Middle Eastern Beauty The World's Brown Eyed Girls
When most people think about Middle Eastern women, many people envision a covered up woman that is
under the strict guidelines of her father or husband. This stereotype may be a part of some areas, but Middle Eastern cultures have their own set of beauty standards. Different aspects of Arab women are explored as they follow traditional, as well as modern, beauty practices to uphold to social standards.
Although the appearance of women across the region varies based on country, the Arab woman that comes to
mind is a dark haired beauty, with olive skin, dark brown eyes, fully lips, and a curvy body. Some of these
characteristics of women of this region have remained constant for years, while others, like body shape, have varied throughout several years.
Here we explore the influence on beauty in the Middle East , whether it be through government regulation, religious affiliation, cosmetic industries, westernization, or media and entertainment.
under the strict guidelines of her father or husband. This stereotype may be a part of some areas, but Middle Eastern cultures have their own set of beauty standards. Different aspects of Arab women are explored as they follow traditional, as well as modern, beauty practices to uphold to social standards.
Although the appearance of women across the region varies based on country, the Arab woman that comes to
mind is a dark haired beauty, with olive skin, dark brown eyes, fully lips, and a curvy body. Some of these
characteristics of women of this region have remained constant for years, while others, like body shape, have varied throughout several years.
Here we explore the influence on beauty in the Middle East , whether it be through government regulation, religious affiliation, cosmetic industries, westernization, or media and entertainment.
Arabs Tell All
When asking women and men of Middle Eastern decent what they thought of as the most attractive features of the women of their culture, the results were surprising. Expecting a response based on appearance, several of my Arab friends and family that I asked first mentioned certain qualities that they hoped respectable Arab women possessed, such as confidence, education, and mannerism. Along side these traits, a woman's family upbringing and values is one of the most important aspects of a woman, as the focus of family remains the most dominant feature of the region.
For further information, I spoke to my grandmother who was born and raised in Palestine 1930s, who shared some great information. Teta, as I call her, grew up in primarily Christian areas, and was raised Catholic. Although the majority of people were Christian, there were still women of Muslim decent that wore hijabs in public. At the time, most schools were separated boys and girls, and Teta attended an all girls private schools. As a rule of thumb, women were not allowed to wear make up, shave their legs, or do many other beauty practices until after they were married. Also, young women were not suppose to go anywhere alone, unless they were with family members or close girl friends. The clothing style in the Middle East followed behind European trends, but altered styles to maintain a more modest and respectful look. Although times may have changed, and the Middle East has become more westernized, some practices, such as modest clothing, and lack of freedom as a young girl still apply.
When asking women and men of Middle Eastern decent what they thought of as the most attractive features of the women of their culture, the results were surprising. Expecting a response based on appearance, several of my Arab friends and family that I asked first mentioned certain qualities that they hoped respectable Arab women possessed, such as confidence, education, and mannerism. Along side these traits, a woman's family upbringing and values is one of the most important aspects of a woman, as the focus of family remains the most dominant feature of the region.
For further information, I spoke to my grandmother who was born and raised in Palestine 1930s, who shared some great information. Teta, as I call her, grew up in primarily Christian areas, and was raised Catholic. Although the majority of people were Christian, there were still women of Muslim decent that wore hijabs in public. At the time, most schools were separated boys and girls, and Teta attended an all girls private schools. As a rule of thumb, women were not allowed to wear make up, shave their legs, or do many other beauty practices until after they were married. Also, young women were not suppose to go anywhere alone, unless they were with family members or close girl friends. The clothing style in the Middle East followed behind European trends, but altered styles to maintain a more modest and respectful look. Although times may have changed, and the Middle East has become more westernized, some practices, such as modest clothing, and lack of freedom as a young girl still apply.
The Hijab: Protection or Threat to body image?
The Hijab, a head scarf worn by some Muslim women around the world, has its own significant impact on women. Contrary to come beliefs, the rules of the Hijab vary across culture and family values. Several different types of hijabs are worn across different cultures depending on how covered up the women is expected to be. In some areas, women are only expected to wear the scarf when they go out in public, but are free to be unveiled in front of their family. In more strict cultures, women must be covered head to toe, with only their eyes showing, at absolutely all times. The age women start to wear a hijab also varies. A great number of Arab Americans believe that after marriage, a scarf should be worn to protect women from the gaze of other men. Others believe that women at ages as young as 10-13 years old should be covered. The reason behind the strict guidelines set comes from a complex controversy between religion and government control.
