The Mystery Behind Arab Women Empowerment
By: Myrna Daher/Arab America Contributing Writer
Through it all, wars and suffrage, Arab women somehow tend to keep their heads high and their morals even higher. Residing in America doesn’t undermine the strength of Arab women. These qualities emerge from their roots and are embedded at a young age.
The majority of American society has misconstrued Arabs with overexaggerated misconceptions versus factual information and self-education. Arab women either fled to America for a better life or simply were brought by their parents or great-grandparents when the latter immigrated to America.
The stories and heavy hearts of Arab American women are often due to the fact that they haven’t been allowed to step back into their own country; this tragic situation is especially due to all the unfortunate troubles within the Middle East. Arab women have been the ones to keep the voice of their families strong and their daily routine focused and accomplished.
The beliefs and faith of Arab women are remarkable especially during trying times. Their faith allows for a focused mind and clarity of thought that is clearly in the hands of a Higher Power. This straightens the path of Arab women when things are tough. It is most important that we do not show our pain and that we maintain an exterior of happiness. Arabs are infamous for this and it is a very powerful characteristic they possess. Imagine everything you are familiar with and dependent is taken from you and you are starting from zero.
An extremely erroneous stereotype maintains the opposite and this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Yet, some stereotypes of Arabs are fortunately faltering, such as that Arabs are wealthy, vain, pretentious and materialistic. Popular perceptions of Arab women include the notions that they are denied education, are solely allowed to be housewives, that they’re oppressed and, most damaging, the absurd accusation that they are terrorists.
Arabs are also perceived to be overly accommodating, treating their guests like royalty. They are thus perceived to offer guests many food options, drinks, dessert, more drinks, etc. Although these qualities are not necessarily accurate, Arabs will always raise their children in the traditional manner based on embracing their culture.
Arab women do not only excel in their typical domesticated notion of a “housewife”, but they also command the power to make small and large decisions within the family. They are equipped to meet the biggest challenges. Their culture itself is a strong influence in Arab women’s empowerment.
As we dig deeper into the derivation of their strength, let’s look into the secret principles behind the strength of Arab women:
They Possess Love and Passion
Arab women possess a unique genetic makeup with a history that runs through their veins, largely based on their aggregated experiences of suffering and pain. Their eyes have witnessed heartache and tragedy; they have experienced emotional and financial catastrophes, but still give love and share a deep passion, as if they never encountered a heartache and/or misfortune.
They Possess Faith
Faith is a unique trait that allows Arab women the ability to weigh good and bad, while maintaining optimism regarding the future. Whether they are present in places of worship or not, their faith in the supreme is deeply rooted in their life.. This is one of their secrets in overcoming and conquering challenges.
Faith is a characterization of Arab American women. They possess the courage to keep going and use faith as a foundation to consult their pain in their search for answers. This lays a clear asset for families to always rely on. Faith is an Arab women’s pillar in connecting with strength and calling upon it in daily life.
They Adjust to Migration and Integration
Arab women command strength in adjusting to new environments as is the case in immigrating to the United States. They realize that they’re building a better future for each member of the family. They are free in America to explore new paths and tread new waters. They are more communicative about needs and more direct with their demands. They set the tone for their families and never fail to provide firm guidance on how their children should conduct themselves.
They are Determined to Pass on their Cultural Traditions
Cultural traditions are the base which is embedded in their faith, which is the foundation of their empowerment. Arab women’s’ language is deep with passion and reflects much charisma. it is spoken in the manner of a philosopher who sets the values of the community, keeping her community close, providing a resource for support and dependability, especially during times of need.
Culture is a representation of Arab women’s empowerment, strength, uniqueness, and power. The eyes of Arab women show courage and represent dreams that are totally attainable. The reinforcement of a strong culture will always be the influence that helps keep balance within the community. Arab American women have the strength and resilience to celebrate during hard times and challenging situations, even when they do not know what will happen; they depend on their culture to provide comfort.
They Strive to be Great Role Models
Arab American women’s work ethic is derived and maintained by their parents, aunts, grandparents, and other people who provide inspiration. It is very interesting to see young girls in the kitchen, providing an extra hand where needed. Aunts and grandparents are additional sources of strength and wisdom, helping to shape the mindset of faith, culture, strength, and a strong work ethic. Education is key for literacy and exposure outside of the immediate family, , Nonetheless, the work ethic is irreplaceable.
Arab Women in America have a unique approach for conforming to a foreign society, part of which is making sure their roots are embedded deeply into the household and are reflected in the broader society. In addition, they make sure American values are also incorporated and respected, but approached with an Arab mentality, incorporating faith, culture, and the influence of their role models.
Arab women get a lot of support and direction from their mothers, grandmothers and other female elders in their family. It’s important to acknowledge this phenomenon when attempting to analyze Arab women’s empowerment.
Arab women in the United States are largely kind, genuine, and hard-working, despite all their hardship in settling in a different environment. The strength and empowerment of Arab American women come from the pain they’ve encountered and the refusal to stop until achieving positive results.
They display empowerment by joining together as a community and supporting one another. Arab American women possess a uniqueness of collectively putting their ideas in motion to make a change and create positive results.
The strength of Arab American women is something that can’t be taught. It is a strength which is naturally built within their DNA and carried on through much pain. It gives them sufficient love to provide other people who may need more emotional support, yet it also conserves a reserve of this most essential of emotions to maintain a foundation for their families and loved ones. Surviving the pain from countless misfortunes empowers them to live for the smiles and comfort of their loved ones.
