Final Capstone Paper Leila

Running Head: GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA
Gender Inequality in Lebanon and the United States of America

Leila S. Bouhussein
Leonardtown High School Global International Studies Program
GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA
Abstract
The purpose of this project is to combat the gender gap in the St. Marys County Community.
The methods used to achieve this purpose include researching the various forms of gender
inequality in Lebanon and the United States (U.S.) and using this research to facilitate a
workshop to address and combat gender inequality. Gender inequality was explored in three
sectors of life society and culture, politics, and the economy. Research was conducted using
both primary and secondary sources, some of which include interviews, databases, and surveys.
This research concludes that the gender gap is a pressing issue in Lebanon and the U.S., as there
are many stakeholders, among them, the governments of these nations. Action is required to fix
the chasm between males and females in Lebanon and the U.S. A service event was conducted,
informing those in attendance of gender inequality and providing them with the skills and
empowerment to overcome inequality that they may face in their everyday lives. This event
targeted a small scale group of people large scale action is required to combat gender
inequality beyond the St. Marys County community.
Introduction
According to The Oxford Dictionary, gender inequality is the social process by which
people are treated differently and disadvantageously, under similar circumstances, on the basis of
gender (Kent, 2006). Yasmeen Makarem, who has a Masters degree in management of human
resources, defines gender inequality as a situation where your biological makeup dictates your
right to peruse any type of social activity what you are allowed to do and how people view
that (Y. Makarem, telephone interview, January 17, 2016). Makarem states that humans are
not born with the idea that women cant do certain things (Y. Makarem, telephone interview,
January 17, 2016), quite often it is society that influences humans to view women differently.
Gender inequality is experienced all over the world, in categories such as wages, jobs, rights, and
laws. The oppression of females in Lebanon and the United States of America (USA) can be
viewed in the gender inequality they face in terms of social and cultural, political, and economic
aspects of their daily lives.
Global Problem
Lebanon
Historical context. Lebanon has a tumultuous history filled with wars and the spread of
religion. The earliest known inhabitants of the area were the Phoenicians. Following their rule,
Lebanon was controlled by various groups including the Greeks and Romans. In 1516, the
Ottomans added Lebanon to their vast empire. The Ottoman Empire brought their customs and
rules pertaining to the oppressive treatment of women to Lebanon. After World War I, Lebanon
was freed from Ottoman rule, becoming the State of Greater Lebanon (Stewart, 2008) within a
French mandate of control, which lasted until Lebanon became a republic in 1926 (Lebanon:
History, 2016).
Women during the rise and spread of Islam. During the time of the Muslim
prophet Muhammad in the early seventh century, women played a prominent role in daily life,
especially during war. Their main role was to tend to those wounded in battle, as well as
encourage males through music and poetry. Many women, including the various wives of the
Prophet, were seen carrying water to men in the battle field. An extremely prominent Muslim
woman at the time was Aisha, one of Muhamads wives. Historians have noted that following
her husbands death, Aisha was seen leading a battle. This was very controversial in the Islamic
community as it brought speculation over how much of a role women should play in public life
(Holt, Jawad, 2013). Following this incident, Aisha retreated from public eye (Holt, Jawad,
2013), discouraging the public role of women. As Islam spread further, womens lives became
increasingly restricted, especially with the rise of the Abbasid Empire in the mid-8th century (B.
Byrnes, class lecture, October 9, 2013). Many men at the time believed that women were too
emotional and therefore needed to be contained due to their disability to handle power and
responsibilities; their sexual powers also frightened many (Holt, Jawad, 2013).
Women under the Ottoman Empire. During the premodern Ottoman Empire, the
general population mainly lived in tribes; within these tribes, women had a prominent role in
public affairs. Following the conquering of Constantinople, sultans came to see themselves as
the defenders of the faith, and as a result increased their oppression of women. Harems and
veils were the most common way men sheltered their females. The harem, although it restricted a
womans movement and freedom, placed her near the sultan, which could be beneficial, as
discussed in the novel The Imperial Harem (see Appendix A). One example of this can be seen
through Nurbanu, a female in Selim IIs harem, who helped end the War of the Holy League in
1573 through her influence on the sultan (Ebeling Garland, Nashat, Dursteler, 2010).
Lower class women were granted a greater amount of freedom than those in the upper
class. These women had the ability to manage their own wealth. Many of them were landowners,
some had business partnerships, and had the ability to participate in trading. They worked in silk
winding, cotton spinning, selling and preparing food, as well as entertaining. Women had the
right to own and control their own property, without their husbands or fathers authority
(Ebeling Garland, Nashat, Dursteler, 2010). If they were widowed with young sons, they were
considered the head of the family and therefore were in charge of major affairs, such as taxes
(Goodwin, 2006). They also had the right to go to a judge with a wide range of complaints.
Muslim courts, at the time, which followed and still follow Sharia law, were so favorable to
women, that many non-Muslims filed complaints there. However, not everything was equal
between males and females - Muslim males were allowed to marry non-Muslim women,
however Muslim women could not marry non-Muslim men. Men could also have four wives,
where they had absolute authority over them. This was not the case for females. It was also much
more effortless for a male to divorce; women faced the issue of a financial penalty if they did so
(Ebeling Garland, Nashat, Dursteler, 2010).
Manufacturing methods changed the role of Ottoman women during the nineteenth and
twentieth century. Many began to work in factories that had eleven hour work days. They
worked in the shoe, silk, and cigarette industries, however they were paid less than half of what
their male counterparts were paid. The Tanzimat Reforms were very beneficial to women. In
1869 a law was passed that mandated all children six to ten years old attend school. In 1870 a
teacher training college was opened for girls and the first womens periodical was published. The
end of the nineteenth century was filled with people, particularly the Young Turks, calling for a
modernized society through improvement in the status of women (Ebeling Garland, Nashat,
Dursteler, 2010). Namki Kemal, a popular journalist of the time, published multiple pieces in a
popular newspaper, Ibert, to call for reforms in womens education and denounce the state of
ignorance of Ottoman women (Lughod, 1998). He also wrote two novels that criticized the
oppression of women in marriage and family life. Other magazines such as, Kadinlar Dunyasi,
or Womens World, focused on womens rights. A prominent feminist during the time was Serpil
Cakir who fought for equality in job opportunity and pay (Lughod, 1998). The Young Turks
efforts to modernize society by raising the status of women was successful in the sense that
women became more involved in public activity, as well as took jobs in fields such as law and
medicine. Powerful women emerged, including Halide Edib Adivar, who served as a sergeant in
the military during the War of Turkish Independence (Ebeling Garland, Nashat, Dursteler, 2010).
Women under the French Mandate. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the
modern state of Greater Lebanon was established in 1920 and the French were given the job of
preparing it for independence (Stewart, 2008). The French established a government that was
split equally between the most common religions. It made it so that personal status was decided
by a persons religion, as opposed to civil laws decided by the government (Badran, 2009). The
treatment of women under the brief French Mandate is very similar to present day Lebanon
where religious leaders practically denounce womens rights and lack of equality.
Present day (2015-2016). Lebanon is a very diverse nation due to colonial
politicking... (Hold, Jawad, 2013), which makes it very difficult to create generalizations of the
women in the region. The nation is composed of 54% Muslims and 41% Christians (Lebanon:
History, 2016). It is important to note that there are seventeen separate religious codes, and
therefore seventeen different court systems with different laws - again, making it difficult to
create generalizations. The role of women has been influenced by interaction with Europe, which
has led to relaxed codes regarding womens participation in economic and political activities
(Tlaiss, Kauser, 2010), as well as public life. Muslim and Christian women face similar
difficulties in terms of social, political, and economic issues due to their gender. There are some
different religious rules that oppress women in the two religions. Even though Lebanon has been
described as the most westernized Arab nation in terms of amount of freedom and autonomy
that women enjoy (Tlaiss, Kauser, 2010) there are still discrepancies in social and cultural,
political, and economic life.