In context, the hijab is seen as a way to objectify women, placing an image of Middle Eastern women as culturally suppressed with no dignity. The hijab to some people has been seen as the symbol of sexual suppression and male dominance (Ordibehesht). Despite what some think, the purpose of the hijab in most cultures was to remove women from this sexual objectification. As defined by Fredrickson and Roberts, “sexual objectification is whenever a woman’s body, body parts, or sexual functions are separated out from her person, reduced to the status of mere instruments, or regarded as if they were capable of representing her” (Fredrickson & Roberts). By covering oneself, the intention was to avoid this by eliminating sexual comments, objectifying looks, and body evaluations of women (Tolaymat). In return, as described by Lana Tolaymat and her colleagues in a study linking self-objectification and the hijab, wearing the scarf has a correlation with the idea of women as merely sex objects for the husband, leading to self-objectification. Self-objectification, which is defined as an over concern to meet internalized body standards despite the how the body feels and functions, often results in eating disorders, lower self-esteem, and body issues for young Arab women (Tolaymat). The study suggests that the self-objectification of Arab women could also be from the exposure to western cultures standard of beauty.
The Hijab, a head scarf worn by some Muslim women around the world, has its own significant impact on women. Contrary to come beliefs, the rules of the Hijab vary across culture and family values. Several different types of hijabs are worn across different cultures depending on how covered up the women is expected to be. In some areas, women are only expected to wear the scarf when they go out in public, but are free to be unveiled in front of their family. In more strict cultures, women must be covered head to toe, with only their eyes showing, at absolutely all times. The age women start to wear a hijab also varies. A great number of Arab Americans believe that after marriage, a scarf should be worn to protect women from the gaze of other men. Others believe that women at ages as young as 10-13 years old should be covered. The reason behind the strict guidelines set comes from a complex controversy between religion and government control.
In context, the hijab is seen as a way to objectify women, placing an image of Middle Eastern women as culturally suppressed with no dignity. The hijab to some people has been seen as the symbol of sexual suppression and male dominance (Ordibehesht). Despite what some think, the purpose of the hijab in most cultures was to remove women from this sexual objectification. As defined by Fredrickson and Roberts, “sexual objectification is whenever a woman’s body, body parts, or sexual functions are separated out from her person, reduced to the status of mere instruments, or regarded as if they were capable of representing her” (Fredrickson & Roberts). By covering oneself, the intention was to avoid this by eliminating sexual comments, objectifying looks, and body evaluations of women (Tolaymat). In return, as described by Lana Tolaymat and her colleagues in a study linking self-objectification and the hijab, wearing the scarf has a correlation with the idea of women as merely sex objects for the husband, leading to self-objectification. Self-objectification, which is defined as an over concern to meet internalized body standards despite the how the body feels and functions, often results in eating disorders, lower self-esteem, and body issues for young Arab women (Tolaymat). The study suggests that the self-objectification of Arab women could also be from the exposure to western cultures standard of beauty.
In contrast, many Arab American women wear the hijab with pride. To them, it is a symbol that reflects their Muslim identity, represents their religious duties, and promotes respect and a higher level of self-esteem (Tolaymat). Many Arab Americans face controversy trying to live an Americanized life, while living up the their religious and family beliefs, and being apart of the stereotypes goverened by westerners. Rima Fakih, a Muslim, Lebanese immigrant from Dearborn, Michigan, experienced this when she won the Miss USA 2010 beauty pageant (Iami). Although being in a swimsuit in public may be thought to be completely inappropriate for some Muslim women, Fakih was comfortable in her actions throughout the pageant, and was supported by her family, friends, and entire culture. Her participation and victory in the pageant worked towards defying the stereotypes of Muslim women around the world (Iami).
Diversity of the Hijab
Shayla: a loose-fitting head scarf, leaving neck visible.
Al-amira:two piece head scarf with one lose fitting scarf and a second tubelike neck scarf that covers neck, only leaves the face visible
Khimar: long veil that covers the body just about the waist, only face visible
Chador: large open fabric held toether at the chin to cover the body and leaves the face visible.
Niqab: the most conservative form that covers the entire body, leaving only the eyes open
Descriptions from "U.S Muslim Women and Body Image: Links mamong Objectification Theory Constructs and the Hijab"
Shayla: a loose-fitting head scarf, leaving neck visible.
