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Why would women Identifying as feminists advocate for the liberation of a muslim nation?

By TSR

As 2024 draws to a close, reflecting on the challenges faced by women throughout the year offers a sobering perspective. Some argue that women find themselves in a more precarious position than they were three decades ago, exacerbated by the rise of performative activism that often lacks substantive knowledge or education.  On one hand, a wave of young, self-identified radical feminists uses platforms like TikTok to advocate for causes such as Palestine—where the Gaza Strip's population is 99% Muslim—while simultaneously condemning the Muslim men responsible for enacting restrictive laws against women's autonomy in Afghanistan. While Palestine and Afghanistan differ significantly in cultural practices, both are deeply rooted in the same overarching religious doctrine. The area known as Palestine historically includes present-day Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. The majority of the population in the Palestinian territories (West Bank and Gaza Strip) is Muslim, with Islam being the dominant religion. However, Palestinians also include a significant Christian minority. The concept of an "Islamic nation" or "Islamic state" typically refers to a nation where Islam is the state religion, and Islamic law (Sharia) is the legal system. While Palestine has a strong cultural and historical connection to Islam, it is not officially an Islamic state. The Palestinian territories are governed by different political entities: the Palestinian Authority (which administers parts of the West Bank) and Hamas (which controls the Gaza Strip).  This juxtaposition raises a critical question: are Western women so disconnected from the lived realities of their global counterparts that they prioritize social media trends over meaningful solidarity? By championing causes without nuance, some risk overlooking the systemic oppression faced by women across many Muslim-majority nations. The conditions for women in Palestine, for instance, are arguably no better than those in Afghanistan. Should Western feminists not critically evaluate their alignments to ensure they genuinely advocate for the rights and freedoms of all women, rather than merely following the zeitgeist of the digital age? The Free Palestine movement has witnessed an unprecedented surge in support from young Western women, a demographic energized by the transformative capabilities of social media. Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter have emerged as powerful instruments for disseminating information, fostering awareness, and mobilizing transnational advocacy. The viral proliferation of the hashtag #FreePalestine epitomizes this digital momentum. Amplified by young women, the hashtag embodies a moral call to action, leveraging the immediacy of social media to galvanize widespread solidarity.  But solidarity with whom, exactly? If self-identified feminists seek to mobilize support for the women of Palestine, they must critically assess the implications of endorsing a nation whose foundational principles are deeply intertwined with Islamic doctrine—a framework often associated with the systemic oppression of women and girls. 

Critics argue that these young, self-proclaimed radical feminists in the West have fundamentally misunderstood the dynamics at play. Their activism in support of Palestinian liberation often fails to amplify the voices of Palestinian women who have endured systemic oppression under Islamic rule. Instead, it inadvertently centers the ambitions of the Muslim men in power—men who exploit the platforms provided by Western feminists to broadcast their agenda to a global audience, all while silencing the women closest to them. This raises a critical question: Who is this freedom truly for? Is it for Muslim men, enabling them to continue practicing a faith that reinforces the subjugation of women, or for Palestinian women, whose voices remain marginalized and who find themselves trapped within a religious framework that codifies their oppression? 

Performative activism refers to actions that prioritize appearances and social validation over genuine advocacy and change. Many argue that this phenomenon has become prevalent in Western feminist circles, where individuals often engage with complex international issues through superficial gestures or social media trends, rather than through informed and meaningful solidarity. Expressing concern for the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan under the rule of Muslim men, while simultaneously advocating for Palestine, exemplifies the superficial and uninformed nature of some contemporary feminist activism. This disconnect underscores a fundamental misunderstanding of the principles of Islam and its doctrinal perspectives on women. Such advocacy often fails to move beyond surface-level engagement, inadvertently falling prey to taqiyya—a concept these young women neither recognize nor comprehend, yet unwittingly become subject to in their efforts to project solidarity. Critics argue that Western feminists, in their engagement with performative activism, often prioritize their own narratives over the voices of the women they ostensibly aim to support. Movements such as advocating for Palestinian liberation or critiquing oppressive regimes frequently emphasize social validation—manifested in likes and shares on digital platforms—rather than confronting the lived realities of the women directly affected. This approach risks amplifying the perspectives of dominant, often male, power structures while marginalizing the nuanced and critical voices of women within these societies.

The prevalence of performative activism in Western feminism underscores the pressing need for a more thoughtful and informed approach to global advocacy. Rather than aligning with popular trends or adopting causes for their visibility, effective feminist activism must focus on amplifying the experiences of marginalized women, dismantling entrenched systems of oppression, and critically interrogating the implications of their advocacy. Absent such intentionality, activism risks devolving into a superficial display, offering symbolic gestures devoid of substantive empowerment or meaningful change.