Hshouma E-Book

Zainab Fasiki

• Herausgeber: Clairview Books
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Seitenzahl: 42

Beschreibung

'Pairs the artist's playful illustrations with discussions of sexuality, gender-based violence and censorship.' – TIME magazine 'In my country, Morocco, it's Hshouma (shameful) to discuss certain subjects, notably sexuality and the body, and even more so to want to experience these things. To understand what we're going through, I suggest that together we look at the reign of Hshouma in its educational, religious and political dimensions. To break these taboos, I hereby testify to my life as a young Moroccan woman…' The women Zainab Fasiki draws are compelling and real – whether naked, wearing the veil, in lingerie, in town or in the public baths. They celebrate the human form and its beauty, mocking a hypocritical masculinity that is afraid of bodies, and challenging one of the pillars on which patriarchal societies rest – whether in North Africa or in Western countries. Part artistic project, part educational initiative, but also playful and humorous, this graphic novel breaks down the taboos associated with sex education and gender identity and exposes everyday misogyny. Hshouma is an important book, and Fasiki is a powerful new voice of international feminism. 'Aims to break taboos in Morocco, in particular to change the way women and their bodies are perceived in society.' – UN WOMEN 'Her book took her to a wider audience, in a country where sex education is also taboo.' – Global Times

Leseprobe

ZAINAB FASIKI

SHAME! BODIES AND SEXUALITY IN MOROCCO

In my country, our bodies and sexual relationships are standardized by state laws, but also by Islam, Moroccan culture, family traditions and society. The multiplicity of these norms (political, religious and socio-cultural) generates frustration in the population – a sexual and emotional lack – which translates into sexual violence such as harassment and rape. In Morocco, some people claim: ‘Hshouma is necessary for a healthy society ’, but unfortunately this word hshouma (or lheshma) is actually the source of many problems, and this is what I’m going to demonstrate in this book.

North Africa was once inhabited by the Amazighs, renowned for their great respect for women. In the 7th century, the Arabs took control of this region and completely transformed it. To do so, they won the battle against Dihya Tadmut (also known as Kahina). This Amazigh warrior-queen had united the Maghreb (North Africa), doing her best to protect her country until her death in 703. With the Muslim conquest came the beginning of male domination.

Many have described Kahina as one of the first feminists in history. Unfortunately, as a result of various historical upheavals, North African women subsequently lost their prestige and freedom. Today, the Amazigh community is still fighting to speak out about its culture, but also about the ever-worsening condition of women.

In addition to the Amazighs, many Moroccans feel a gap between their convictions and the norms imposed in their country. But it’s still hshouma – or shameful – as well as illegal, to express one’s thoughts freely. This culture of shame has oppressed innocent souls, destroyed hundreds of thousands of lives, frustrated powerful desires and led to numerous crimes.

A majority of Moroccans believe that hiding bodies, limiting sexuality and freedoms gives value to society and maintains order. But the fact that they refuse to tolerate those who do not share their vision confirms that terrorism has many faces… Coexistence between us must be discussed so that there is no more hshouma relating to this subject. We are living through a social and sexual crisis and it must be resolved.

Added to this are media propaganda, fundamentalism and Islamism, which encourage the faithful to impose their beliefs on others, and even to attack those who do not submit to Moroccan social norms.

I didn’t write this book in the Moroccan language, because we don’t even have the right words in Darija (the dialect spoken in Morocco) to talk about sexuality. Over time, our words have taken on a negative connotation, and we use them as insults. For example, there is no term in Darija to describe genitalia with objectivity, or sexuality with respect.

This vocabulary exists in Arabic, Amazigh and French (considered one of the main languages since colonization), but most Moroccan families don’t speak these languages. Darija is the most common language in Morocco, so if it doesn’t have the words to name taboos, how are we going to break them?

I DON’T FIGHT THE IDEAS OF MY COUNTRY FOR FUN… IF YOU THINK I’M EXAGGERATING, I’D LIKE YOU TO BE A WOMAN IN MOROCCO FOR A DAY. THEN YOU CAN INFORM ME HOW THIS EXPERIENCE WAS FOR YOU.

IF I TAKE UP THE PEN, IT’S NOT FOR THE PLEASURE OF CRITICIZING MY SOCIETY, BUT BECAUSE I WANT IT TO BE BETTER, TO BE BASED ON PEACE, ALLOWING EVERYONE TO LIVE AS THEY PLEASE, AND OF COURSE, BECAUSE I LOVE MOROCCO AND MOROCCANS.

CHAPTER 1

THE BODY

The body is our material envelope, a set of intelligent mechanisms, but unfortunately a certain number of Moroccans only see its sexual dimension. As a result, the body is valued if it is hidden, and punished if it is exposed.

I. LIBERATING NUDITY

Nudity is uniquely associated with sexuality. It is synonymous with shame, impurity and sacrilege. This leads to this reality: the more the body is hidden, the more it is respected. Being naked diminishes the value of individuals and the respect due to them, especially when it comes to Moroccan women. Exposed to the judgments of others, they don’t dress the way they want to. Nudity, whether partial or total, is not accepted; on the contrary, it is punished. However, I believe that hiding women’s bodies and seeing them only as sexual objects only leads to increased frustration and violence (harassment, rape, etc.).

What if we looked at bodies in a non-sexual way?

What if we tolerated nudity in art and stopped censorship?

Would bodies in public spaces still bother other people?

But getting there isn’t that simple: we have to face up to many different viewpoints, and take things one step at a time.