Al-amira:two piece head scarf with one lose fitting scarf and a second tubelike neck scarf that covers neck, only leaves the face visible
Khimar: long veil that covers the body just about the waist, only face visible
Chador: large open fabric held toether at the chin to cover the body and leaves the face visible.
Niqab: the most conservative form that covers the entire body, leaving only the eyes open
Descriptions from "U.S Muslim Women and Body Image: Links mamong Objectification Theory Constructs and the Hijab"
Plump Me Up
As seen across America, weight and body image has had a huge influence on young women. There is a constant fight to be ‘skinny’ or have that model figure the media presents as ‘beautiful.’ In the Middle East, women are typically built curvier than western countries. A healthy body with ‘meat’ on the bones was always seen as the most attractive body type. Most models and actresses coincided with this, and rarely ever were their bodies flaunted as the main source of attraction. After exposure to more westernized cultures, women in the Middle East started to adopt the unrealistic idealization of body image that so many women in America also have, leading to an increased rate in eating disorders and lower self-esteem. No women should uphold the standards set out by models, but it is becoming even more of a pressure for Middle Eastern women who are genetically shaped differently than women of western decent.
Despite the trend to be skinny, some Arab cultures correlate a heavier weight with beauty and wealth. Gautam Naik describes the obesity trend in “Eating Disorder: New Obesity Boom in Arab Countries has Old Ancestry; Western Habits Fueled Weight of Women Prized for Size; some Girls are Force-Fed; Ms. Mohammed Tries a Diet." In some particular Arab nations, there is a problematic rise in obesity in women in efforts to prove themselves in their culture. Over 75% of Arab women in the Middle East are considered obese compared to 62% of American women (Naik). The practice of force-feeding girls from a young age is popular in the Arab nation of Mauritania. To them and other cultures, the weight is a sign of wealth as well as a mother’s enhanced ability to bare children. Many women explain how their mothers would wake them up in the middle of the night to force them to eat and drink milk, as well as force feeding them throughout the day. One woman described by Naik, Ms. Ethmane, grew up in an underprivileged family. As a slender adult, she feels that she her life now is great affected because her parents did not have the money to force-feed her growing up. Another woman, Mrs. Mohammed, rejected the force-feeding by her mother when she was a child, but now feels shame. After her wedding, in fear that her husband would leave her for a plumper woman, Mrs. Mohammed started eating vigorously and gained weight (Naik). Although this side of the spectrum is not as common, these habits still present themselves as an eating disorder because of the poor self-image and body objectification. Some articles reveal that these practices are beginning to die out, with the beauty being a larger criteria in a wife over wealth represented in size.
More on Mauritania force feeding: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3429903.stm
As seen across America, weight and body image has had a huge influence on young women. There is a constant fight to be ‘skinny’ or have that model figure the media presents as ‘beautiful.’ In the Middle East, women are typically built curvier than western countries. A healthy body with ‘meat’ on the bones was always seen as the most attractive body type. Most models and actresses coincided with this, and rarely ever were their bodies flaunted as the main source of attraction. After exposure to more westernized cultures, women in the Middle East started to adopt the unrealistic idealization of body image that so many women in America also have, leading to an increased rate in eating disorders and lower self-esteem. No women should uphold the standards set out by models, but it is becoming even more of a pressure for Middle Eastern women who are genetically shaped differently than women of western decent.
Despite the trend to be skinny, some Arab cultures correlate a heavier weight with beauty and wealth. Gautam Naik describes the obesity trend in “Eating Disorder: New Obesity Boom in Arab Countries has Old Ancestry; Western Habits Fueled Weight of Women Prized for Size; some Girls are Force-Fed; Ms. Mohammed Tries a Diet." In some particular Arab nations, there is a problematic rise in obesity in women in efforts to prove themselves in their culture. Over 75% of Arab women in the Middle East are considered obese compared to 62% of American women (Naik). The practice of force-feeding girls from a young age is popular in the Arab nation of Mauritania. To them and other cultures, the weight is a sign of wealth as well as a mother’s enhanced ability to bare children. Many women explain how their mothers would wake them up in the middle of the night to force them to eat and drink milk, as well as force feeding them throughout the day. One woman described by Naik, Ms. Ethmane, grew up in an underprivileged family. As a slender adult, she feels that she her life now is great affected because her parents did not have the money to force-feed her growing up. Another woman, Mrs. Mohammed, rejected the force-feeding by her mother when she was a child, but now feels shame. After her wedding, in fear that her husband would leave her for a plumper woman, Mrs. Mohammed started eating vigorously and gained weight (Naik). Although this side of the spectrum is not as common, these habits still present themselves as an eating disorder because of the poor self-image and body objectification. Some articles reveal that these practices are beginning to die out, with the beauty being a larger criteria in a wife over wealth represented in size.
