In a recent article in a local paper, one of our Saudi academics suggested that women-only shopping centers would be best for Saudi Arabia. He enumerated the benefits that such a step would provide investors, customers and society at large. One of the principal reasons for his suggestion was that such centers would give women the protection they need from prying eyes and rude behavior (both from men).
He goes on to say that the ventures might give businesswomen freedom from male supervision and added that in addition, more jobs would be created. In a similar article, the idea of a women-only industrial city was presented; the city would provide jobs and “the necessary privacy and a conducive work environment.”
These calls for women-only facilities are heard everywhere and there have even been attempts at creating some. The calls and ideas are only being made because of problems.
The problems, however, are symptoms and, as any doctor will tell you, treating a symptom, rather than the disease which causes it, is a waste of time. Yes, what we are trying to do is ignore the problem and provide temporary solutions. If, for the sake of argument, we say that total segregation is the best way, then we are not being realistic.
No matter what we do, men and women have to deal with each other on a daily basis — not only within the family but outside: From taxi drivers to supermarket cashiers to traffic police to passers-by.
Even if we create women-only cities, won’t women have to deal with “male” government officials at some point? Businesswomen must have men as agents; how can they conduct their business without dealing with those men? The strange thing is that many of us justify these calls on social and religious bases.
A careful reading of Islamic history, it must be said, won’t offer anyone much support here. Haven’t the people making the calls heard of women market inspectors in early Islamic times? Was not the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Ayesha, a source of knowledge? Did she not hold meetings in her house to teach men and women the basics of religion? Did not women work with the armies to care for the wounded? Did not women even participate in some Islamic conquests?
There is the example of Umm-Haram who asked Prophet Muhammad to pray for her to be among the faithful who would cross the seas and spread the message of Islam in foreign lands.
The Prophet agreed and she fulfilled her dream. The examples are endless yet we still overlook them, moaning and wailing about how special we and our society are.
Now the reason for these ideas is that women are harassed in streets and in shopping centers by men. A definite violation of law and custom — so what’s to be done?
Separate both parties by restricting the movement of the innocent and letting the guilty walk free? Or shouldn’t the violators be publicly identified and humiliated?
It is strange that the same people who propose separate facilities are the very ones who have never noticed lingerie shops staffed by men — which is surely an instance where there should be a women-only environment.
The core of the problem is that men and women in this society do not know how to interact properly. Most men have real problems in treating women with respect. Men have simply got to be taught to respect women.
It is always a woman who suffers harassment on the street but somehow, the idea that a man should be respectful of women is never spoken of.
This is why when the idea of women driving is discussed, most women say that they are not going to drive because men wouldn’t leave them alone and that they would be harassed constantly.
So apparently the easiest way out is simply for women to avoid being around men. But can that happen or would it even help? Wouldn’t the problem still remain?