Social and cultural. Despite having some similar rights as their male counterparts,
women do not have social equality in Lebanon. De jure standards are not the main causation of
social inequality - it is the de facto standards that welcome the injustice. For example, there are
no legal restrictions on women buying or renting houses, however oftentimes landlords will
discriminate and refuse to rent to females (Nazir, 2006). Women in Lebanon participate in the
community through organizations, social activity, local committees, religious associations, and
teachers unions (Nazir, 2006). If they choose to break away from this local lifestyle, it is easier
for a male than a female to receive permission from their family to live alone. Women have
equal access to healthcare they are not required by law to receive a males permission to have
medical procedures. There are restrictions on some procedures, such as abortions; they are illegal
in Lebanon unless they are used to save the mothers life. If a woman receives an abortion that is
not lifesaving, she can be sentenced to up to three years in prison. It is a crime for a woman to
receive an abortion without her consent. This is not only a social issue, the fact that women end
up in jail for abortions reflects the oppression of women by men who are the government and
religious leaders. There is also a high value on female virginity, while a males virginity is not as
important. This issue plays a large role depending on the religion and how strict it is followed
within a family (Nazir, 2006).
Women have the same right as men to receive an education. Elementary school education
is compulsory and free. During and immediately following the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990),
public education declined (See appendix B). The economy needed more workers, and poorer
families needed more money. Many boys began to work at a younger age, while girls continued
to attend school. There are currently no laws in Lebanon that stop gender discrimination in
education. Multiple womens organizations are trying to improve education for women, mainly
through advocacy (Nazir, 2006). Rules concerning marriage, children and divorce vary between
religious codes.
Marriage. Civil marriage is illegal in Lebanon; all unions must be through religious
court, however civil marriage is recognized if it is completed outside of Lebanon. The age
requirement for children to be married varies depending on gender and religion - female children
are typically allowed to be married at an earlier age than males, while the law dictates that
Christian children are allowed to be married at a younger age than Muslim children based on the
law. All personal status codes require that both people agree to the marriage. A religious judge is
required to get a signed consent from both the prospective husband and wife, as well as a
guardian and an additional witness. Muslims are allowed to put marriage conditions in their
marriage contracts (Nazir 2006), which can either help or hurt the female depending on the
condition.
Children/family. According to Muslim courts, a woman is entitled to her property and
personal money; she does not have to use any of it on her family. A man, who is considered the
breadwinner of the family, is required to provide for his family if he does not, it is grounds for
divorce. Muslim courts also state that a woman taking care of a child is a males privilege, not a
requirement, and therefore the father should compensate the mother for taking care of his child.
Christian women, on the other hand, are required to take care of their children, it is an obligation.
Inheritance for Muslim women is unfair to women in that they receive one share of inheritance to
the two of their male counterparts (Nazir 2006).
Divorce. In Christian courts, divorce is typically only granted if there is proof of adultery
or abuse. Specifically, a Christian husband can divorce his wife only if he can prove that his wife
was not a virgin when married, an abortion was completed, contraception was used, or his wife
disobeyed him by leaving the house without his knowledge or permission. Muslim women face
great difficulty when filing for divorce. They can face many years of litigation if they ask a judge
for a divorce against their husbands consent. It is much easier for a man to divorce his wife in
the Muslim court, as opposed to the Christian court, because he does not need to provide any
reason for divorce. For both religions, it is very common for a judge to grant a man custody over
children, which is not as common in the United States. Typically, most issues regarding divorce
are taken care of between individuals, and not the court system (Nazir, 2006).
Domestic violence. A major issue currently plaguing Lebanon is domestic violence and
abuse, as well as sexual harassment. Rape is against the law, however marital rape is not a crime.
According to Article 522 of the Lebanese Constitution, a rapist cannot be prosecuted if they
marry the victim (Constitution of the Lebanese Republic, 1995). Laws against rape are very
lenient for men. Many women face sexual harassment, especially in the workplace. Nongovernmental organizations are trying to raise awareness and encourage the government to create
laws to help prevent harassment. Both Muslim and Christian courts allow divorce in the incident
of domestic violence. Many Lebanese still consider the topic [of rape] to be taboo (Nazir,
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2006), which prevents many women from reporting it. Article 14 of the Lebanese Constitution
states that no one can come into a home without the familys permission (Constitution of the
Lebanese Republic, 1995). This has been interpreted as the government not being allowed to be
involved in a familys personal issues. It is difficult for women to seek justice for abuse when the
law refuses to be involved. The Womens Court was a forum beginning in 1995 where domestic
violence and abuse was discussed in order encourage women to talk about the issue and take
action against their abusive relationship. The Lebanese Council to Resist Violence against
Women (LCRVAW) was created to help end violence against women. Other non-governmental
organizations have assisted in preventing the problem by creating shelters for victims (Nazir,
2006). The Enough Violence and Exploitation (KAFA) organization deals with victims of
violence and tries to assist them in any way possible. They are also key in advocating for
legislation to protect women (Hanias, Zambarakji, 2012). In April 2014, the Lebanese Parliament
passed a law criminalizing domestic violence. This law was a good step for womens equality,
however it did not address marital rape. According to Human Rights Watch, parliament needs to
expand the law to help further protect women against domestic abuse (Lebanon: Domestic
Violence Law Good, but Incomplete, 2014).
Political. Some key political differences between genders include the justice system,
citizenship, voting, civic voice, and participation in the government.
Justice System. Autonomy, or religious governing, is extremely important in Lebanon. A
judge in the religious court, as opposed to the civil court, hears the final appeal to a case. The
dual court system makes it so that the judicial power lies in the clerical authority and gives
resistance against reform (Maktabi, 2013). It should also be noted that civil courts have no
autonomy over religious leaders in matters of personal status, and sectarian family law offers
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little protection for women (Hanias, Zambarakji, 2012). Overall, most women have equal
access to all levels of the courts and are entitled to equal representation (Nazir, 2005), however
this can vary depending on the person. Socioeconomic status, education, patronage ties, and age
can all play a role in access to courts and representation. In a civil court, a females testimony is
worth the same as a males. This is different from a Sunni or Shia court where a males
testimony is worth that of two females. In all religious courts, a woman is not allowed to be the
lawyer or judge (Nazir, 2005). Many women cannot afford to hire lawyers, which makes it
difficult for them to win court cases (Hanias, Zambarakji, 2012). Males and females are equal in
criminal and penal codes, except in cases of rape, prostitution, abortion, and violence against
women in the name of honor (Nazir, 2005). A woman is guilty of adultery if its committed
inside or outside of the home, while men are only guilty if it was committed inside of the home
or if it was public knowledge. A woman must prove her innocence through an outside testimony.
A man only has to prove his innocence through lack of evidence. Even the punishment between
the two is different - a man who commits adultery can serve between one month and one year in
prison; a woman can serve between three months and two years (Nazir, 2005).
Voting, participation in government, civic voice. The Womens Political Rights
Agreement of 1952 gives women the right to vote, and states that their vote is equal to that of a
mans. Despite this agreement, there are very few female politicians in Lebanon due to the
restrictive social norms and restrictive gender roles (Nazir, 2005). There are not very many
women who work in appointed or elected positions. There are currently only four women serving
in the Lebanese parliament, making up barely 3% of the body (Alami, 2015). The Lebanese
Womens Council partnered with other organizations to create a quota system so women were
equally represented in the government, but there has yet to be any movement by the government
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to enforce the system. Women are involved in political parties, but they are rarely in any
leadership or decision making roles. Instead, they mainly focus on the charity and social work
of the party. Similar to the Ottoman women and their position with the sultan, although they are
not the decision makers or the face of the party, women in 21st century Lebanon can be close to
the men in charge, providing their input.
