Eman A. Akam, Ph.D. on Islam, Gender gaps and the statud of women in Muslim-majority countries as well as problematic points in Islam that establish women as second class citizens. Social science literature and comprehensive surveys indicate that women in muslim majority countries are subjugated to second class citizenship and are less valued than men.

1. Facing the problem of gender hierarchies in Islam
Eman A.Akam, Ph.D.
Muslimish NYC conference 2019

2. conservative
an anti-muslim bigot
Preface
• “In an open society, no idea can be above scrutiny, just as no
people should be beneath dignity.” ~Maajid Nawaz
• In the west and in the case of Islam, we have equated
criticism of ideology to bigotry.
• We can criticize ideas without demeaning or
dehumanizing people. Our pursuit of equity should not
be hindered
• We are heavily invested in the well-being of Muslim women
everywhere
• This conversation is necessary, we need to face our
problems before we can ever effectively address them
.
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019

3. Measures gender equality in 149 major and emerging
economies.
Based on economic participation and opportunity,
educational attainment, political empowerment
and health and survival
Scale: 0-1, 1=parity
The Global Gender Gap Report . 2018World Economic Forum
smallest gender gap
largest gender gap
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
Global Gender Gaps (2018)

4. smallest gender gaplargest gender gap
Unclear / No declaration
Global Average
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
Global Gender Gaps (2018)

5. smallest gender gaplargest gender gap
Secular state
Unclear / No declaration
Global Average
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
Global Gender Gaps (2018)

6. smallest gender gaplargest gender gap
State religion
Secular state
Unclear / No declaration
Global Average
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
Global Gender Gaps (2018)

7. smallest gender gaplargest gender gap
Islamic state (5 of 6 missing Afghanistan),
State religion
Secular state
Unclear / No declaration
Global Average
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
Global Gender Gaps (2018)

8. smallest gender gap
largest gender gap
Islamic state
State religion
Secular state
Unclear / No declaration
Global Average
• 84% of Muslim-majority countries surveyed fall
BELOW global average
• 60% of the Muslim-majority countries in the survey
fall in the BOTTOM 17% of ranks
• The 5 countries with the highest gender gap are all
Muslim-majority
• Of the 15 countries with the highest gender gap, 14
are Muslim-majority countries
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
Global Gender Gaps (2018)

9. The Quran defines Islam
• Quran is the word of God
• Muslims follow the Quran
• Value of testimony of men vs. women Q.2:282
• Hierarchy within marriage: Q:4:34
Quranic verses that establish women as
second-class citizens
“The World’s Muslims: Unity and Diversity” Pew Research Center,Washington, D.C. (August, 2012)
https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2012/08/the-worlds-muslims-full-report.pdf.
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019

10. Sahih International: O you who have believed, when you contract a
debt for a specified term, write it down.And let a scribe write [it]
between you in justice. Let no scribe refuse to write as Allah has taught
him. So let him write and let the one who has the obligation dictate.
And let him fear Allah , his Lord, and not leave anything out of it. But if
the one who has the obligation is of limited understanding or weak or
unable to dictate himself, then let his guardian dictate in justice. And
bring to witness two witnesses from among your men.And if there are
not two men [available], then a man and two women from those whom
you accept as witnesses - so that if one of the women errs, then the
other can remind her. And let not the witnesses refuse when they are
called upon.And do not be [too] weary to write it, whether it is small
or large, for its [specified] term.That is more just in the sight of Allah
and stronger as evidence and more likely to prevent doubt between
you, except when it is an immediate transaction which you conduct
among yourselves. For [then] there is no blame upon you if you do not
write it.And take witnesses when you conclude a contract. Let no
scribe be harmed or any witness. For if you do so, indeed, it is [grave]
disobedience in you.And fear Allah.And Allah teaches you.And Allah is
Knowing of all things
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
Surat “l-baqarah ’(Cow)”, chapter 2, verse 282

11. Surat “Annisa’(Women)”, chapter 4, verse 34
• Sahih International: Men are in charge of women by [right of]
what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend
[for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are
devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what
Allah would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you
fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake
them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once
more], seek no means against them. Indeed,Allah is ever Exalted
and Grand.
• The corporal punishment should be light, done with a small
object no larger than a toothbrush,“Wouldn’t even be
considered domestic abuse even in the U.S.”
• The prophet Mohammed was uneasy about the verse
• Other meanings for the word strike “idhrabohuna”
• The verse came at a time when women had even fewer
rights than that
• Other religions are just as bad
• Other verses exist that give equal status to women
• Must be taken in context with all other Islamic ideals
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019

12. • We cannot delude ourselves into thinking that these verses are
not interpreted in a way that makes women second class citizens
“The World’s Muslims: Unity and Diversity” Pew Research Center,Washington, D.C. (August, 2012)
https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2012/08/the-worlds-muslims-full-report.pdf.
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
Facing the Problem

13. • We cannot delude ourselves into thinking that these verses are
not interpreted in a way that makes women second class citizens
“The World’s Muslims: Unity and Diversity”
Pew Research Center,Washington, D.C.
(August, 2012)
smallest gender gap
largest gender gap
Islamic state
State religion
Secular state
Unclear / No declaration
Global Average
The Global Gender Gap Report. 2018 World
Economic Forum
Alexander A. et al. 2011 WVR 4(2): 40-70 .
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
Muslim Women are Second Class to Muslim Men

