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1) Yazidi enslavement was condemned as extremism, but an Egyptian lawyer publicly says that rape is “national duty:”
independent.co.uk/news/world/mid…
independent.co.uk/news/world/mid…
2) His warped logic: Indecency is dangerous b/c it tempts men into sexual sin; indecent women should be punished w/ the same male sexual sin
3) This reminded me of a 2011 Al-Jazeera documentary on an Islamic entertainment alternative for young Egyptians featuring fashion-in-hijab.
4) The doc is called "Pop Goes Islam." At about 25:53, an interview clip with some young men stuck in my mind:
5) In it, young men condemn the modestly-dressed Islamic fashion models as immoral—while simultaneously expressing enjoyment at viewing them
6) “We can’t be blamed for looking,” a young man says, eliminating his responsibility within a sexual dynamic that he enjoys yet denounces.
7) In this way of thinking, men condemn women for creating sexual pitfalls for men, yet absolve themselves of culpability as participants.
8) Female beauty and sexuality are extremely powerful for men, but rather than embracing the awe of this, the attraction experienced by >>
9) < men becomes a source of discomfort and fear when guilt-producing beliefs combine with men's inability to eliminate feelings that >>
10) < exist beyond their control. Contributing to this problem are theological systems that create guilt in conjunction with sexuality—an >>
11) < inextricable aspect of our humanity. Male guardianship and other measures to render women powerless are futile attempts to conquer >>
12) < the very qualities that men are so attracted to but which render them insecure and powerless vis-à-vis their overwhelming force.
13) Rape—as proposed by the lawyer—is a product of insecurity and the inability to appreciate/embrace the powerful force of human sexuality.
14) The lawyer’s comment about rape is more than mere words; this way of thinking can manifest as real, destructive, action:
15) An entire crowd had no problem publicly raping Lara Logan in Tahrir Square on the night of Egypt’s revolution:
16) It is dangerous to view women as sources of sin and temptation—this creates misery for men and women alike.
17) To stop viewing women as sources of danger requires transcending theologically-derived guilt/fear of being partakers of human sexuality.