Economic. Lebanon, due to it being more western in culture, is comparatively more open
to allowing women to have non-traditional roles than other Middle Eastern nations. A lot of men
leave Lebanon to work in North America, Europe, the Arab Gulf, etc., leaving a shortage of
males in the workforce. Women fill these positions. Following the Lebanese Civil War, the
economy was doing very poorly, requiring families to need two income earners (Jamali, Sidani,
Safieddine, 2006). Despite the fact that women are allowed to enter the workforce, the majority
go into traditionally female jobs in social sciences or humanitarian work, as opposed to
predominately male positions, such as engineering. This is an issue because Lebanese women
could foster new ideas in these fields that would overall benefit Lebanon.
Management and salary. Despite the efforts that have been made to place women on the
same level as men, there is still much to be achieved in terms of management positions and
salary. Although more females have a higher level of education than males in Lebanon, women
earn marginally less than men. In terms of entry level positions, females earn 28.3% less than
males. Women, on average, earn 71% of what males earn; this is less than in the United States.
There is a minimum amount of women who hold high management positions. According to
statistics done by the United Nations in 2012, only 8% of legislators, senior officials and
managers were females (Davies, 2012), which is extremely low. Many attribute this inequality to
the patriarchal society that plagues the region. Men are seen as the breadwinners of the family.
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Women are stereotyped as not having the mental capacity to lead. Organizational practices of
management recruiting discriminate against women. Most women lack mentors and other
influential people to connect them with employment. Females who do have management
positions do not get paid nearly as much as a man completing the same job, despite the fact that
they may have a higher level of education (Tlaiss, Kauser, 2010).
Mothers and the workforce. It is very difficult for a woman with children to maintain a
job in Lebanon. Once a woman has a child, she is typically expected to quit her job and take care
of the child. If a woman chooses to continue her job, it is extremely challenging in terms of
managing a home life and work life, as well as trying to receive promotions. Women are less
likely to be promoted if they have children. Makarem relates this to men viewing woman has
unable to travel when they have children, unable to work in unsafe conditions, as well as other
factors. Employers do not provide any type of help for women with children there is no
healthcare for children, no day care services, additionally, companies do not adjust a womans
work hours due to the fact that she is a mother (Y. Makarem, telephone interview, January 17,
2016).
The United States of America
Historical context. Women are not mentioned in the United States Constitution. Through
the evolution of the U.S. social institutions, women have gained more rights through the years.
Females did not gain suffrage until 1920 - one hundred forty four years following the nations
establishment. Womens suffrage did not come easy, it took the efforts of Susan B. Anthony,
Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, and other suffragettes to push the government to give women the
right to vote. Other reforms helped women,to decrease the gender gap, including the Womens
Liberation Movements, Roe v. Wade (1973), the Equal Pay Act, the Family and Medical Leave
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Act, and the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Due to the separation of Church and State in the
establishment of the United States, unlike in Lebanon, there are no religious courts that go above
the law. This prevents religion from serving as a barrier for justice. Despite these landmark
achievements, women in the United States still face many challenges due to gender inequality.
These challenges are mainly wage gaps, management roles, the lack of females in certain areas
of the workforce, and the inability of women to control what happens to their bodies. The United
States is a world superpower, with a great deal of influence about inequality on the international
level, however it has yet to solve their inequality issues at home.
21st Century.
Social and cultural. The Womens Liberation Movement following World War II
focused on the social equality of women. The goal was to dismantle traditional attitudes toward
sexuality, family, and reproductive rights (Womens Rights, 2015). The National Organization
for Women (NOW) was founded by Betty Friedan in 1966. It was founded in order to advocate
for amendments that gave women equality. NOW was an important participant in the advocacy
of the Equal Rights amendment, which stated that all sexes had the same rights, however it did
not pass. Similar to in Lebanon, sexual harassment and assault is an issue that many women in
the United States face. In order to combat this issue, President Bill Clinton signed the Violence
against Women Act (1994) to establish a federal funded program that helps victims of domestic
violence, as well as other prevention programs (womens rights conventions, 2015). Although
this made progress, there are still an estimated 293,000 victims of sexual assault and rape per
year (How often does sexual assault occur, 2015). Without the government further implementing
policies to prevent sexual assault and harassment, this problem will progress. Another issue that
is currently troubling the American people is the concept of abortion. Many Americans argue
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that it is a womans choice whether or not she has an abortion the government should have no
say. Opposing Americans argue that an abortion means killing a child and therefore the
government should make it illegal, with the exception of life threatening scenarios. The latter
view is similar to the one taken in Lebanon. Griswold v. Connecticut 1965 ruled that the
Constitution protected a right to marital privacy so laws prohibiting birth control repels it.
Lebanons Article 14 is similar in that it prevents the government from becoming involved in
private, family matters. Currently, abortion is legal in the United States due to the ruling of the
Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade 1973 (Roe v. Wade, 1973). Although this case benefitted
women, there are still many restrictions on abortions. (T. Harding, 2016, January, Civil Rights
and Civil Liberties). Some states only allow abortions in the first trimester of a females
pregnancy. Some also have a certain wait period, as well as required information sessions before
abortions can be performed (Overview of Abortion Laws, 2016)
Political. In the two hundred and twenty seven years and forty four Presidents since its
establishment, the United States has failed to elect a female President. There has been great
speculation as to why no woman has been selected as Commander and Chief. Women are
constitutionally capable of being elected, however voters and the media make it difficult.
Females are expected to have more government experience and success than a man to be
considered presidential material. Studies have shown that it is more difficult for women to raise
campaign money due to gender discrimination. When Elizabeth Dole competed against George
W. Bush in 1999, her campaign raised $4.7 million, while Bush received $57 million, giving
Bush an enormous advantage over Dole (Sheckles, Gugold, Carlin, 2012). The way candidates
should present themselves in order to seem favorable depends on their gender. A female
candidate is expected to be charismatic and dynamic, which a male is too, however it is not as
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much of a disqualifying trait (Sheckles, Gugold, Carlin, 2012). Aggression or assertiveness of

a candidate can be a positive or negative trait depending on their gender. If a male candidate is
aggressive, he is considered to be strong and powerful. On the other hand, if a female candidate
is aggressive she is seen as a shrew. Nancy Pelosi, a prominent female in politics, has been
portrayed in a negative light by the media due to her assertiveness. The overall appearance of a
female candidate is much more criticized than a male candidate. A female must have a masculine
appearance of strength, but not to the point where she is considered unattractive - there must be a
medium (Sheckles, Gugold, Carlin, 2012).These characteristics apply to any woman running in
any public office, not just presidency. As of 2015, the 114th Congress has one hundred and four
women serving in the five hundred and thirty five seats, or 19.4%, of Congress (Women in the
U.S. Congress 2015, 2015). For a nation comprised of 50.8% women (Population estimates,
2015), it is discouraging for women to see how underrepresented they are. According to Daniel
Bush of PBS, in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, Democratic Party nominee, Hilary Clinton,
has fought to gain the support of the nation. Polls show Clinton gaining the support of many
demographics, including women, Latinos, and African Americans, however one major group that
she is having more difficulty persuading are white males. Analysts believe this is, in part, due to
ambivalent sexism, which can be applied not only to politics, but to the careers and opportunities
of women in general. Bush states that ambivalent sexism is gender bias from a male's point of
view, where men support women in traditional roles, however when women seek to enter male
dominated fields, males tend to look at them negatively (Bush, 2016). Oftentimes, ambivalent
sexism is a subconscious thought or action, which affects men as they consider who will receive
their vote. Whether it be the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, or future elections, ambivalent
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sexism is a practice that must be combated if the U.S. hopes to have a more balanced female
representation in the government.
Economic. One of the main places that women face inequality to men is in the
workforce. Women are paid marginally less than men. Females do not fill as many management
and high ranking positions as males. There have been many initiatives taken to promote equality,
however there is still a long road ahead before women are equal to men in terms of pay and
position in the workforce.
