Feminism and cultural and religious diversity in Opzij: An analysis of the discourse of a Dutch feminist magazine

Abstract

Mainstream western feminism is generally known as secular. Women in this movement have fought religious dogmas and paternalistic gender patterns in religious texts and traditions. However, for many women all over the world religion is also an important part of their lives. Some of them try to combine their religious beliefs and feminist ideals. For a long time, their discussions remained at the margins, but in the last few years, 'mainstream' feminists are forced to rethink their standpoint about religion. Many have chosen a critical approach towards the relationship between religion and emancipation, but others express the need to take into account differences between women in the definition of feminism and emancipation. This article analyses a popular Dutch feminist magazine and how it defines feminism in relation to religion and culture. The article undertakes an in-depth analysis of how the notions of religion, culture and feminism are interpreted and discussed in the Dutch feminist magazine Opzij. The concepts of experience, solidarity, emancipation and difference are central in the investigation.

Representations of Religion on the British Feminist Webzine The F Word

“…They advocate Muslim women's participation in the public sphere and oppose attempts to curtail their rights. Their support for Muslim women contrasts with Midden's (2012) findings and provides evidence of somewhat wider feminist engagement with religion than van den Brandt's (2014Brandt's ( , 2015. This reflects different methodological approaches: while van den Brandt's study seeks out and explores feminist possibilities offered by case studies of secular feminist solidarity around Muslim women's issues, this study looks more broadly at approaches to religion across a 10-year span of writings on TFW.…”

“…Reitzel (2013) explains: 'They believe that cultural traditions and misinterpretations have distorted the original egalitarian message of Islam, which emphasised the spiritual equality of men and women and introduced rights to divorce, education and inheritance for women in an otherwise very patriarchal time and place'. Using the 'we' secular feminists versus 'they' Muslim women (Midden 2012), she writes:…”

“…But this does not mean they ignore it, and the increasing presence and visibility of religious minorities in Europe -Muslims especially, and Hindus, Sikhs, Jews and Buddhists -is generating new discussions of religion. Although there is very little academic analysis of mainstream feminist groups' (that is, groups not centrally concerned with religion) approaches to religion in Europe, two significant studies are Midden's (2012) analysis of representations of the relationship between feminism and religious and cultural diversity in the Dutch feminist magazine Opzij and van den Brandt's (2014Brandt's ( , 2015 studies of how secular Belgian feminist organisations approach religion. Midden's (2012: 228-229) analysis shows that Opzij's conceptualisation of feminism does not include Muslim women: 'they position (secular/ white) feminists on one side and Muslim women on the other'.…”

Muslim Women Managing Women's Shelters: Somaya, the Muslimwoman and Religion as Resource

“…The term Islamic feminism is highly contested (Bahi 2011;Midden 2012) but broadly refers to a discourse on women's rights that is constructed within an Islamic paradigm (Badran 2002). Various contemporary Islamic revivalist movements present women with the opportunity to re-read Islamic texts and choose reflexively which interpretations to adhere to and disseminate to others (Bano & Kalmbach 2011;Karlsson Minganti 2011).…”

“…These four strands of research have a close bearing on mainstream Western feminism, which is generally known as secular but is increasingly becoming involved in the rethinking of standpoints about religion (Reilly 2011;Midden 2012). It is my wish that this investigation of the ambivalent transformation of Somaya's selfpresentations will generate reflection, within Somaya and beyond, on what is at stake when the Islamic religion and Muslim identity are dissolved as a potential resource for feminist struggle.…”