Should the West Defend the Rights of Muslim Women?

Hat tip PJ Media

“One of the drivers of Islamophobia, according to both El Sheikh and Sisemore, is the media’s portrayal of Muslim women as downtrodden and needing to be saved by Western culture and ideals.”

-SF Chronicle

Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch has a good take on the latest insanity coming out of UC Berkeley, where two “researchers” from something called the UC Berkeley Othering and Belonging Institute, have conducted a “survey” on Muslim women and that old bugaboo, Islamophobia. 

 https://pjmedia.com/culture/robert-spencer/2021/10/24/uc-berkeley-study-explains-why-its-wrong-to-defend-muslim-women-n1526524

Personally, I would not send one American soldier back to Afghanistan-or any other Muslim country- for the express purpose of liberating Muslim women or ensuring that girls can go to school or hold jobs. So in that respect, the answer to the question posed in the title is no.

However, within the US and other democratic countries in the West, the hard-won rights of women (and gays) cannot be denied to women and gays who happen to be Muslim. Under our constitution and laws, they are entitled to the same rights that all women (and gays) are entitled to.

That means that they have the right to wear-or not to wear- face coverings without having them imposed on them by others.

They have the right to choose their marital partners without being forced to marry someone not of their choosing.

They have the right to assimilate into the native culture, for better or worse.

They have the right to change their religion or have none at all.

They have the right to be safe without being harmed or murdered for offending their family’s “honor”.

They have the right not to be abused physically by their husbands.

They have the right to be considered equal under the law to men.

They have the right to pursue a career in work and to be educated as much as men.

All of the above are conveniently overlooked by the two “researchers” who conducted this “survey”, not to mention Western feminists.

In that respect, the answer to the above question in the title is yes.