Statistics. 57% of women are participants in the workforce. The most common jobs for
females include secretaries, administrative assistants, primary school teachers, and registered
nurses. Only 26% of those employed in math and computer careers are women. In terms of
where the population works, 24% of working women work in professional fields, compared to
the 16% of men. The wage gap between males and females is 21.4%, meaning the average
woman earns about seventy eight cents to every dollar a male earns for doing the same work
(Latest Annual Data, 2014). (See Appendix C)
Management roles. Compared to other nations, including Lebanon, it is much easier for a
woman in the USA to become a manager. It is almost as likely for a female to become a
company manager as it is a male. 46% of American firms are owned or co-owned by women,
however women make up 51.5% of the population (CIA World Factbook). The issue is not the
percentage of women taking on management roles, it is that, for the amount of women that
graduate with specific degrees to take on these roles, they do not proportionally make up the
amount of executives (Hymowitz, 2013).
Mothers and the workforce. According to the Department of Labor, in 2013, 70% of
women in the workforce had children under the age of eighteen (Latest Annual Data, 2015).
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Women without children earn the same, or more, than a man without children. The Family and
Medical Leave Act (1993), allowed women twelve weeks unpaid maternity leave. This may be
beneficial in the short term, however a lot of maternity leave decreases the opportunities for a
womans seniority at a company. It also can lead to gender discrimination when hiring many
employers would rather hire a male employee than a woman, who has the possibility of requiring
maternity leave (Hymowitz, 2013). The United States is one of four countries in the world that
does not require employers to grant female employees paid maternity leave. Out of those four
countries, the United States is the only well developed, high income country (Ravitz, 2015).
Stakeholders
Lebanese women are the most affected stakeholders in the struggle for equality. Their
biggest problem is that they do not ask for their rights, they just accept the social norms. Men are
stakeholders in that they stereotype the role of women. Many males expect women to maintain
the traditional role of housewife, as opposed to wage earner. Most males do not realize the full
potential of the women in their household, whether that be their wife, their daughter, their sister,
or their mother.
The media is a key stakeholder, especially in Lebanon. It is common for Lebanese
television shows to portray women as subjects of domestic violence sometimes in comedies.
This degrades the issue and damages the image of Lebanese females, making them seem weak.
By displaying violent acts without denouncing them, the media is depicting women as less vital
to society. Sitcoms often focus on the comedy behind women working at home. Rarely are
women seen on TV working outside of the household, let alone managing a company. Instead,
they are seen gossiping with other women while watching their children, or cooking and
cleaning. The media should have a vested interest because it is their future, and their childrens
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future that is being affected. According to a national survey of mass media scholars, 70% of
scholars believe that one of the impacts of television on children is that it can influence their
perspective of gender roles. Television shows can reinforce gender stereotypes damaging the
view of women at a young age, and leading to a continued cycle of inequality (Turow, 1985).
These shows are also damaging Lebanons image overall on an international level, which should
concern the government. The international community continually ranks nations on their gender
equality. The United Nations Millennium Goal Five advocates for the international community
to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls (Sustainable Development Goals,
2015). Through targets such as ending discrimination, ending domestic violence and ensuring
leadership positions for women, this major international organization - that has representatives
from one hundred ninety three countries - is concerned with the treatment and inequality of
women worldwide. This is evidence that the international community values gender equality and
is motivated to reach equality between genders. The reputation of Lebanon could be in jeopardy
if the government does not implement policies to increase equality between men and women.
If this acceptance of gender inequality continues, especially in terms of domestic violence,
Lebanon could face repercussions from human rights committees and face consequences in terms
of allies and trade partners.
The employers and companies are also considered stakeholders because they allow this
discrimination in the workforce. They do not realize how crucial it is to equalize men and
women, especially in terms of equal pay and opportunity to participate in management positions.
They are losing innovative, new ideas due to their lack of female participation (Y. Makarem,
telephone interview, January 17, 2016).
Long Term Effects
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The main, long term, social effect of gender inequality is that the status of women will be
viewed as less than that of men, which will continue until societys perspective changes.
Specifically in Lebanon, many women do not recognize the problem of gender inequality they
do not have the urge to say it is my right (Y. Makarem, telephone interview, January 17,
2016), and fight for that right. Women are as capable of handling power as men, yet there is a
continued lack of female political leaders throughout the world, specifically in the United States
and Lebanon. These leaders could bring great, new ideas to their nations if given the chance.
Female leaders have unique abilities [that] can be put to better use in transforming the entire
system of international relations (Goldstein, Pevehouse, 2010). The government, the citizens,
and the nations at whole, as well as the international community are missing great opportunities
by not including more female leaders. Female leaders help motivate young women to rise above
gender stereotypes in order to excel in their careers. They help prove that women can be both a
mother and a manager at the same time.
A major economic long term effect of gender inequality, particularly in Lebanon, is that
the full capacity of women will not be discovered. Many will not see how it is possible for a
woman to work and still complete her role as a wife and mother. This can financially damage a
family because it removes one wage earner from a familys income. Something more applicable
to both Lebanon and the U.S. is that without female leaders in politics and management, there is
a lack of female voice and female perspective. This lack of perspective will continue to grow in
the long run if women do not gain equal access to management positions and they are not elected
into office. Overall, the long terms effects of gender inequality can be detrimental (Y. Makarem,
telephone interview, January 17, 2016).
Community Need
21
Women in the United States and women in Lebanon both face gender inequality. Women
in Lebanon may face inequality more so than women in the United States, but the issue plagues
both nations. It is not the religious authority that oppresses women in Lebanon, it is the societal
norms - men do not view women as equal, and the women do not do anything about it. St.
Marys County, similar to the rest of the United States, contains gender inequality. In 2010, the
medium pay for males was $61,971, while for females it was $46,487 (Selected Economic,
2010). In 2016, all six county commissioner seats are filled by males and the states attorney is
also a male (St. Marys, 2016). St. Marys lacks females in local government. It is important that
young women are provided with information about the inequality they can face as females in the
community, or in the United States in general. With this information, self-advocacy is critical.
Young women need to start fighting to be treated as equals in terms of pay, position, and
government role in the St. Marys County community.
Organization/Environment
This portion of the Capstone project is conducting a seminar with local Girl Scouts. The
seminar, titled Gender Roles in the Middle East: Empowering through Information, will be led
by partner Joslyn Brodfuehrer and myself. It will include presentations and a movie shown to the
young women about an oppressed Saudi Arabian girl who overcame gender roles. Following the
movie, there will be discussions and skill development. The goal is to educate young women
about gender inequality that exist on an international level, while linking it to their lives and their
community, as well as developing the abilities necessary to defeat this type of injustice.
Purpose/Mission
The ultimate goal of our project is to empower young women to take the necessary steps
to overcome inequality. Most girl are oblivious to the fact that women all over the world, and
22
even in our local communities in the United States, are unequal to men. Those who are aware, do
not understand why, or what they can do to overcome this injustice (Latest Annual Data, 2014).
My partner and I want to give girls a basic background about gender roles, as well as an example
of a young girl who faced these roles in a much more oppressive setting, but overcame them.
This will tie in the international problem to similar challenges in our community.
Girl Scouts
In order to successfully execute our seminar, we determined that the Girl Scouts
Association is a model and source of information regarding the empowerment of girls. The
mission of Girl Scouts is to build girls who have confidence, character, courage, and make the
world a better place (Who we are, 2016).
History/basics. Girl Scouts was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, during the
Progressive Era of United States history. Low believed in the potential of all girls she aimed to
foster individual growth, character, and self-sufficiency in young women. The first Girl Scout
troop began with a diverse group of eighteen girls. This foundation has evolved to include 2.7
million girl scouts: 1.9 million girls, 800,000 adults (Who we are, 2016).
Leadership research. Girl Scouts teaches leadership skills, placing an emphasis on the
fact that girls are just as suited to be leaders as boys are. According to research done by the Girl
Scouts Research Institute, 64% of Girl Scouts consider themselves leaders compared to the 44%
of girls in a national sample. More than half of Girl Scouts believe that the organization has
helped them become leaders and recognize their strengths (How Girl Scouting Benefits, 2014).
Through their cookie program, young Girl Scouts develop their leadership by setting goals,
making decisions, managing money, acquiring people skills, and learning business ethics (The 5
Skills, 2012).
