How the Moroccan King fights against Islamic extremism almost single-handedly...
A big thank you to Mary for sharing this great story!
PART I: Women Break Taboos
The women shown in the beginning, wearing black, as the film says, are not dressed in Moroccan costumes, but in outfits from the Gulf, specifically from branches of fundamentalist Islam. But yes, we are seeing more of this type of dress in every city. Before ten years ago, you never saw it at all.
This documentary shows fantastic film clips of Moroccan scenery and people, just as we are seeing it today. I'm glad they did such a good job, because seeing it gives you a REALLY good idea of exactly what it looks like living here today.
The family shown at home about five minutes into the video is a typical middle-class family, a bit better off than average (judging both by their home, and the fact the man's father had three wives), who is living the way many Moroccans continue to live today. Most of us who are married to Moroccans find our in-laws living very similarly to this family. Also, the husband married at 24, and was married to the wife when she was about 15 (and both may not know how to read). This is also typical of our husbands' parents' generation. Preparing food on the kitchen floor was also typical (as shown in this family) until about seven-to-ten years ago, when many people began modernizing their kitchens, and building counters for the first time. (My own mother-in-law now has counters.)
I think the video isn't quite accurate in saying that sweeping changes have been made. Some changes have been made, but women still do not have the right to initiate divorce (except in cases of repeated abuse, or impotence of the husband, as far as I am aware).
PART II: the Graduation (I didn't watch this section since I had seen it before. But last summer, when I was in France, my Moroccan brother-in-law, who is no extremist, commented that he thought the United States was trying to pressure Morocco to "change Islam," which is the only way he could see women brought into the religious sphere.)
Part III: Reformers Vs. Islamists
I noticed some women wearing the complete headscarf, with a baseball cap on top of it all--yes, this is becoming fairly common to see, it's not so remarkable anymore--the visor gives a good sunshade for the eyes, which is why some women do it (generally the less fashion-conscious women).
Some Moroccans have told me they listen to audiotapes of Islamicists imported from other countries, preaching different (more radical and extremely conservative) ideas than are traditionally preached in Morocco--but it's only certain people who are interested in hearing them. The leader of a party who believes in fighting for women's rights says in the video, very correctly, "In Morocco, we follow Maliki Islam (one of the four universally-recognized branches of Islam, and a "moderate" form), and found ourselves invaded by Wahabism (extemist views from Saudi, i.e. those who dress in black from head to toe, or wear beards)." This speaker's dress and demeanor are typical of modern Moroccan women who do not choose to wear the Hijab (hair coverings and long sleeves, and skirts to the floor).
This video states incorrectly that the new family law gave women "equality." It did not. It did make SOME significant improvements, however, such as that a woman must be INFORMED if her husband chooses to take a second wife.
Part IV and V:
I couldn't get these loaded right now, so I'll just send out these comments as they are.
Mary
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