Arab Muslim Women in Canada: The Untold Narratives

Abstract

This paper is a discussion of how Arab Muslim Canadian women perceive themselves as women, the factors influencing their gender perceptions, and if that may have changed as a result of living in two cultures: Arab Muslim and Canadian. The nine Arab Muslim women interviewed were exposed to life and education in their own societies as adults and then experienced life and education in Canada. These women were interviewed to ascertain their gender perceptions and the factors influencing their views. The findings of the study, through Arab Muslim Canadian women's narratives, show that the faith of these Arab Muslim Canadian women heavily influenced the way they perceive themselves as women and their role in society. This research indicates that Arab Muslim women are negotiating their cultural, religious, and personal identities and that these negotiations operate in complex ways. In addition, for some of the participants, certain aspects of cultural traditions may have influenced the way they perceive themselves as women. For other Arab Muslim women, the experiences and the opportunities that became available through their education in Canada were regarded as significant in their lives and perceptions.