748: Yasmine Mohammed | How the West Empowers Radical Islam Part One

Oppressive Practices

The discussion highlights the oppressive practices faced by women in fundamentalist systems, such as female genital mutilation and child marriage. Yasmine Mohammed shares her personal experiences, emphasizing the brutality and normalization of these practices. She explains how these acts are often carried out by women themselves, perpetuating a cycle of abuse 1. Jordan Harbinger compares the severity of female genital mutilation to circumcision, illustrating the lack of regulation and the severe impact on young girls 2. Yasmine notes the reverence for child marriages within some Muslim communities, driven by religious teachings that are misinterpreted to justify such practices 3.

It's actually insane because you're talking about us all as if we are all human beings. That's why, because you're not differentiating between this group of people and this group of people. You're saying, we're all human beings. We all have the same bodies. When you beat this child or beat this child, they're going to have the same amount of bruises. They're going to have the same amount of psychological childhood trauma. When you cut this girl's clitoris or you cut this girl's clitoris, or whatever it is that you're doing, you're marrying off this nine-year-old child or you're marrying off this 13-year-old child, whether it's happening in Afghanistan or whether it's happening in Texas, these are human beings. These are young girls and they deserve to be protected.

--- Yasmine Mohammed

These practices are not only harmful but also deeply ingrained, making it challenging to address and eradicate them.

   

Legal Inequalities

Legal inequalities within fundamentalist religious systems create significant barriers for women seeking justice. Yasmine Mohammed explains the difficulties women face when trying to divorce, as Islamic courts often require extreme evidence to grant a divorce 4. She highlights how religious texts are misinterpreted to justify violence and control, with translations often softening the harsh realities of the original Arabic 5. This misinterpretation supports a system where abusive practices are sanctioned, leaving women with little recourse.

It's not up to personal interpretation. It's up to the sh*tty law people—the scholars of the religion, the scholars of Islamic law. It's up to their interpretation. And that's why in 15 different countries, if you're gay, you're executed. Or if you leave Islam, you're executed, all sorts of punishments.

--- Yasmine Mohammed

The indoctrination within these systems not only perpetuates abuse but also stifles progress, trapping societies in outdated practices 6.