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This is applicable to our project because when girls learn these skills, they are bettering
themselves as future leaders. The better fit they are to be leaders, the less likely they will be to
face restrictions as a result of their sex. Girls who are leaders are willing to take charge and stand
up against inequality.
The Perfect Platform
The population for our service project is Girl Scouts ages eleven through seventeen. This
is the perfect platform for us to present our problem, inform and liberate because Girl Scouts
teaches females to become leaders through skill development and empowerment (Girls Scouts of
the USA, 2014). The seminar will liberate these young women by presenting them with a female
around the same age who was oppressed by her cultural barriers, but overcame these barriers.
Our hope is that this example will empower girls to overcome any gender barriers they may face
further in their lives, as well as build on the skills taught in Girl Scouts about leadership,
character, and determination. Girl Scouts also have a global connection. They have a yearly
convention where they celebrate World Thinking Day. Each troop picks a country and all of the
troops get together to explore cultures of those outside of the United States. The Girl Scouts also
have a destination program that sends Girl Scouts to a different country where, similarly, they
will explore a new culture (Howlerda, 2016). The Girl Scout organization is a member of the
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, which includes 10 million girls and adults in
146 countries (Who we are, 2016). Because Girl Scouts are exposed to other cultures through
activities such as these, they will better understand the movie and the culture presented in it,
enabling them to more easily make a connection to their own lives.
Service
24
Our service is a seminar, which includes a movie followed by a question/answer session

and a presentation that aims to build on leadership, character, and determination. The advantage
to this service is that it is an easy way to get our message of fostering the equality of women
across. By including a question/answer session and a skill building activity afterwards, we will
be able to build on the ideas in the movie and reiterate our message.
A disadvantages to this service is that building skills requires a great deal of time and
follow up sessions. We cannot guarantee that the Girl Scouts will follow up on the information
provided and continue building their skill set in fighting inequality. Another disadvantage is that
the movie is in Arabic and includes English subtitles. It may be hard for the girls to follow and
less enjoyable and motivational for them due to the language barrier.
Rosie Click, a Global International Studies alumni, completed a similar service project in
2015. She set up a movie with her Girl Scout troop about Human Trafficking. Click also
followed her movie with a brief presentation to reiterate her message. When asked if she felt the
movie was successful, she claimed that, in her opinion, it was. Her seminar fostered discussion
and thought on the issue at hand. Click also mentioned that a Girl Scout troop from another
county was so inspired by her presentation that they aimed to set up a similar one in their own
county, spreading the word on Human Trafficking (Click, 2016). It is our hope that by informing
and compelling women to defeat gender biases, they will spread this message with the goal of
fostering change in the unequal roles women play in society.
Impacts
The short term impact we hope to have is that young women will be provided with
information to understand that there is gender inequality, not only in other countries in the world,
such as Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, but also in the United States. After viewing a movie that
25
focuses on the subordinate role of women, our objective is for the Girls Scouts to consider some
discrimination they may face in their daily life, or notice in their surroundings, as a result of their
gender.
The long term aspired effect of our movie and seminar is that through this seminar, young
women will learn the leadership skills necessary to combat inequality and gender roles that will
contribute to a reduction in the global culture of gender bias.
Action Plan
Overview
Our service project includes two main parts a movie portion and a seminar portion.
Both portions will be conducted on Saturday, May 14, 2016 in the Leonardtown High School
Media Center. At the beginning of our service activity, my partner and I will give a brief
introduction on Saudi Arabia, were the movie takes place, and spend about five minutes asking
opening questions about their background knowledge on women in the Middle East and common
sources of inequality in general.
Movie. The movie Wadjda will be shown to eleven to eighteen year old Girl Scouts.
Wadjda is a story about a rebellious, extremely determined, ten year old Saudi Arabian girl
(Razor Film Corporation, 2012). Throughout the movie, it is apparent that women are
subordinate to men in Saudi Arabia. Wadjdas mother faces the issue of trying to convince her
husband not to find a second wife due to her inability to bare him a son. Wadjda is forced to
wear a full veil and hide from men in the courtyard of her school. She and her mother may not
sing too loud because a womans voice is her nakedness (Mansour, 2013) in Saudi Arabia.
Both Wadjda and her mother do not let the men of their community make them feel like less than
26
they are worth. By the end of the movie, both female protagonists realize that the restrictions
they face should not get in the way of their happiness and success. (Mansour, 2013)
This movie shows the restrictions women in the Middle East face through the eyes of a
ten year old. There is a constant sense of optimism and hope in Wadjda her attitude is inspiring
given her situation. This inspiration serves as empowerment. I am confident that this sense of
empowerment will not be lost on our audience, especially with the question/answer seminar
session that will follow.
Seminar. Our seminar will begin with a question and answer session. The questions will
include opinions on whether or not the girls liked the movie, comparisons between their lives and
Wadjdas life, and comparisons between the actions and treatment of males and females in Saudi
Arabia. These questions will serve as a preface to our presentation on the oppression of women
in the Middle East. This presentation will further explain the life of an average woman living in
Saudi Arabia with comparisons to Lebanon and to the United States.
Leadership/Empowerment Activity. The discussion seminar will be followed by an
activity with the objective of empowering the audience by testing their knowledge and use of
leadership. The activity will begin by splitting the girls into groups of about three to four people.
Each group will be given a piece of poster paper and a marker. They will be asked to list traits
that they believe an exceptional leader would have. During this time, my partner and I will walk
around the room and interact with the girls asking questions about good leaders they know and
their characteristics. After about five minutes, we will have a large, group discussion about
leadership characteristics by asking each group to name characteristics and listing them on the
Smart Board. We will then lead the groups over to the taped pathway on the Media Center floor.
The girls will select one group member to close their eyes. The other members of the group will
27
guide the girl with her eyes closed through verbal instructions. In order to successfully guide
their team member on the path, the girls will have to use the leadership skills discussed, such as
confidence, reliability, good communication, commitment, and a positive attitude.
Direct and Indirect service. Gender Roles in the Middle East: Empowering through
Informing is a mix of a direct and an indirect service. Our service is empowering young women
to achieve excellence in their careers and day to day lives by informing them of the inequality
they may face, as well as offering advice on how to overcome this inequality through leadership.
We are directly providing a service through informing and empowering young girls because they
are receiving something, advice, out of the event. This event is also an indirect service because
the end result will not be an end to gender inequality in the Middle East or the United States. We
are informing people of the problem, however we are not solving it.
Relation to topic. The movie seminar service event ties directly into our topic of gender
inequality in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia in comparison to the United States. The movie focuses
on a girl in Saudi Arabia who faces oppression due to her gender. This inequality is evident
throughout the movie. The presentation following the movie will further inform the Girl Scouts
about inequality, focusing first on Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, and then on the United States.
Community impact. Our project directly impacts the St. Marys Country community, as
it educates and empowers local, young women. Although the movie is set in Saudi Arabia and is
centered on a Saudi Arabian girl, our presentation will tie the topic back to St. Marys County.
This presentation will educate the audience about gender inequality in the United States. Our
audience is local, female community members. It is important that we point out that in the United
States there is gender inequality, even if it may not be evident, to local, young women. These
28
newly empowered and informed young women are vital to our community because they bring
new ideas, as well as balance the workforce with a different, non-male perspective.
Skills and Responsibilities
In order to complete a successful service event, my partner and I must be able to speak
clearly and articulately in front of an audience, be passionate about our topic, be able to analyze
the movie, and manage our time wisely. My partner and I must also be able to work with young
girls. Throughout the service event, we will be taking the lead and conducting the event
ourselves. Although the size of our audience is still unclear, we must be able to stand up and
speak clearly and articulately about our topic. It is also important that we are passionate about
our topic because we are trying to convince the young women that this is an issue and empower
them to do something about it. Without passion, the young women may not feel empowered to
overcome inequality barriers, therefore defeating our purpose. My partner and I must be able to
analyze the movie Wadjda in order to explore the themes presented and personalities of the
characters in relation to the inequality visible throughout the movie. It is imperative that we
manage our time wisely by following a schedule in order to plan and complete our event
smoothly and efficiently. Finally, our ability to work with younger girls is important as they are
our audience and their comprehension and enjoyment will have a substantial impact on their
empowerment and therefore bettering of their future.
