Case in Point...

[madnak]

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I've heard a few testimonials from westerners that lived in Saudi Arabia (or some comparably religious Muslim society) who, on the subject of Islamic treatment of women, insist that the vast majority of these women are living how they want to live -- i.e, they're just as religious and conservative as the men, and think the strict laws pertaining to women are just. I'm open to evidence to the contrary but, assuming that's true, it would be wrong to call these women "oppressed."

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Most of the women choose to live under those conditions. Fine and dandy. But the women who choose not to are killed for it. That's oppression. Also, anecdotal opinion is suspect in an area where dissent is a punishable offense.

[VarlosZ]

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Most of the women choose to live under those conditions. Fine and dandy. But the women who choose not to are killed for it. That's oppression.

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Agreed; it's a brutal oppression of a minority. I just think we tend to overestimate the extent to which Muslim women are forced to into a lifestyle they hate.

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Also, anecdotal opinion is suspect in an area where dissent is a punishable offense.

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I'm talking about the anecdotal accounts of Westerners who are free to say whatever they want.

[Lestat]

<font color="blue"> I just think we tend to overestimate the extent to which Muslim women are forced to into a lifestyle they hate. </font>

They have no choice! You do understand that, right? To speak out means punishment or death! If it weren't for religion, do you honestly think a woman would choose to have her own clitoris cut off?

Again, I can't believe what I'm reading in these threads.