loak that was worn by Iraqi women. This was simply the case because here the people felt that, “an uncovered woman is an immoral women (Fernea 6).” Tribesmen in the area questioned, “why a women should want to show herself of to anyone but her husband.” This custom of being covered from head to toe has been long lasting tradition that Fernea was going to have to follow in order to be accepted by the people that surrounded her. Fernea questioned this custom with a furious reply: “If they can’t take me as I am – if we have to make artificial gestures to prove we are human beings too – what is the point?”Clothing was not the only custom that one would be introduced to with a stay in an Arab country. They was in which a women is treated and valued is much different from that of a man in their country and even compared to a women in our own country. Today in the US women are running companies, living and supporting themselves, and not even thinking about having a family. For Arab women this is simply not the case. These women are forced into marriage, when married they are expected to carry many of their husbands children while they are treated poorly their husbands, and are not expected or even allowed to participate in any social events that place men and women together.For marriage is much different in Arab lands compared to the ways of our society. Today we dwell on love and happiness and use these ideals as a foundation to build a long lasting relationship. For Arab Societies women were simply used in business transaction. What this entails is that the parents of the families would arrange the marriage because they felt that each family would benefit from this union. Love simply was not the case. In order for a marriage to take place a bride price was needed, the sum set by custom within the tribe and paid by the groom’s father to the bride’s father. The bri...
