For a country that praises critical thinking, Qatar can be notorious for shutting down those who challenge social norms. Growing up a girl, I was surrounded by tons of double standards, and even more relatives who didn’t seem to mind them. Some were along the lines of typical everyday sexism, but others were downright outrageous! For so long, we wouldn’t even dare question the limitations that were put on us from a very young age or the dreams we were forced to let go of. It was difficult to find anyone to talk to- at least anyone who wouldn’t dismiss us as ‘audacious little girls’.
As the archetypal Arab mum would say after you’ve won a debate with logic and reasoning, “That’s just the way things are,” most likely accompanied by a shrug and a raised eyebrow. Things have been the way they are for so long, too long, that girls are almost encouraged to settle for the submissive role of the dependent woman.
That’s not to say that there hasn’t been any progress. Women definitely have more career options now than they ever have before, but there is still so much work to be done if we want to achieve true gender equality. Because the idea of accepting things as “the way they are” and not questioning it being ridiculously outrageous are so engraved into us, we often forget how powerful our voices can be. We are “Generation Z.” We are “New-millennial.” We have endless platforms that are waiting to be used to benefit us, and so many other voices that are waiting for the right cue to be raised.
The education system is worshipped here, as it continuously aims to empower and push people beyond their boundaries. Unfortunately, the people who are stunting women’s growth and development are, more often that not, our own parents and societal standards. A trend that is currently at peak popularity is studying abroad, as it can help you a person grow in more ways than their hometown ever could. However, the opportunity, for the most part, is exclusive to men. While sponsorships are happily offered to people of all genders, parents are often the ones who forbid their daughters from traveling who still legally require their consent to leave the country at 18 years old. Parents here still view females studying abroad or living alone (or even being “too independent” in general) as “wrong.” Ironically, one of the most common reason males opt to attend universities overseas is due to the fact that they didn’t succeed in getting into one here.
By the time the senior year of high school rolls around, mothers expect their children to behave and cope a certain way based on their gender. Boys presumably ditch their studies and go out and live life to the fullest during finals week, whereas daughters are expected to stay home, weeping and panicking over a concept they can’t fully grasp under all that stress. Not only is this incredibly sexist and forces both genders into very specific roles, it puts limitations on both their futures. Boys who barely scrape a pass or have to retake a test are still rewarded with everything life has to offer, while girls who graduated as valedictorians are still restrained from reaching their full potential.
Our goals of attaining our ambitions and broadening our knowledge by immersing ourselves in different cultures and seeing more of the world with an open mind are completely rejected. Why do we praise prejudiced gender roles more than we praise change? How do we expect the country to fulfill its ever-evolving vision if we’re clearly biased towards half the population?
Editor: Montana Timpson
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