Required Resources
The movie Wadjda
Location of event LHS Media Center
Computer/Smart Board with internet access and presentation software
Snacks for audience
29
Signs to guide audience to Media Center
Paper and markers for discussion questions
Duct tape for activity
Audience Girl Scouts age eleven to eighteen
Teacher sponsors Brian Byrnes, Tracy Harding, Amy Wogman, Deborah Dennie
(school administrator)
Logistics
Timeline.
Thursday, March 10: Buy movie off of amazon
Friday, March 11: Watch movie
Saturday, March 12: Create movie questions
Monday, March 14: Reserve auditorium
Tuesday, March 15: Make flyer with information about event
Wednesday, March 16: Get flyer approved
Thursday, March 17: Send flyer to troop leaders and await response
(Ongoing) March-May: Create presentation, practice presentation
May 1-13: Last minute details, more practice
Saturday, May 14: Service event
Place. Our event will occur in the Leonardtown High School Media Center.
Contact.
Girl Scout Troop Leaders
Brenda Hager - Media Center supervisor
Tracy Harding project supervisor
30
Brian Byrnes mentor
Deborah Dennie school administrator
Activities.
Background discussion
Pre-movie questions
o What makes people unequal?
o Do you know anything about how women in the Middle East are treated?
Post-movie questions
o What are your feelings after viewing this movie?
o Did you like the movie? Why or why not?
o What are some things you learned?
o What are some differences between your life and Wadjdas life?
o How are girls and boys treated similarly or differently in the movie?
o Compare life in Saudi Arabia and the United States.
Clothes, food, school, people, etc.
What are some sources, if any, of inequality in your life?
Leila and Josies Presentation
Pathway empowerment/leadership activity
Closing remarks
Reflection
Our service event, Gender Roles in the Middle East: Empowering through Informing
was overall successful, despite the last minute audience alteration.
Successes and Failures
31
Successes
We were successful in gathering some type of audience, despite it not being the one we
intended, and it being slightly smaller than we had hoped. There were some brief, technical
difficulties in the beginning with the movie, however my partner and I were able to find a
solution and the movie was successfully shown. One of the concerns we had when planning the
event was that the audience would not enjoy the movie or gain the full thematic effect because it
was displayed in Arabic with English subtitles. Based on discussion following the movie, it is
evident that the Arabic did not hinder the groups understanding or enjoyment of the movie.
Another concern was that the audience would not interact or be engaging this did not occur.
They were all willing to participate in the activities and speak during the discussion.
Failures
Our only overall failure was that our seminar was not conducted with our intended
audience Girl Scouts eleven to seventeen years old. Instead, we contacted the National Honor
Society (NHS) and Student Council Association (SCA) at Leonardtown High School and offered
it as a possible service event for the students. Clubs such as NHS and SCA want their members
to participate in community events and thus require them to complete a certain number of service
events. With this incentive, we were able to garner an audience of both females and males. This
change in audience made the event more effective. The students who attended, specifically the
males, typically would not have attended our event if they had not had an incentive. Unlike the
Girl Scouts who have other opportunities to be empowered and become informed about gender
inequality, had the SCA and NHS students not attended, it is less likely that they would find
another source of information and empowerment similar to ours. Males were not the intended
audience, however if gender inequality were to decrease, it would require a joint effort between
32
males and females. With 81% of Congress consisting of males (Women in the U.S. Congress
2015, 2015), and all Presidents through 2016, also being a male, in order for laws against gender
discrimination or pay gaps to be passed, males must be informed and persuaded. Many males
may believe that gender inequality does not affect them. Directly, it does not, but indirectly it
does. One of the major effects that gender inequality can have on a male is that his family is
earning less than they could because his wife, who is working in addition to her husband, has a
wage 22% less than it could be if there were no pay gap. Low wages for women means less
income for a household, which affects both the females and males in the family.
Modifications
If my partner and I were to repeat this event, we would communicate with the Girl Scout
leaders in a more personal fashion and advertise around the school more effectively. We
originally emailed the Girl Scout troop leaders a month and a half before our event, introducing
the event and our project overall (Girl Scout Event! Empowering through Information, 2016).
We received no responses. Two weeks before the event, we sent another follow up email and,
again, we did not receive any responses. Reflecting on our actions after the fact, we should have
gone to a board meeting of the Girl Scouts troop leaders in our region and discussed our event in
person. We could have also altered our event to where my partner and I could attend a Girl Scout
meeting and conduct our event there, that way the girls and their parents would not have to go
out of their way to attend.
After the Girl Scouts did not respond, we contacted SCA and NHS. We were able to
advertise at an NHS meeting by briefly discussing our event to persuade members to attend,
however we were unable to do so with SCA due to time restraints, so we had to resort to word of
mouth and a few flyers in select teachers classrooms. If we were to do this again, we would
33
hang large posters throughout the school and in numerous teachers classrooms. We would also
attempt to appear on LTV, Leonardtown High Schools morning news show, to encourage
students to attend. Advertising sooner and on a larger scale would have increased the size of our
audience.
Another issue we had at our event was that it was not evident that our pathway activity
was focused on leadership. We discussed leadership traits before the activity and instructed the
group to utilize them when guiding their team members along the path, however we did not
emphasize this as much as we could have and did not debrief the group afterwards. A debrief
discussion of how they applied the leadership traits to the activity and whether or not they did so
intentionally or unintentionally would have made the activity more effective.
Effectiveness
We were effective in informing our audience about gender inequality in the United States
and Saudi Arabia. Based on our discussions during the event and our follow up surveys, it is
apparent that the group walked away with more knowledge and a greater understanding of the
gender gap. Many were shocked at the extent of the oppression of women in Saudi Arabia, such
as non-related females having to hide themselves from their male counterparts. The statistics of
women being underrepresented in the government as well as the pay gap were also shocking. In
terms of empowerment, the activity seemed to have been fairly beneficial. Participants claimed
that they utilized leadership skills to complete the pathway activity, which was slightly
empowering. Again, if we had debriefed after the activity, the connection to empowerment
would be more apparent.
Sustainability
34
It is difficult to analyze the sustainability of our event. We provided the knowledge of

and an example of a young girl who overcame inequality, which they seemed to understand
they will most likely sustain this information. It is up to them to decide what they will do with
the information we provided. If they combine it with the leadership skills discussed and
practiced, they should be able to combat gender inequality, mainly through self-advocacy. In
addition, they would be reducing the global gender bias even if they only do so at a very local,
personal level.
Conclusion and Plans for Future Study
Gender inequality, the gender gap, the gender equality deficit, the chasm between males
and females all synonyms meaning the same thing men and women are unequal worldwide.
When analyzing the gender gap in Lebanon and the United States, it is beneficial to analyze it
through social and cultural, economic, and political lenses.
Society and culture dictate the status of women. The gender gap can be evidenced by
marriage contracts and the difficulty Muslim women in Lebanon have in divorcing their
husband. The traditional role of females as mothers, in both Lebanon and the United States, is
another example of societal inequality. Domestic violence, which plagues the two nations,
amplifies the female struggle.
Women are underrepresented in politics in Lebanon and the United States. Neither
country has ever had a female President. Less than 20% of women make up the legislative bodies
in Lebanon and the United States. Societal norms limit the number of females in politics. The
medias portrayal of women as too weak or too masculine also contributes to the difficulty
women have in gaining political positions.
35
There are also economic similarities between Lebanon and the United States. There is a
resemblance between the pay gap between males and females in the two nations. The career
choices that the majority of women go into are humanitarian and social sciences in both
countries as well. Where they differ however, is the very small percentage of women in
management and senior positions in companies within Lebanon. The U.S. does have this issue,
however it is more so that the amount of women who are eligible to take these positions, are not
given them.
