The colonial era in Egypt and the discourse of the veil was an attempt by the westerners to so- called liberate women because it was thought that veiling was a sign of oppression. According to Leila Ahmed and other Egyptian feminists' analysis who advocated for Egyptian women, the first thing they tried to do was to abolish the symbolic reform, the elimination of the veil, but rather trying to bring fundamental changes in the culture and society. According to western feminism liberation of women in the Middle East was in unveiling them since veiling represented oppression. However, this was not asked or surveyed from women in the Middle East themselves if they really wanted to take off their veils in order to be free, or rather wanted to have access to education and find ways to empower them within their society without trying to transform their culture and traditions that they have lived with for millions of years. But one thing that women in the Middle East need the most is the freedom of choice, not colonialism of western feminism.
Westerners view Middle Eastern women as the group of women who are not allowed to live on their own will and are oppressed in the society. By Reading the pieces by Leila Ahmed, Huda Shaarawi, and others which most of them were on Arab feminism and its historical roots, and comparing them with women's life today in the Middle East on the media and my own personal experiences, it has helped me to have a better understanding of the stigma that is posed on women in the Middle East. Moreover, taking the idea of oppression and feminism in the west, it challenges the western perspective that women are powerless and not willing to change anything in their life. However, studying the women's role in political, social and economic developments in the Middle East today shows that these ideas of associating Middle Eastern women with oppression and powerlessness have been changing, perhaps by help of international community, but more importantly by women themselves.