More on Mauritania force feeding: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3429903.stm
Dark Beauty
"Women are made to think their body is an object and their face as a mask; thus, she is in constant need of improvement, disguise and alteration."
Pouneh Ordibehest, an Arab American woman, shared her interest in the objectification of the female body by comparing and contrasting the outlook in Iran and America to represent the Eastern and Western cultures. She examined work from Francesca Woodman, an American artist that presented black and white photos of women, focusing on exploring the role of the female body through a connection to unique photographic practices. Ordibehest also explored the work of Shirin Neshat, a powerful Iranian artist who published a series of photographs called "Women of Allah", where she depicts an inner strength and intelligence in the submissive and suppressed Iranian women. Neshat's work has influenced many others to display Muslim women in efforts to dismiss stereotypes.
In response to the work of Woodman and Neshat, Ordibehest shares her own journey as she creates her own photographs to encompass both the Eastern and Western views of the female body. Through the progression of creating the perfect photograph collection, Ordibehest worked first to photograph models, but the perfect bodies did not display the right message she was trying to display. Next, she tried to display the anger of a woman when she is disrespected, by including red yarn covering particular body parts, which also didn't give the right message. The final work , that portrayed Ordibehest's feelings as an female Arab American, were black and white self portraits that had a poster covering her, representing the veiled Muslim woman, ribbon wrapped around the body representing the suppression on body image in America, and Arabic scripture on her body, representing her inner connection to her heritage. She calls the collection "Dark Beauty."
Read the article and see Ordibehest's entire collection by downloading the PDF from here: http://csula-dspace.calstate.edu/handle/10211.13/235
Shirin Neshat's collection: http://www.gladstonegallery.com/artist/shirin-neshat/#&panel1-1
"Women are made to think their body is an object and their face as a mask; thus, she is in constant need of improvement, disguise and alteration."
Pouneh Ordibehest, an Arab American woman, shared her interest in the objectification of the female body by comparing and contrasting the outlook in Iran and America to represent the Eastern and Western cultures. She examined work from Francesca Woodman, an American artist that presented black and white photos of women, focusing on exploring the role of the female body through a connection to unique photographic practices. Ordibehest also explored the work of Shirin Neshat, a powerful Iranian artist who published a series of photographs called "Women of Allah", where she depicts an inner strength and intelligence in the submissive and suppressed Iranian women. Neshat's work has influenced many others to display Muslim women in efforts to dismiss stereotypes.
In response to the work of Woodman and Neshat, Ordibehest shares her own journey as she creates her own photographs to encompass both the Eastern and Western views of the female body. Through the progression of creating the perfect photograph collection, Ordibehest worked first to photograph models, but the perfect bodies did not display the right message she was trying to display. Next, she tried to display the anger of a woman when she is disrespected, by including red yarn covering particular body parts, which also didn't give the right message. The final work , that portrayed Ordibehest's feelings as an female Arab American, were black and white self portraits that had a poster covering her, representing the veiled Muslim woman, ribbon wrapped around the body representing the suppression on body image in America, and Arabic scripture on her body, representing her inner connection to her heritage. She calls the collection "Dark Beauty."
Read the article and see Ordibehest's entire collection by downloading the PDF from here: http://csula-dspace.calstate.edu/handle/10211.13/235
Shirin Neshat's collection: http://www.gladstonegallery.com/artist/shirin-neshat/#&panel1-1
Cosmetic Consumptions at an Extreme
Interestingly enough, as described by Liz Grubow, the Middle East is the only region that has a continually growing comestic industry despite the recession. With a 12% annual growth rate increase, these women are among very few cultures that have maintained their beauty practices throughout hard times (Grubow). Why one might ask? Grubow believes that because of cultural division between women and men, Middle Eastern women spend much more time with only women, subsequently being surround by beauty products and have a greater interest in continuing practices as well as trying new products.
