fun fact: iraq, pakistan, afghanistan and saudi arabia have a higher percentage of women in the government than the us & the uk
another fun fact: white people tend to get very angry when you point this out to them
Historically, the Middle East has been in many ways more inclined to gender equality than in the West. Prior to the rise of Islam, many societies in the middle east were matriarchal in nature (if a couple married, they moved into the mother’s house, etc.).
The Ottoman Empire, in its decaying years, made desperate attempts at modernization, and in the mire of its failed industrialization is included many women’s rights laws, including divorce rights and the right to not be covered (Ataturk would try to attempt these social reforms again in Turkey, but following his death, Islam was reinforced as a state religion in Turkey).
Also, girls in the ME tend to score higher than their male counterparts in math and science (random fact)
I really should be studying for my finals right now
