In the West, when one thinks about the concepts such as the harem and Oriental women, there are unfortunately a couple of stock images that come to mind. Shaped by centuries-old Orientalist attitudes, Eastern women are known to be prisoners of the harems much like "birds in the gilded cages," devoid of any rights and say.
Sensualized images of the harem where women are believed to be sequestered for male pleasure only adds to the demeaning portrayal of women in the East. This book is ...