Yours, Mine & Femme! Ep.17 The White Saviour Narrative: the issue with how the West sees Afghan women

In her book “Do Muslim Women Need Saving” Lila Abu-Lughod introduced the broader world to the idea of the white saviour narrative and colonialism specifically in reference to the West’s intervention in the Middle East.  For years, the West has placed Muslim women in a highly victimised category, placing all Muslim women into one homogenous, binary stereotype. Dr Hind Elhinnawy argues that the West excludes the depiction of real Muslim women, ignoring the fact that they are multidimensional persons with unique lives, aspirations and challenges. On this episode of Yours, Mine & Femme! we discuss what damage this binary image of Muslim women has affected not only women in Afghanistan but Muslim women everywhere.

 

‘Yours, Mine & Femme!’ is a segment in which we put a spotlight on issues affecting women of all ages, cultures, sexualities and abilities. To catch up on past YMF episodes or to make sure you don’t miss a story, follow us on Instagram and Twitter @YMF_2SER