In Bangladesh, the stigma of divorce is very gendered. Women receive the blame for it regardless of the whole story when the news is received by society because within the culture it is the woman's responsibility and burden to carry the marriage.
Me and Sabrina had a lengthy conversation about this one day when we were talking about my summer experience in Bangladesh. This came up because one of my cousins had just gone through a divorce from an abusive man who had abandoned her soon after their marriage. I had witnessed how society treated her and how secretive the news of her divorce was kept. It was to the point that she barely went out except to go to college. She remained in her house pigeon-holed and unable to express her feelings fully to anyone because she was so oppressed. It was horrible to see her in that state, especially because she could not break free from the restrains that society had put on her. Even though none of the situations were her fault and she had done her absolute best to save the marriage, she felt responsible and badly for the end result. In America, if women go through a divorce to end an abusive or unhealthy relationship, they usually feel empowered for their decision and are proud and respected for that decision. My cousin experienced the opposite in which she felt defeated and at fault. Though only 25 years old, she already thinks her life is over and that she has nothing but her education left to her name. She has no hopes or desires to marry again and does not think that anyone will marry her because she has already been married once and cannot offer purity. If she were a man, the situation would be different. There would not be as much societal pressure on her for the divorce and she could still walk freely among society without feeling scorn or blame from others. As Bangladeshi culture is very gendered, men normally receive better treatment for such situations. Although there is so much more to this, I don't want to go on forever about it.
On the upside, however, women are acquiring more rights. In the past, women did not even have the option to file for divorce under the clause that my cousin was able. From what my relatives explained to me, the law granted her divorce without her ex-husband's "approval" because she was abused and abandoned in the relationship. I think women have more rights legally, but socially are constrained by cultural beliefs of right and wrong.
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