Detta Regan of Berkshire, England created a women made up bike tour called “Follow the Women” in which kicked off in Beirut on May 4th going through, Turkey, Iran, Europe, and the U.S. This bike tour takes the women through 30 countries in which more than half of the countries they cycle through are stereotyped with intercultural conflict because of actions/cultures in which are perceived to be viscous and war infested. The tour is not a race and is not so much about the bike ride itself but about the “intercultural dialogue” and what life is actually like in the Middle East. Not only does the tour bring attention to the intercultural conflict, but also to the conflict in which cultural women have with each other. Because women are already apart of the major identity of prejudice, we as women often are more prejudice toward each other rather than to men/race/cultures in general. I think that it is because women treatment/roles vary so much from culture to culture that it is hard for us to adapt or understand. Wiaam Youssef from Syria takes a stand for peace between cultures and is a three year veteran who is proud of her Arab heritage and is found “wearing long sleeves and a head scarf” in 75-degree weather. (215)
"A Mideast bike tour leaves stereotypes behind"
By Iman Azzi
Seattle Times
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2004408308_webmideastbike12.html
3 comments:
I like your view on the fact that it is hard four us here in the United States and in other countries to treat women without prejudiced because woman roles are so different around the world. However here in the U.S. there are not many religion rules that control how women dress and are seen to the public where as in some Middle East countries there are religious rules that prevent women from dressing certain ways or even working certain jobs.
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That is really interesting, I have never heard of that bike tour. Is it mostly made up of people from England or is it more on the multi cultural/international side? I do agree with the statement that women stereotype each other more than they do men, race and culture in general because it’s a lot of secret competition. I can see a lot of intercultural conflict on something like an all women’s bike tour, especially if it is international.
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The bike tour starts in England with a group of women from England but as they travel through the coutnries, people from those coutnries will join them either to only travel a few miles or a few days but some get on the tour in their countiries then stay on until the end. I agree with both your comments that 1) becuase we live in a country in which has many differnt religions we women do not need to deal with religion outcasting unless we are apart of a group that has serious values. And 2) that we women do feel the need to compete with each other even if it means stereotyping just because of the differences in religion and culture. I know that I have gotten upset at my boyfriends mother who is Phillippino becuase she is always cleaning her kids room (who are 22, 19 and 15)doing thier laundry, cooking, cleaning, and working a full time job. I had to learn that this is what women did in her culture and now I am struggling with my boyfriend becuase he thinks that is the way I am supposed to act as well.
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