piece, like the others, talked a lot about the Taliban and how different it was when they took over.
I would say the hardest part for me was when she talks about silence, which is a reoccurring theme she brings up multiple times. She repeatedly says "I am silence. My silence is silent. Silent is my silence."(246). The word 'silent' almost becomes not a word because how often she says it. She discusses how she does not have a voice, her silence is actually stronger than her voice. But me, on the other side of the television/book have a voice and need to use it for her. So here I am, making my video, ready to tell her story.
Out of the other book I read, I think she faced the most hurt from it (even over Malala). She mentions kids, which she tells her audience "And when you do speak, don't forget to mention my dead children and dead parents and dead grandparents and dead great-grand parents. Don't forget to mention the history of innocent death." (250) Even as I type that I begin to tear up.
I would say the hardest part for me was when she talks about silence, which is a reoccurring theme she brings up multiple times. She repeatedly says "I am silence. My silence is silent. Silent is my silence."(246). The word 'silent' almost becomes not a word because how often she says it. She discusses how she does not have a voice, her silence is actually stronger than her voice. But me, on the other side of the television/book have a voice and need to use it for her. So here I am, making my video, ready to tell her story.
Out of the other book I read, I think she faced the most hurt from it (even over Malala). She mentions kids, which she tells her audience "And when you do speak, don't forget to mention my dead children and dead parents and dead grandparents and dead great-grand parents. Don't forget to mention the history of innocent death." (250) Even as I type that I begin to tear up.
Friday, December 14, 2018
Blessing in Disguise
Unfortunately the last two books that I was supposed to get through interlibrary loan were missed so I had to act quickly. Apparently they got my email wrong and never notified me when the book was in and by the time I asked about the books they had already been sent back. This was the first time I had used interlibrary loan so I did not know how long I should be waiting for my books. But this may have been for the best.
I had to do something quick as I have barely enough time to finish the project. One of the books I did not want to ready because it seemed more into romance rather than culture and the lives of middle eastern women. I did buy the other book which is filled with a variety of works such as plays, poems, art, fiction and non fiction. Instead of doing two blog posts per novel, I am going to do one blog post because these works are shorter. I am going to have to make up my work, but because I have been doing other research and the other books I had read were very insightful I feel I have a newer and stronger understanding of middle eastern women. Even though this will impact my grade, I think this will actually be more effective for my single story.
I had to do something quick as I have barely enough time to finish the project. One of the books I did not want to ready because it seemed more into romance rather than culture and the lives of middle eastern women. I did buy the other book which is filled with a variety of works such as plays, poems, art, fiction and non fiction. Instead of doing two blog posts per novel, I am going to do one blog post because these works are shorter. I am going to have to make up my work, but because I have been doing other research and the other books I had read were very insightful I feel I have a newer and stronger understanding of middle eastern women. Even though this will impact my grade, I think this will actually be more effective for my single story.
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