Equal chances for female writers? Not yet [Archives:2002/18/Culture]

BY BUSHRA
AL-MAKTARI
TAIZ
Talented female writers in most of the world are held in high esteem by their societies. In Yemen the case is different. Many talented female writers, including poets, musicians and comedians have been disregarded and neglected. Many have worked in the arts for a long time, yet they have not received their due attention. Why not?
In Rouge Garodi’s book titled, Towards Women’s Promotion, he notes that the problem is historical. As long as 6,000 years ago communities were established by men, for the sake of men. Women were totally marginalized.
The masculine dominance prevailed for much of the time since then. Men led armies, ruled, dominated and lead hard lives.
Women through history
But women have also had a leading role through history, depending on the time and culture.
In the ancient Arab world, women were sometimes seen as having supernatural powers. At times they were glorified and idolized as goddesses and history shows some rose to fame. We have Ishtar, the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of war and love in the Phoenician civilization; and Aphrodite, the goddess of love.
Man on the other hand, was entrusted to protect women and children, while women looked after their daily needs.
In the ancient times, in some cultures, its believed women had the right to have more than one husband.
With the passage of time, women’s role became inert, however, and more sluggish, specifically during the rise of the feudalistic and capitalistic system.
Women were subsequently often humiliated and regarded as a source of sexual gratification and comfort. Some also believed that women were a source of evil.
Undoubtedly, European woman was the only woman who liberated from masculine dominance and entered different spheres of life.
Yemeni woman
Yemeni women experienced hard times during the Imam’s regime, particularly after the 26 September Revolution in 1962, in the north. They experienced wretched living conditions, ignorance, endemics, and retardation. Women had fallen a prey to masculine dominance, oppression and injustice.
Although, the revolution made great strides in several vital spheres of life, women were enslaved to men and trapped by prejudice.
So women with creative talent suffered a lot through this era in Yemen. They lived under hard conditions and were controlled by the masculine community.
As a result of political, economical and educational changes, women have now become more visible again. Education has helped that.
Creative female experience during 1990s
The 1990s was a stepping-stone period in the history of Yemen. This era witnessed dramatic changes in politics, society and culture. Globally, there was the disintegration of socialism in USSR and the emergence of a new world order.
Under these global changes, talented and creative people interacted with such global trends. The era was regarded as one with plenty of literary production from both men and women writers.
In Yemen, the creative womens experience has reshaped itself within the framework of changes like Yemens unification, pluralism and political involvement.
The outbreak of the Gulf War and the deportation of the Yemeni expatriates from the Gulf States as a result of Yemen’s support to Iraq had its ups and downs, which in turn affected the social and economic structure of the country.
War generated interest
The 1994 civil war in Yemen also generated a lot of interest with regard to the cultural movement of female writers. Under these difficult conditions, female writers expressed their opinion freely and to create a peaceful and just world.
I wonder, have female Yemeni writers in this era reached the same prestigious position as men? Do women express their opinions freely and boldly?
Characteristics of female experience in story telling
The creative women writer often uses language differently and the use of third person singular in an attractive way. This is to prevent the reader to identify the written text with its female writer.
Female subject matters are characterized by conventionality, which are restricted to specific limits and often dont go past the trinity of religion, politics and sex.
The internal factor
Some womens self-consciousness can prevent them from moving ahead, and this is known as an internal factor. At the same time, external factors can be society, culture and male readers who perceive women as neutral inactive member.
Also, female creative writers are often dealt with unjustly by critics, and their writings are often disparaged.
As a result, we find that there is a certain kind of literary and intellectual bias with regard to female creative writers.
Need healthy literary atmosphere
To put it in a nutshell, I think there should be a healthy literary atmosphere where female talented writers can express what is on their minds without any obstacles.
Giving women access to participate in all areas of society is a sure signal of progress, to achieve equality among all citizens of any community.
In a country like Yemen, women have actually made laudable strides in economic, social, political and cultural dimensions. Their active participation in the past two decades is attributed to better education despite the considerable difficulties and pitfalls facing it.

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