Dr. Salam Al Rabadi
Many of the achievements that have been
made on the level of equality between men and women are vulnerable to setbacks,
as there are many existing imbalances, which further exacerbate the suffering
of women just because they are female. Women all over the world continue to
face laws and regulations that restrict and impede their economic, social and
political opportunities. According to global reports, it appears that there are
many new challenges facing women in terms of their health, safety and economic
security, as women only enjoy three quarters of the legal rights granted to men[1].
Certainly, when trying to assess this dilemma and
approach the reality of women’s rights, the following problematic must be
asked:
Is there a philosophical
defect that prevents women from transcending this male system?
It
seems that the real male oppression is what societies and philosophical fields
suffer from inferiority view of women. Consequently, if there is a serious
desire to reach true equality between women and men, this requires
reconsideration of everything related to the culture of societies, including
the culture of women themselves[2]. Not to mention facing some challenges at the level of
enlightenment, which require the search for a new approach to everything
related to philosophical and cultural thought according to an explicit critical
point of view. Where it appears that the woman has been placed in the womb of a
closed philosophical vortex, which maintains the traditional forms of
femininity[3].
In this
context, it is logical to say that societal gender equality cannot be reached
without the existence of a philosophical background that works to enlighten
minds and liberate them from male restrictions. But
how can this liberation and enlightenment be achieved if the philosophical
values themselves suffer from a prominent gender and chauvinist problem, which
is linked (unfortunately) with the inferiority of women in the world of
philosophy?
For
example, the most famous Greek philosophers (Aristotle, Plato, Socrates)
had a vision of women in general that did not go beyond the fact that they were
only suitable for procreation, and that they could not exercise moral virtues
like men, also that they could not exercise moral virtues like men, not to
mention that women were considered inferior to men in terms of reason and
virtue.
And this
vision of women in the world of ancient philosophy did not differ much with a
number of great modern philosophers (Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Immanuel Kant,
Nietzsche). According to their vision, women were not created either for
science or for wisdom, but rather only to satisfy the instincts of men. They
also believed that a woman's mind was not up to the level of a men's mind, and
it was not made for thinking. In addition, they believed that women were the
source of all evil, and that they conspired with all forms of decadence against
men[4].
In
conclusion, it seems clear that the continued tyranny of male philosophy is a
natural symptom of the domination of the male culture over humanity in general,
which continues to this day, despite claims of equality. Consequently, if there
is someone who believes that these philosophical considerations, steeped in
masculinity and related to women's rights, have become outdated by time in
light of the spread of feminist ideology and the development of ideas related
to sexuality (gender)..etc.
But here, the existing problematic must
be raised around the question of whether the male view of women has actually
changed at the contemporary philosophical level, and whether there is an urgent
need to move to the comprehensive Enlightenment philosophical system?
Certainly
when trying to answer these questions and evaluate this hybrid problematic (in case the statistical and quantitative approach, which
emphasizes the darkness of the scene, is exceeded) in order to create a radical
change at the level of the vital pillars guaranteeing women's rights, we must
be searched about the reasons and backgrounds that have prevented women from
creating an integrated philosophical school, or establishing an intellectual
current that can influence the philosophical field.
Out of this
impossibility or inability, this will inevitably lead us to pose the
fundamental dilemma which lies in the following question:
Are
there women philosophers[5]?
Here, logically and definitely, we will clash with the
cruelty and weight of the dialectic related to the importance, status and role
of women in thinking and philosophizing.
[1] Not
to mention the increase in violence against women, in addition to economic
weakness and lack of financial independence (to some extent), including
barriers to job preservation, women also face an increase in domestic violence
and health and safety challenges..etc. See Report: “Women, Business And The Law
In 2021",The World Bank,Washington,Look:https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/35094/
97814648 16529.pdf
[2] It is strange and
reprehensible that some women accept these appearances, on the pretext that
they are accustomed to these practices. It is also unfortunate that many of them
do not know anything about their mere exploitation. Here, many question marks
may arise about whether women are entitled (based on human rights principles)
to accept the violation of their humanity?
[3] Consequently, we must be careful and reflect on how to use
terms such as femininity, identity, honor, masculinity.. etc.
[4] It is worth mentioning here the importance of not
generalizing the masculine view of women in the philosophical field. For
example, the Arab philosopher Averroes(Ibn Rushd:1126-1198)
presented us with a human vision that is no less important than all
contemporary propositions related to gender equality rights. Where he affirms
that there is no difference between a woman and a man(except for the physical
difference), they are one type where the woman and the man are one type. As
well as, he considers that there is no obstacle to a woman from reaching the
ruling.
[5]
Systematically if the influence of the irrational public opinion is overlooked,
if emotions are put aside and if the scientific scrutiny of philosophical
history (ancient and contemporary) is carried out according to specific
characteristics and conditions, then we will not find any women philosopher.