Gender inequality in Lebanon and the United States is not a problem that can be solved
overnight, and is extremely unlikely to be solved completely by two students. Despite this, there
are ways to combat the gender deficit on a small scale, local level. In order to fight the injustice
of gender inequality, a service event was created to empower and inform local community
members. This event included a movie and a seminar. The movie served as an empowering
example of a young girl who was able to overcome gender barriers in Saudi Arabia. The seminar
following the movie further informed the audience about the inequality, focusing on the Middle
East and the United States. There was then a discussion of leadership traits and an empowerment
activity. Through the movie seminar, the goal of providing the audience with the skills and
information they need to overcome gender barriers they will face in the future, was
accomplished.
It is important that my partner and I continue to combat the gender equality deficit in our
community. In order to do so, we plan to combine our topic of gender inequality with another
groups topic of depression in females. They focused on confidence and bonding, while we
focused on empowerment and leadership. We plan to start a club at the three middle schools in
our district that would help girls become confident leaders that are empowered to be successful
36
in their adult lives. We would complete activities that would build the girls confidence as well
as develop their leadership. With confidence and leadership, girls will feel empowered to
overcome the barriers that gender inequality that is in the United States and around the world.
37
Resources
Alami, M. (2015, March 19). Parliamentary presence sticking point for Lebanon's women - AlMonitor: The pulse of the Middle East. Retrieved January 16, 2016, from http://www.almonitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/03/lebanon-women-access-parliament-deathrelative.html
This newspaper article discusses women in Lebanese Parliament. The article mentions
how there are barely any women in Parliament. It also gave statistics on the amount of
women in Parliament and the history of women in Parliament. The lack of women in
government is an important aspect of my paper, which made this article very useful. The
author is Lebanese so she has a connection to the issue. She is also an established
journalist. The newspaper is also a reliable source, particularly for news concerning the
Middle East. The article was written less than a year ago the information it provides is
still relevant.
Badran, M. (2009). Feminism in Islam: Secular and religious Convergences. Oxford, England:
Oneworld Publications.
The topic of this book is feminism in Islam. Badran discusses feminism in Islam since the
founding of the religion. It includes interviews, letters, and memoirs from Muslim
women. Although it does not specifically address Lebanon, a large portion of Lebanon
contains Muslims, so an understanding of how Islam impacts women would be is as
critical aspect to analyzing the nation. This book was published in 2009, so the
information is still relevant. Badran has been studying Islamic feminists for over thirty
years. She received her Bachelors degree at Trinity College, her Masters degree at
38
Harvard University, and her Doctorate at Oxford University. She has written two other
books concerning women in Islam.
Bush, D. (2016, July 28). The hidden sexism that could sway the election. Retrieved August 02,
2016, from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/features/hidden-sexism/
This article discusses the unintentional and underlying sexism that occurs when citizens
cast their vote and how it will affect the 2016 U.S. Presidential election. His point
concerning ambivalent sexism is very applicable to the discussion of why women are not
being elected for political positions. Bush is the Digital Politics editor at the reputable
PBS network. The article is very recent and includes up to date interviews and statistics.
There is a minimum amount of bias in the article.
Byrnes, B. (2013, October 9). Chapter Seven: The spread of Islam and the Abbasid Empire.
lecture presented at AP World History class in Leonardtown High School, Leonardtown.
Byrnes is an AP World History teacher at Leonardtown High school. He has a Bachelors
degree in history and has a Masters degree in Ancient and Classical Studies. He bases a
lot of his information out of textbooks, which makes it more reliable. Although the
lecture was in 2013, the history of Islam has not changed since then.
Click, R. (2016, February 20). Human Trafficking Service Project [E-mail interview].
Rosie Click is a former Global International Studies (GIS) student. She is currently a
freshman in college. Having completed a Capstone herself that involved a movie aspect,
she is an excellent model for the Gender Roles in the Middle East: Empowering through
Informing project. In her interview, Click detailed her project and the effects she had on
the Girl Scout troops with which she shared. She also gave advice on how to approach
the project. Her interview was recent and contained little to no bias.
39
Dah, A., & Aboserda, S. (2005). Gender pay discrimination in Lebanon, assessment of recent
data. Gender pay discrimination in Lebanon, assessment of recent data.
This journal discusses the pay gap and gender discrimination in the workforce in
Lebanon. It contains detailed research including statistics of female income. The authors
both have Ph.D.s from the Lebanese American University in Lebanon. Some of the
statistics are old, however the wage gap in Lebanon has not seen significant change since
the publication of this journal. The authors backed their claims with statistics, negating
possible bias.
Davies, C. (2012, June 6). Mideast women beat men in education, lose out at work. Retrieved
March 27, 2016, from http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/01/world/meast/middle-east-womeneducation/
This news article discusses how in the Middle East, in most countries women are more
educated than men, however they make up significantly less of the workforce. This
article gave statistics, graphics, and specifically referenced Lebanon. Although the
statistics are now four years old, they are still relevant because the make-up of the
workforce in Lebanon has not seen any significant changes since then. The article is from
CNN a credible and well known source. The article did not contain any major bias due to
its focus on statistics.
EQUAL PAY ACT OF 1963. (2009). Retrieved January 17, 2016, from
http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/brochure-equal_pay_and_ledbetter_act.cfm
This government website discusses the Equal Pay Act of 1963, as well as the Lily
Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. It details the important information of the acts. It is a government
40
website, which makes it rather unbiased and accurate. It was published in 2009, however
the information has not changed since then because both acts are still in place. This
information was important in analyzing the initiatives taken to promote womens
equality.
Girl Scout Event! Empowering through Information [E-mail to A. Karenbauch, E. Balaton, R.
Louden, V. Johnston, & A. Epting]. (2016, April 11).
This email was sent to local Girl Scout troop leaders in the St. Marys County community
by my partner and me. The email served as an invitation to our movie seminar service
event. Included in the email was an introduction to the purpose of the project, an
explanation of our event, and a brief background of the topic.
Goldstein, J. S., & Pevehouse, J. C. (2010). International relations, 2010-2011 (10th ed.).
Harlow: Pearson Education.
This textbook gives an introduction to international relations and economic, security, and
other global issues. It is up to date on more current international issues. Both authors,
Goldstein and Pevehouse, are educated in the international relations field from accredited
universities. They have written numerous books on the topic and studied it in depth. The
book addresses multiple perspectives on international relations and backs statements up
with facts in order to avoid bias.
Goodwin, G. (2006). The private world of Ottoman women. London: Saqi.
This book focuses on the lives of women living in the Ottoman Empire. It is useful in
examining the history of womens oppression in Lebanon, as they were once a part of the
Ottomans. The book discusses the social, political, and economic aspects of a womans
life under the Ottoman Empire. It discusses women during the entirety of the long reign
41
of the Ottomans. Goodwin has written many books concerning the Ottoman Empire. This
one in particular was published in 2006 due to its focus on history it is still a relevant
source despite it being ten years old.
Hanias, G., & Zambarakji, A. (2012, November 1). Making waves- interview with Zoya
Rouhana. New Internationalist.
This author of the article interviews Zoya Rouhana, a Lebanese woman who helps run an
organization that helps women who are victims of domestic violence. In the interview,
Rouhana discusses the KAFFA organization as well as gender discrimination in Lebanon.
Harding, T. (2016, January). Civil rights and civil liberties. Lecture presented at AP Government
Class in Leonardtown High School, Leonardtown.
Harding is an AP Government, CM Government, and GIS II teacher at Leonardtown
High school. She is a certified teacher. She has a BA in Political Science and Psychology.
She is Advanced Placement certified in Psychology and Government.
Holt, M., & Jawad, H. (2013). Women, Islam and resistance in the Arab world.
In this book, the authors discuss women and Islam focusing on the Arab world. It
dedicates an entire chapter to Shia women in Lebanon, as well as Islamic discourses on
women and violence. It was published in 2013, making the information very relevant.
