Depicting the Veil : Transnational Sexism and the War on Terror

This powerful book exposes how gendered Orientalism is wielded to justify Western imperialism. Over the last ten years, Western governments and mainstream media have utilized concepts of white masculine supremacy and feminine helplessness, juxtaposed with Orientalist images depicting women of color as mysterious, sinister, and dangerous, to support war. Oscillating between Mrs Anthrax, female suicide bomber and tragic, helpless victim, representations of 'brown women' have spawned both rescue narratives and terrorist alerts. Examining media and pop culture from Sex and the City 2 to Vanity Fair and Time magazine, Robin Riley uses transnational feminist analysis to reveal how this kind of transnational sexism towards Muslim women in general and Afghan and Iraqi women in particular has led to a new form of gender imperialism. This Text Exposes How Gendered Orientalism Is Wielded To Justify Western Imperialism. Over The Last Ten Years, Western Governments And Mainstream Media Have Utilized Concepts Of White Masculine Supremacy And Feminine Helplessness, Juxtaposed With Orientalist Images Depicting Women Of Colour As Mysterious, Sinister, And Dangerous To Support War. Oscillating Between 'mrs. Anthrax', Female Suicide Bombers And Tragic, Helpless Victims, Representations Of 'brown Women' Have Spawned Both Rescue Narratives And Terrorist Alerts. Rescuing Afghan Women -- 'real Housewives': Married To The Enemy -- 'where Are The Women?' Muslim Women's Visibility And Invisibility -- We Are All Soldiers Now: Deploying Western Women -- This Is What Liberation Looks Like. Robin Lee Riley. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 157-175) And Index. Over the last ten years, Western governments and mainstream media have utilized concepts of white masculine supremacy and feminine helplessness, juxtaposed with Orientalist images depicting women of color as mysterious, sinister and dangerous to support war. Oscillating between "Mrs. Anthrax," female suicide bombers and tragic, helpless victims, representations of "brown women" have spawned both rescue narratives and terrorist alerts. Examining media and pop culture from Sex and the City 2 to Vanity Fair and Time Magazine, Riley uses transnational feminist analysis to reveal how this kind of transnational sexism towards Muslim women in general and Afghan and Iraqi women in particular has led to a new form of gender imperialism Describes how gendered Orientalism is wielded to justify Western imperialism. Over the last ten years, Western governments and mainstream media have utilized concepts of white masculine supremacy and feminine helplessness, juxtaposed with Orientalist images depicting women of colour as mysterious, sinister, and dangerous to support war. Oscillating between 'Mrs. Anthrax', female suicide bombers and tragic, helpless victims, representations of 'brown women' have spawned both rescue narratives and terrorist alerts. 1. Rescuing Afghan women -- 2. ̀Real housewives': married to the enemy -- 3. Ẁhere are the women?' Muslim women's visibility and invisibility -- 4. We are all soldiers now: deploying Western women -- 5. This is what liberation looks like