I attend a philosophy club meeting on Wednesdays. During the past two weeks I heard the same argument from two different people. We were discussing the treatment of women in Islamic countries and the argument went something like this: There is a much lower incidence of cancer among these women, this can be attributed to the reduced amount of stress because they are not working/competing in the labor market, so we should not presume that women are treated badly in Islamic countries.
I have a few problems with this argument. It assumes that stress is the primary cause of cancer. As an aside, I am a bit horrified to learn that this argument came from a person working at a cancer treatment center. Take some radiation, quit your job, call me in the morning. Another problem I have is the willingness to overlook mistreatment, so long as the mistreated don't get cancer. Suppose the incidence of cancer were found to be lower among the slave population in the south. Would we then have to conclude that slavery is OK and who are we to question another culture?
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I agree with you completely, but I also want to add that I don't necessarily buy that there is a lower rate of cancer for women in Islamic countries. In Afghanistan, under the Taliban for example, women were not allowed to see male doctors. But women also were not allowed to become doctors themselves. Therefore, obviously, women for the most part did not see doctors. So who knows what the rate of women who had cancer and just dropped dead of "unknown" causes is? Another point: life expectancy is lower in these countries. I'm wondering if the lower rate of women with cancer can be also attributed to women, on average, not reaching an age when many "old age" cancers usually come about.
When dicussiong Islamic countries you really need to separate the rural areas from the urban ones.
Typically, in countries like Pakistan women in the more urban cities like Islamabad and Lahore young women wear blue jeans, scarfs are optional and most can work and attend as much school as they can afford.
Stress does increase any medical issue you have, I can attest to that. But, even if they don't work there's all that political stress and what seems to be constant impending violence....so, uh, I don't see a positive trade off.
I would like to suggest that anyone who really has a genuine interest in life as a Muslim in a Muslim country check out their blogs. I found this one;
http://tinyurl.com/ygtgk57
and, I think it's a real eye opener for people who think we don't have a substantial amount in common with them.
Kay, thanks for your comments. Islam is a huge religion that is practiced differently in different places. I was referring to those places where women are treated poorly, whether those places are rural or urban.
Re stress and cancer, my objection to the original argument was the simplicity, in that stress was the only factor mentioned. Certainly there are other factors.
The original argument about stress, cancer and Islam came from someone quite left of center politically who is otherwise a very bright person. I am perplexed that a bright person would attempt to employ such a flawed argument, and for what? It seems an overreach, an attempt to dismiss any possibility that our culture with respect to women is not superior to theirs. So cultural relativism trumps feminism in this instance. Islamic women are thrown under the bus by liberals in the US. Do you agree Kay?
"an attempt to dismiss any possibility that our culture with respect to women is not superior to theirs."
Oops, I should not have included "not" in that sentence. Should read "....women is superior to theirs."
"an attempt to dismiss any possibility that our culture with respect to women is not superior to theirs."
Oops, I should not have included "not" in that sentence. Should read "....women is superior to theirs."
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