It is unfortunate but true, that a woman is always treated as a ’sex object’ in all cultures. It is more so true in the ultra-conservative Arab society, where a woman is often stigmatized for having ‘breast cancer’. To talk about breast cancer is considered taboo in the middle-east countries.
However, as a welcome relief, more and more Arab women are openly speaking about the disease to help their fellow comrades fight this ’social stigma’. Robin Roberts, the anchor of ‘Good Morning America’ spoke to three women in the United Arab Emirates, determined to bring breast cancer awareness among their fellow countrywomen. Among them, Fakhira Lufti and Adila Nasser are breast cancer survivors and Dr. Houriya Kazim is a leading cancer surgeon.
The three women are determined to break the cycle of shame associated with breast cancer in the Arab world. Such is the level of shame associated with cancer that even when they refer to cancer they just say ‘that disease’. According to Lufti, Nasser and Kazim some women do not admit to have breast cancer because they fear that their husband might abandon them. Arab mothers hide their disease out of fear that it would be difficult to marry off their daughters.
Women are also afraid of losing their breast to surgery and making them less feminine. While you can hide your breast-surgery under clothes, but what concerns women most is loss of hair from chemotherapy. It is saddening to know that women are more concerned about socially dictated norms than leading a healthy life.
It is however, heartening to know that more and more Arab women are now shedding their veils of oblivion and spreading breast cancer awareness.
Source: ABC News
