Women Find Their Power in Different

Ways
Maya Blaisdell
Why is it that women are, on the one hand, viciously oppressed by cultural practices, and yet at the same
time, are the preservers of cultures in most societies? (Kavita Ramdas).
Globalization imposes a western view of feminism on cultures where women do have power. Women are
able to find power within their communities, even if that power doesnt look the same as western culture.
Each culture has their own definition of what power looks like, and it is important to understand and
recognize that. We need to support women in finding their own power in their own way, and imposing a
view that doesnt work for them is not helpful, and can do more damage than good.
Women living in patriarchal societies can still find their power, even if it doesnt look the way western
culture thinks it should. There is no doubt that women have been oppressed and were forced to be
subservient to men, and that needs to change, but there is no reason for those cultures to become more
like our western culture. There are many different ways to find power, and it is not our job to impose
something on these people that will only hurt them more. We need to support women in finding their
power and overcome oppression in a way that works for them.
This headscarf and these clothes give me the freedom to do what I need to do to speak to those whose
support and assistance are critical for this work. When I had to open the school in the refugee camp, I
went to see the imam. I told him, Im a believer, and women and children in these terrible conditions need
their faith to survive. (Sakena Yacoobi). Sakena Yacoobi, she uses her culture to overcome the
oppression she and so many other women around her are facing. She does not need to abandon her culture
and her religion in order to gain power in her community. She believes that the fact that she is so devoted
to her culture is the reason she is able to actually change the problems she is seeing in her community.

In the United States, we look at other cultures and believe that they are being incredibly
oppressive to their women, but we dont to look at our country, and how we are being
oppressive. The United States currently ranks 60th in womens political empowerment on the
Gender Gap Index. (Judith Warner). Finland, Iceland, and Norway all have about forty percent
of women in legislator, compared to the eighteen percent the United States has. How can we
impose our ideas onto other countries when women are not really represented in our own
country? We should think more about how our western culture is working for us, before we try to
impose it upon other cultures.
Feminism looks very different to different cultures, but it is always there. Each culture has its own
definition of what feminism is, how women are fighting for their rights, and what they are fighting for.
Western culture has this view that the only way for women to fight oppression is using western feminism,
and this can be a very damaging view. Feminism works in many different ways, it can be confrontational,
or it can be more subtle, and it is important for women to decide what will work best for them. The best
way for women to gain their rights are for them to find the best way that works for them. They need to
find feminism in their own way.

Western feminism can negatively influence women from different cultures. For example, a lot of western
feminism is very confrontational, and that doesnt always work in different cultures. Sometimes being
more subtle about gaining power works better. It can seem like this particular feminism will help women
in different cultures, but those women really need feminism that works for them without the need to
abandon their cultures. Women can embrace their cultures, and at the same time stand up for their rights
and combat oppression.
Sakena Yacoobi was able to create schools for women and children in refugee camps. Even though she is
a woman, and women are not respected as much as men in her culture, she was able to create these
schools anyway. The fact that she was so devoted to her culture and religion certainly helped her. It
gained her a certain amount of respect that she wouldnt necessarily have had.
Western feminism and western culture in general need to support these women in whatever they need, and
make sure that they are able to use feminism in a way that works for them. It can be more damaging than
helpful to try and use western feminism against the oppression these women are facing. Activism looks
different to different people and different cultures, and it is important for us to respect and support that.

Works Cited
2016.

Radical women, embracing tradition. Kavita Ramdas. TEDIndia, 2009. TED. Web. 18 February

"Women In Patriarchal Societies, The Origins Of Civilizations. World History International.

World History Center, 1992. http://history-world.org/. 8 March 2016. <http://history-world.org/
Civilization,%20women_in_patriarchal_societies.htm>.
Warner, Judith. Fact Sheet: The Womens Leadership Gap. Center for American Progress.
Center for American Progress, 2014. www.americanprogress.org. 8 March 2016. <https://
www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/report/2014/03/07/85457/fact-sheet-the-womens-leadershipgap/>.