News Flash:The Empowerment of the Afghan Female

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/world/asia/30iht-afwomen.html?scp=3&sq=U.S.%20military%20women&st=cse

The position of the female in Afghan society has undergone monumental changes throughout the past ten years. This drastic change from a subjugated position in society to one where personal expression and achievement are possible has been greatly aided by the U.S. military and the eradication of Taliban control of the nation. Gayle Tzemach Lemmon’s article from The New York Times, “U.S. Military Experiments With Empowering Afghan Businesswomen,” highlights how the U.S. military has played a direct role in advancing women in Afghanistan. This micro perspective of Afghan women allows for interesting comparisons to be drawn between the roles of women all over the world and provides a clear example of women rising from the rock bottom.
An interesting aspect of this NYT article is that the methods of empowerment enacted by the U.S. military parallel those described in Levy’s text. The clearest similarity is the importance placed upon female involvement in the economy, specifically in upper management roles. Just as Levy points out that “Playboy is a company largely run by women,” the U.S. military is starting workshops and programs to allow female run businesses to flourish.[1] Similar empowerment gained by running Playboy is achieved by Afghan women that run businesses producing clothing. However, this does not in any way go to say that this empowerment is the same. In fact, the freedom achieved by the Afghan women through this new sense of self empowerment is much more potent in Afghanistan. While they both represent the expression of individuality and freedom, one would find it difficult to say that posing naked represents a greater achievement of freedom than simply being able to shed a bhurka and reveal your face. This article highlights how the capabilities to actively participate in the economy highlight merely one aspect of the much larger picture of Afghan oppression and subsequent empowerment of women.
Another critical aspect of this article is the description of the degree to which the lives of Afghan women changed. The life of women under the Taliban was the life of oppression in the truest sense of the word. Women were forced to live behind bhurkas with virtually no rights to speak of. As Marilyn Frye points out as one of the key components of Oppression, the Afghan women were complicit in their “being made invisible,” in their “occupying no space.”[2] To rework one of Frye’s analogies, it was almost as if the Afghan women were behind a brick wall, rather than in a bird cage, with no hope for freedom in sight. The juxtaposition of the freedoms that the women hold today against the life of oppression makes every achievement all the more remarkable. The programming of the Afghan women is indicated by their inability to even relate with the men from the U.S. military forces that tried to help them at first. This is why Patricia Babida’s, “a veteran Air Force contracting officer,” role was emphasized as she felt the Afghan women would feel “less intimidated” to direct their concerns and questions at another woman.[3] It is interesting to see how the oppression of the Afghan women was so severe that even when approached by males willing and ready to aid in the advancement of the female role in society they were still hesitant to open up to them.
The role that the U.S. military has played in allowing the Afghan women to take a foothold in the economy has been unrivaled. Lemmon highlights an interesting aspect of this relationship that has allowed for the success of these budding entrepreneurs. The most important aspect has been the standardization of U.S. military orders as they contract out orders for t-shirts and other items of clothing that require standardized measures. This allows the Afghan women to keep up with the great demands for production as the process of producing identical items becomes a easy-to-follow routine. This is a mutually beneficial system where the U.S. military, as well as the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police, are able to receive new gear quickly, while simultaneously stimulating the local economy. This investment in the local economy and the creation of a strong foundation in the Afghan economy is an investment that will pay invaluable dividends in the future.
This article presents much promise for the future. The long and arduous journey the Afghan females have traveled to reach their current position in society is one that must be remembered to continue the advancement of females in society. Through the interference from the U.S. military the Afghan women were presented with the once in a lifetime opportunities that came with the total destruction of ‘the system.’ This complete destruction of the system was the product of an oppressive and weak regime that was destined for failure that was overrun by the U.S. military. It is great to see achievements like those described in Lemmon’s article that paint an honorable image of the U.S. military and include stories of success and advancement of the people our nation is seeking to help. The “unremarkable life” of oppression that is part of Johnson’s patriarchal system and was definitely characteristic of the Taliban has been destroyed and the future holds much promise for the women of Afghanistan.[4]
[1] Ariel Levy, Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture. (New York: Free Press, 2005), 35.
[2] Marilyn Frye, “Oppression.”
[3] Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, “U.S. Military Experiments With Empowering Afghan Businesswomen,” The New York Times, January 29, 2010.
[4] Allen G. Johnson, “Patriarchy, the System: An It, Not a He, a Them, or an Us.”