Sunday, January 5, 2014

Bforex and the patriarchal society

An innocent - "fun" - ad on the surface. "My wife started trading in currencies from home, now she makes more money that I do. Learn how." And below "Moussa: A lawyer". Cute, right?
Not so fast, this is exactly the patriarchal way of thinking. A woman's place is in the home. She should not have a career. If such a career exists it is merely as a small back up for her husband or a time-filler until babies show up (when she is supposed to quit for good had she not done so already). If such an amuse-gueule exists in her professional life, it should never engender enough money to threaten the ego of the main bread-winner of the house (the husband in case you didn't get it yet).
And, worst of all, Moussa is a a member of the so-called holy trinity of professions: Doctor, engineer and lawyer. The three most respected professions in the Arab world. So this just adds insult to injury in this case.
Fun ad? Not when read under the laws of the repressive patriarchal society. Now "fouti choufi cheghlek bi matmakh" (go see to your work in the kitchen)....

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