As a result of the continually thriving market in Middle Eastern countries, many companies have started to create products geared towards these women. Many markets try to incorporate ancient techniques and home remedies that appeal to older traditions. Sunsilk Shampoo has created a specific product for veiled women that causes excess oil on the scalp. Products like hair removals and skin-whitening creams are also focused for the darker skinned women of this regions. There is also a large emerging market for halal cosmetic products. For the humanity of animals, Muslim religion avoids particular animal products. Companies such as OnePure make cosmetics that do not contain alcohol or animal-derived ingredients. (www.onepurehalalbeauty.com) This marketing technique, the combine religious views with consumerism is a recent trend, and a large source of attraction for women of the Middle East.
Interestingly enough, as described by Liz Grubow, the Middle East is the only region that has a continually growing comestic industry despite the recession. With a 12% annual growth rate increase, these women are among very few cultures that have maintained their beauty practices throughout hard times (Grubow). Why one might ask? Grubow believes that because of cultural division between women and men, Middle Eastern women spend much more time with only women, subsequently being surround by beauty products and have a greater interest in continuing practices as well as trying new products.
As a result of the continually thriving market in Middle Eastern countries, many companies have started to create products geared towards these women. Many markets try to incorporate ancient techniques and home remedies that appeal to older traditions. Sunsilk Shampoo has created a specific product for veiled women that causes excess oil on the scalp. Products like hair removals and skin-whitening creams are also focused for the darker skinned women of this regions. There is also a large emerging market for halal cosmetic products. For the humanity of animals, Muslim religion avoids particular animal products. Companies such as OnePure make cosmetics that do not contain alcohol or animal-derived ingredients. (www.onepurehalalbeauty.com) This marketing technique, the combine religious views with consumerism is a recent trend, and a large source of attraction for women of the Middle East.
References:
-Ordibehesht, Pouneh. 2012. "Dark Beauty." Order No. 1509591, California State University, Los Angeles. http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1014404416?accountid=12598.
-Grubow, Liz. 2010. "The Mystique of Mainstream Middle Eastern Beauty." Global Cosmetic Industry 178 (11): 20. http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/817160190?accountid=12598.
- Tolaymat, Lana D. and Bonnie Moradi. "U.S. Muslim Women and Body Image: Links among Objectification Theory Constructs and the Hijab." Journal of Counseling Psychology 58, no. 3 (2011): 383-392. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0023461. http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/868623756?accountid=12598.
-Fredrickson, B. L., & Roberts, T. (1997). Psychology of Women Quarterly.
-lami, Mona. 2010. "Where the Bikini Meets the Hijab." The Arab American News, Jun, 9. http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/504054226?accountid=12598.
-MacDonald, Scott. 2004. "Between Two Worlds: An Interview with Shirin Neshat." Feminist Studies 30 (3): 620-659. http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/233178700?accountid=12598. -Naik, Gautam. "Eating Disorder: New Obesity Boom in Arab Countries has Old Ancestry; Western Habits Fueled Weight of Women Prized for Size; some Girls are Force-Fed; Ms. Mohammed Tries a Diet." Wall Street Journal, Dec 29, 2004. http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/398913377?accountid=12598.
-Ordibehesht, Pouneh. 2012. "Dark Beauty." Order No. 1509591, California State University, Los Angeles. http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1014404416?accountid=12598.
-Grubow, Liz. 2010. "The Mystique of Mainstream Middle Eastern Beauty." Global Cosmetic Industry 178 (11): 20. http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/817160190?accountid=12598.
- Tolaymat, Lana D. and Bonnie Moradi. "U.S. Muslim Women and Body Image: Links among Objectification Theory Constructs and the Hijab." Journal of Counseling Psychology 58, no. 3 (2011): 383-392. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0023461. http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/868623756?accountid=12598.
-Fredrickson, B. L., & Roberts, T. (1997). Psychology of Women Quarterly.
-lami, Mona. 2010. "Where the Bikini Meets the Hijab." The Arab American News, Jun, 9. http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/504054226?accountid=12598.
-MacDonald, Scott. 2004. "Between Two Worlds: An Interview with Shirin Neshat." Feminist Studies 30 (3): 620-659. http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/233178700?accountid=12598. -Naik, Gautam. "Eating Disorder: New Obesity Boom in Arab Countries has Old Ancestry; Western Habits Fueled Weight of Women Prized for Size; some Girls are Force-Fed; Ms. Mohammed Tries a Diet." Wall Street Journal, Dec 29, 2004. http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/398913377?accountid=12598.