Asian Women In Britain Today

"The imbalance of power [between the Asian male and female] that characterised the image affected and continues to affect the representation of "the Orient" today.

Liddle & Rai, Feminism, Imperialism and Orientalism, 1998

This article will focus on Asians in contemporary society, to evaluate whether colonial stereotypes of Asian women still exist today.

According to research illustrated by Bhikhu Parekh, there are 840,000 Indians, 477,000 Pakistanis and 163,000 Bangladeshis, in Britain today. The majority of course, are descendents of colonial India before partition in 1947. Images regarding Asian women have spanned many generations in the West, Asian women "are still routinely cast in Western scholarship and the media as victims, as objects of state policy, or more generally as simply oppressed" One contemporary example of this view is presented in Liddle & Rai's work by a conversation that was had between a white female student after a class on "Women in India"

Student: Indian women have a much worse time of it than us, don't they?

Tutor: Yes, they've got all of the problems caused by imperialism to cope with too.

Student: No I don't mean that, I meant suttee and things like that, we've never had to deal with anything as awful as that.

Tutor: What about the witch-burnings?

Student: Oh yes, but that was a long time ago.

Tutor: So was suttee.

Student: Yes but the witch-hunts were a much longer time ago than suttee weren't they?

Liddle & Rai continue to explain how this attitude demonstrates that the student felt European men became "civilized" before Indian men. And so, maintaining the belief that Indian culture is more oppressive to its women than British culture, and to "distinguish British people and British culture from any comparable barbarity [to the Indian customs]." Other examples of this attitude represented by the media are illustrated in films as; Bhaji On The Beach (1993), East Is East (1999) to name a few. In such films the patriarchal themes are clearly present concerning Asian families. In Bhaji On The Beach, one can clearly distinguish where the stereotypical themes exist. The film portrays, a young women running away from home in fear of her parents' reaction to her being pregnant out of marriage. Another example is a wife being beaten by her husband, who is trying to force her to return home to the family. Throughout the film, this fear that the Asian women possessed regarding the Asian male was continually portrayed. No wonder the majority of the Western community, who are otherwise ignorant to the Eastern way of life, believe and accept what they are shown. Even though 'Bhaji On The Beach', was directed by Gurinder Chadha, an Asian person, one is not applying that these atrocities do not occur in Asian culture, but rather, that these images to those ignorant to the Asian culture only help to establish colonial stereotypes in their minds. Thus, the oppressive images of the Asian women by the so-called 'effeminate patriarchal' males continue.

However, this is not a universal illustration of the media, some recent reporting is inclined to present a better understanding and representation of the Asian culture. If one refers to a recent report on 'Converts to Islam', particular reference is made to the purdah (veiling of the face) in which interviewer Sue Beardsmore, highlights the stigma British society places on purdah as being forced upon women. In which the women emphasize that it was a choice they made independently to carry out. Thus, showing that the colonial sentiments regarding Asian cultures, due to ignorance, do still exist, that these women are forced to participate under their 'barbaric' patriarchy.

With regards to contemporary representation of Asian women, I have highlighted that colonial representations are still applied to Asian women today. However, as multi-racial communities are establishing themselves in Britain, these stereotypes are slowly changing as society learns more of the Asian culture.the recent 'Community Cohesion Report', highlighted the polarized state of cities in Britain today. One could argue that historically this lack of understanding as shown here and in other articles, depicts how deep seated prejudices and 'myths' have remained un-challenged over the centuries.

As suggested by the 'Commission for Racial Equality', "...different ethnic groups are increasingly sagregating themselves from each other and retreating into 'comfort zones' made up of people like themselves..." Long running historical mis-trust, developed througout the centuries is still prevalent in contemporary Britain, imperialism has a lot to answer for. The questions will continue being asked until a suitable response is received to put these communities at ease.

The war being conducted in Afghanistan after the destruction of the Twin Towers in New York (11th September 2001), has exposed how polarized Western countries are, something ethnic minorities have been aware off from an early age.

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