14. • 133,295 individuals from 83 societies
• Patriarchal values scale based on survey
questions evaluating agreeability of
statements such as
• " On the whole men make better
political leaders than women do”
• “A university education is more
important for a boy than a girl”
• ”When jobs are scarce, men should
have more right to a job than
women”
Alexander A. et al. 2011 WVR 4(2): 40-70 .
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
PatriarchalValues Correlate with IslamicValues

15. • 38,000 individuals from 39 countries
• Degree of agreeability:
• " A wife must always obey her
husband”
“The World’s Muslims: Religion, Politics, and Society” Pew Research Center,Washington, D.C. (August,
2012)
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
PatriarchalValues Correlate with IslamicValues

16. Alexander A. et al. 2011 WVR 4(2): 40-70 .
• 133,295 individuals from 83 societies
• Patriarchal values scale based on survey
questions evaluating agreeability of
statements such as
• " On the whole men make better
political leaders than women do”
• “A university education is more
important for a boy than a girl”
• ”When jobs are scarce, men should
have more right to a job than
women”
Patriarchal values are a product of Islam
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
PatriarchalValues are Greater Amongst Muslims

17. Alexander A. et al. 2011 WVR 4(2): 40-70 .
• 133,295 individuals from 83 societies
• Patriarchal values scale based on survey
questions evaluating agreeability of
statements such as
• " On the whole men make better
political leaders than women do”
• “A university education is more
important for a boy than a girl”
• ”When jobs are scarce, men should
have more right to a job than
women”
Patriarchal values are a product of Islam
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
PatriarchalValues are Greater Amongst Muslims

18. Muslim women in Muslim-majority countries do not support gender
equality
Glas et. al. (2018) Gender & Society 32 (5): 686-712
• 19,009 individuals from 15 countries
• Mean support for equality calculated
based on survey questions evaluating
agreeability of statements such as
• " On the whole men make better
political leaders than women do”
• “A university education is more
important for a boy than a girl”
• ”When jobs are scarce, men should
have more right to a job than
women”
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019

19. Moaddel, M. (2006) Int. J. Middle East Stud. 38 (1): 79-108
Rizzo et. al. (2008) Sociology 41 (6): 1151-1170
77%
75%
71%
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
Muslim women in Muslim-majority countries do not support gender
equality

20. • We cannot delude ourselves into thinking that these verses are not interpreted in a way that makes
women second class citizens
• We cannot compare the status of Muslim women in Muslim-minority countries to those in Muslim-
majority countries
“The World’s Muslims: Unity and Diversity” Pew Research Center,Washington, D.C. (August, 2012
Facing the problem
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019

21. Moaddel, M. (2006) Int. J. Middle East Stud. 38 (1): 79-108
Rizzo et. al. (2008) Sociology 41 (6): 1151-1170
77% vs 10%
75% vs 22%
Attitudes towards women: Muslims in the U.S. vs. Muslims
worldwide
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019

22. • We cannot delude ourselves into thinking that these verses are
not interpreted in a way that makes women second class citizens
• We cannot compare the status of Muslim women in Muslim-
minority countries to those in Muslim-majority countries
• We should not focus on only one aspect of gender equality
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
Facing the problem

23. Women’s education in Muslim-majority countries
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019

24. The Gender-Equality paradox in STEM
Women in gender-equal countries more likely pursue
careers out of interest/passion rather than in pursuit of
financial freedom
Stoet and Geary; Psychological Science. 2018, 29 (4), 581-593
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019

25. • We cannot delude ourselves into thinking that these verses are
not interpreted in a way that makes women second class citizens
• We cannot compare the status of Muslim women in Muslim-
minority countries to those in Muslim-majority countries
• We should not focus on only one aspect of gender equality
• We need more scientific studies focusing on the psychology of
Muslim women
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
Facing the problem

26. According to most Indonesian respondents, Islamic norms prescribe male
leadership and allow the husband to beat a disobedient wife.This is regarded as
crucial for the wife’s destiny after death
“...submitting to male authority us a Muslim woman’s religious obligation”
Women maintain honor through obedience to men, sexual modesty, and
religious piety… analyses revealed that benevolent (but not hostile) sexism
positively predicted women’s honor beliefs, whereas hostile (but not
benevolent) sexism
positively predicted men’s honor beliefs
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019

27. • We cannot delude ourselves into thinking that these verses are not
interpreted in a way that makes women second class citizens
• We cannot compare the status of Muslim women in Muslim-
minority countries to those in Muslim-majority countries
I’M JUST GOING TO GO & SLIP
INTO SOMETHING MORE
COMFORTABLE, LIKE DENIAL
• We should not focus on only one
aspect of gender equality
• We need more scientific studies
focusing on the psychology of Muslim
women
“An Iranian Metamorphosis” by Mana Neyestani
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019
Facing the problem

28. Thanks for listening
Eman A. Akam, PhD Muslimish NYC Conference July 27th 2019