Masculinities in distorted minds of fundamentalists

Masculinities in distorted minds of fundamentalists

Crippled fundamentalist rulers: archaic or deformed
By Nasrin Azadeh - Iran


Patriarchy fundamental governance with its sets of rules and the ideas that underpin them are manifested in archaic laws, institutions and economic and social structures. Gendered responsibilities for those compelled of participation in this society not only are strictly different for women and men, they are callously inequitable. The primitive rulers frightened from the power of new technologies that appear like black magic are affected with deep inferior complexes in their xenophobic perception of power relations which is alarming not only for women also for modern world.

In Iran the inability of the rulers to provide dignified life for women, maintaining safe environment away from the oppression of abusers, are due to the fact that criminals are positioned in high ranking places where they monitor systematic discrimination and abuse. The prevailing ideology of the tyranny of criminals and mafias is based on hatred and suppression of natural human emotions. The Constitution has only defined women in the traditional framework of motherhood or marriage partner and is bound to train women to serve their role. Family institution is based on patriarchal and tribal relationships where women have least space to have her voice heard let alone the decision making. The continuing economic and political marginalization of women are incorporated in the agenda and sustained with high cost on national economy. The tiny sum of dowry, the only legitimate income reserved for women just contested by the conservative Parliament leading to endorsement of limited ceiling.

The monographs in research projects reflect the inability of national responses to key issues like poverty, housing, governance and technology and the way in which gender determines the different ways that women and men are affected by these issues. The prevailing norms sustain the idea that fundamentalists in their positioning in the hierarchical structures have a strategic common interest in defending their gender superiority imposing bias and inhuman rules and regulations.

Under fundamental State men tend not to think of themselves as ‘gendered’ beings looking through prevailing lens of realities. Gender superiority in social relations that legitimize and sustain men’s power over women, is inherently about power relations between women and men, as well as among men and women. The need to define more precisely and examine questions of men’s responsibility for women’s disadvantage, as well as men’s role in redressing gender inequalities are put forward that lag behind the modern world.

Thus, not having to think about race is one of the luxuries of being of a dominant race, just as not having to think about gender is one of the patriarchal dividends that men gain from their position in the gender order (Men & Masculinities; UNDP, 2000).

Fundamentalist definition of manhood privileges men over men as well by discrimination and institutionalized social bias. Male-dominated institutions and systems produce and sustain gender order that disadvantages women in all spheres of her life. Hard-line masculine fundamentalism version of the term ‘masculinity’ and the assumptions that prefigure, as well as the implications that ensue, are used to enslave women as well as other men. Masculinity here used as a way to explain men — in cultural or social constructionism and masculinity by triggering primitive brains to engage in serious class conflicts and imposing cultural control over others using nation’s wealth and resources. Religious fundamentalism and ethnic nationalism use local cultural symbols to express regional resistance to incorporation by a larger, dominant power.

Along with this, men’s political, economic and cultural privileges considered natural as reflected genetically to further unleash aggressiveness and desires such as sexual drives. To this end, women considered in second class, halving their worth and self esteem, should accept the slaving role to serve in numbers.

In this context narrow perspective of life by religious hardliners define the cultural norms and social pressures to determine the roles, rights, responsibilities and relations that are available to and imposed upon men, in contrast to women. Fundamentalists’ behavior in terms of their masculine identity is incorporated in a broader discussion of the values and practices that shape power relations not only between men and women, but also among men and among women. The few selected women elites passively obey the orders to put forward male supremacy agenda and pretending to be normative and localized for the watchful eyes. The primitive perception of masculine identity that religious fundamentalists illustrate has provided explanations of stereotypically problematic male behaviors that approve violence and uncontested sexual abuse. Women and girls under oppression deprived from basic human rights either chose to cease their life or live with systematic humiliation of surrendering to sexual abuse and sex slavery. In archaic patriarchy ideas women when they grow older instead of respect and attention should be serving younger bride for their husbands. This was frequently publicized in national TV running by fundamental religious followers.

Misogyny, homophobia, racism and class/status-based discrimination are all implicated in a ‘politics of masculinity’ that is developed and deployed by fundamentalists to claim power over women, and to claim power over other men. The pressure that fundamentalism impose on society to conform to specific roles to fit their own agenda to exert full control over resources, has imposed high costs to society and to natural spontaneous gender arrangements.

The hardliner’s insecurity about their masculinity has promoted abusive behavior toward women in general and activists in particular. There is a need of redefinition of being male for those figures that are encompassed in the circle of fundamentalists. Reduce or end violence against women appears to prioritize questions of identity over questions of values for fundamental rulers. Clearly the devaluing of women in laws endorsed by hardliners is constitutive of the meaning of fundamentalism. The legalization of men’s superiority over women is one of the main functions featured in hard line rules by masculinity as natural superiority that lawfully assigns men as heads of household to exert control over women from every aspect. An effect of this ‘natural’ association between men and power is to render their gender invisible in the acquisition of such power.

“One of the significant achievements of feminist scholarship has been to name the connections between men, gender and power and give them visible expression in the term ‘patriarchy’. In both the public and domestic spheres, patriarchy refers to the institutionalization of men’s power over women within the economy, the polity, the household, and in heterosexual relations”(UNDP, Men and Masculinity,2000).

Religious hardliners use of machineries in resisting power over global governance indicates that the entry of more women into positions of power within these structures may be necessary but not sufficient for gender-equitable sustainable human development.

Violence in relationships is a problem of power and control....It is maintained by the social structures of oppression in which we live — based, among others, on gender, class, age, and race inequalities.

The dispute that obliges women to use permanent cover because of men’s uncontrollable desire signifies legal oppression toward women’s basic freedom. One might as well translate that women are not entitled to anything that uncontrollable needs of others might desire, should it be physical or material. In this context women are subject to legal discrimination and deprived from the basic rights of being human or perhaps engage in challenges of life. There is no approval for any space for women as natural, to develop and acquire what they desire, being sexual or emotional. Hardliners force strict orders imposed on women’s intellect, perception, act, aspiration, value, and obliged them to obey what is framed and outlined in the articles of law. Clear cultural, social, economic submissive roles assigned to women in the acts of Iranian Constitution. Women are not expected of any creativity other than their motherhood or sex slavary. This is oppressive language that dictates hard line abusive behavior not only on women but also on other men by minor hardliners.

Men in patriarchal society due to devaluation of women are deprived from true love and human relationship. This encourages and opens their heart to pursue other forms of associations which results in legitimacy of polygamy and continued search for other women or even men. Instead of cherishing natural human relationships, free social association, nurturing a healthy challenge in their love relationships; patriarchy system by taking away challenge out of the access of women; have in fact violated their basic human rights.

It may be useful to look not merely at the violence of men but at the violence that lies at the heart of masculinity’s hierarchizing of difference and the misogyny, homophobia and racism that are embedded in discourses of fundamentalist masculinity. In this sense, for equitable response to the connections between masculinity and violence addressing issues of human rights and discrimination should be on the agenda for international organizations that are preoccupied with defending the rights of women.

As Elson (1991: 15) writes: Overcoming male bias is not simply a matter of persuasion, argument, and change in viewpoint in everyday attitudes, in theoretical reasoning and in policy process. It also requires changes in the “deep structures” of economic and social life, and collective action, not simply individual, action.

12/29/04
NA