TOW #6 - Bikinis versus Burka by Malcolm Evans

But who is really being dominated here? Source: http://thesocietypages.org

            In Malcolm Evans's cartoon, Two women can be seen with very different attires, one in bikinis, and the other in a burka, a full body cloak worn by some Muslim women. The two are looking at and pitying each other as they are passing by, thinking that the other woman is living in a "cruel male-dominated culture". Obviously, the woman on the left with the bikinis represents a stereotypical U.S. woman who is not used to the idea of being "forced" to wear a piece of clothing that covers everything except for the eyes, and she believes that women in the U.S. are the most liberated . The woman on the right, on the other hand, represents a stereotypical Muslim woman who believes that wearing bikinis or any other forms of clothing that reveals too much skin oppresses  women because of too many evaluative eyes and possible negative appraisals, and she believes that Muslim women are more liberated than U.S. women. This cartoon is for everyone, but it is specifically aimed at two different groups of people - Americans and Muslims - to show that their ideas of women's oppressions might be different from others'. Evans, a very experienced cartoonist, probably wants both groups to stop feeling sorry and to respect each others' views on personal freedom, because wearing bikinis or burkas might be out of their own choice. The author wants everyone to know that both cultures have their benefits and drawbacks. It is true how in some countries, women are forced to wear certain attires, but  wearing burkas might allow women to care less about their physical looks, unlike many women around the world looking for plastic surgeries. Evan's successful use of juxtaposition shows deep comparisons and contrasts between the clashing cultures. The juxtaposition also creates a sense of humor (despite the seriousness of the topic) because the two women with vastly different cultural background think the same about the women's oppression. I believe that the cartoonist was successful in getting his ideas across his audience without being heavily biased.