Size 6: The Western Women's Harem

Questions on Meaning

Question #1: What two subjects does Mernissi compare? Where does she state her thesis initially, and where later does she restate and expand on it? What does Mernissi conclude is the same about the two subjects?

The two subjects that Mernissi compares throughout the story is the difference of idea between beauty standard for Morocco, where she was raised, and the beauty ideal for the Western societies. She first states her thesis statement at the first paragraph of pg 253. She expresses her surprise through a quote "But then that saleswoman added a condescending judgement, which sounded to me like an imam's fativa". She restates the matter on the next page where she is arguing with the saleslady. She expands on it by describing the matter more thoroughly. She explains about the risks the women of different countries risk to become beautiful, and how she doesn't understand that logic. In her country, Morocco, the skirts were made explicitly 'for' women. For Western beauty standards, she states that the size are the 'norms' of the country, which is, if said in a different way, the beauty standards. But in the end, she concludes that having beauty standards benefits the women because they can feel more proud of themselves. And she can not avoid the fact that the males from her country has their own beauty standards, and she herself fits in it.