Holt received her Bachelors degree in Political Science and Middle East and Islamic
Studies from the University of Toronto. She also has a Masters in Middle Eastern
Politics from the University of Exeter. She completed her PhD at New York University
on the effects of violent conflict on Shia women and Palestinian refugee women in
Lebanon. Haifaa Jawad is a senior lecturer at the University of Birmingham in Islamic
and Middle Eastern studies.
42
Holwerda, A. J. (2016, February 17). International Aspects of Girl Scouting [Personal interview].
Alexis Holwerda has been a Girl Scouts for ten years. As an experienced Girl Scout, she
could give a copious amount of information about the organization, specifically in regard
to the international aspects. In the interview, Holwerda mentioned World Thinking Day
and a destination program, two key international connections Girl Scouts make. This
interview was used to develop an understanding on the Girl Scout organization in order to
determine if they were a valuable audience for our service event. The interview was
recent so the information is still true. There was little to no bias in the interview.
How Girl Scouting Benefits Girls. (2014). Girl Scouts. Retrieved February 6, 2016, from
http://www.girlscouts.org/content/dam/girlscouts-gsusa/forms-and-documents/about-girlscouts/research/how_gs_benefits_girls.pdf
This article discusses the benefits of Girl Scouts. It discusses how Girl Scouts helps girls
develop leadership skills and empowers them. The information is recent and was
completed by the Girl Scouts Research Institute, a reliable source. It includes useful
statistics. It was helpful in the organization section of my paper.
How often does sexual assault occur? | RAINN | Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network.
(2014). Retrieved January 18, 2016, from https://rainn.org/getinformation/statistics/frequency-of-sexual-assault
RAINN is the USAs largest anti-sexual assault organization. The organization focuses
on preventing rape, abuse, and incest within the United States. This website includes
statistics about domestic violence, which is a major aspect in this paper. The information
is based on 2014 data, which is recent and therefore accurate. This is a non-profit
organization so the information contains little to no bias. It also cited its references.
43
Hymowitz, K. (2013). Think again: Working women. Foreign Policy, 59. Retrieved on January
12, 2016 from http://sks.sirs.com
Sirs researcher is an online database that St. Marys County Public Schools provides
access to for research. It gives various scholarly articles. This article discussed the aspect
of working women in the United States. It argued that women in the USA have a lot more
equality in the workforce than in other nations. It also gave statistics of various aspects of
women in the workforce. Hymowitz is an author who earned her B.A. at Brandeis
University and her M.A. in English literature from Tufts University. She has written
multiple books, many of which deal with women in the workforce. This article was
published in 2013, making the information fairly recent.
Inequality. (2015). Retrieved January 17, 2016, from http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/inequality
This website defines inequality. It gives multiple definitions of the word and includes
examples. It was important to define inequality in my paper when discussing the gender
inequality women in the U.S. and Lebanon face. Merriam Webster is a reliable source
based on its reputation and lack of major bias. The definition of inequality has not
changed, making the information relevant.
Jamali, D., Sidani, Y., & Safieddine, A. (2006). Constraints facing working women in Lebanon:
An insider view. Women in management review, 581-594.
This journal is from the Texas A&M University database. It is a part of the Emerald
Insight resources. Sidani and Safieddine discuss the constraints female managers in
Lebanon face due to their gender. They focus on the female perspective. All three authors
are professors that teach topics concerning women and the Middle East. This journal was
44
published in 2006, ten years ago, however the information is still relevant due to the lack
of major changes in Lebanon since then.
Jennie R. Ebeling , Lynda Garland , Guity Nashat , Eric R. Dursteler "West Asia" The Oxford
encyclopedia of women in world history. Ed Bonnie G. Smith. Oxford University Press,
2008. Brigham Young University (BYU). 1 November 2010
This scholarly article discusses women in the Ottoman Empire and their role in society. It
mentions their role in politics as well as the workforce. The authors divide the article into
premodern and modern Ottoman Empire. The publisher is Oxford University, a wellknown university, filled with many well educated scholars.
Kauser, Saleema & Tlaiss, Hayfaa. (2010). Perceived organizational barriers to women's career
advancement in Lebanon. Gender in management: An international journal, Vol. 25 Iss 6
pp. 462 496
This journal is from the Texas A&M University database. It is a part of the Emerald
Insight resources. The authors purpose is to look at womens careers in Lebanon and
how the progression on their career. The journal also focuses on their opinion on their
careers. The journal discusses the factors of why women do not have management
positions at companies. Texas A&M University is a well-known and respectable school.
This journal cites many references, portraying its accuracy. The authors both have
degrees from accredited universities. It was published in 2010, fairly recent, adding to the
accuracy.
Kent, M.(2006). gender inequality. In the Oxford Dictionary of sports science & medicine. :
Oxford University Press. Retrieved 20 Jan. 2016, from
45
http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780198568506.001.0001/acref9780198568506-e-2834.
The Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine includes the definition of many
critical words involving sports science and medicine. This book gives a definition of
gender inequality, which is critical for this paper considering it is the topic. Defining
gender inequality gives the reader an idea of what to think about when reading the paper.
This is a reliable source because a dictionary does not contain any bias. Oxford
University is a well-known and respected school. It was published in 2006, ten years ago,
but the definition of gender inequality has not changed since then making it relevant
information.
Latest Annual Data. (2014). Retrieved December 10, 2015, from
http://www.dol.gov/wb/stats/recentfacts.htm
This is the website run by the US Department of Labor, particularly the Womens
Bureau. It gives information about the percentage of women in the labor force in 2014. It
also breaks down the percentage of women in each job type, their earnings, and the
unemployment rates, which is all further broken down by race and age. It is accurate
information because it comes an official government website, with official government
data. It is also up to date, making it relevant.
Saray. (1925, January). Decree No15 of Lebanese Nationality. Beirut, Lebanon: Author.
Retrieved from http://www.refworld.org/pdfid/44a24c6c4.pdf
This official government document is a primary source. This decree establishes that
Lebanese nationality can only be obtained if it passed from father to child, or if one is
46
born in Lebanon. It is important to look at government documents when understanding

gender inequality in Lebanon, specifically in terms of citizenship.
Lebanon. (1995). Constitution of the Lebanese Republic: Promulgated on May 23, 1926 ; as
amended by the constitutional laws of October 17, 1927, May 8, 1929, November 9 and
December 7, 1943, and January 21, 1947. Beirut, Lebanon. Retrieved January 12, 2016,
from http://www.presidency.gov.lb/English/LebaneseSystem/Documents/Lebanese
Constitution.pdf
The Lebanese Constitution is a primary source as it is an official government document.
The Lebanese Constitution explains the structure of government, including the branches
of government and the representation within the government. This document includes
some of the amendments to the Constitution. The constitution is an excellent resource to
understand Lebanese law and its influence on gender inequality Lebanese women face.
Lebanon: Domestic violence law good, but incomplete. (2014, April 3). Retrieved January 16,
2016, from https://www.hrw.org/news/2014/04/03/lebanon-domestic-violence-law-goodincomplete
This newspaper article discusses the domestic violence law that was passed in Lebanon in
2014. The article addresses how although Lebanon has made progress by passing the law,
it needs to edit the law in order to further protect women in Lebanon. Human Rights
Watch is a non- profit organization that has the goal of protecting humans all over the
world from unfair treatment, specifically from the government. It is an rather unbiased
source. This article was published in 2014, making the information still relevant.
47
Lebanon: History (2016). CultureGrams online edition. ProQuest. Retrieved from

http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country_sections.php?cid=89&cn=Lebanon
&sname=History&snid=2
CultureGrams is an online database that St. Marys County Public Schools provides. It
gives information on various nations including information about the history, people,
government, culture, economy, etc. of that country. This database source discusses
Lebanons history. It was useful in gathering information on the Ottoman Empire and the
French Mandate. The information is still relevant since the history of Lebanon has not
changed, nor will it ever change.
Lebanon: Religion (2016). CultureGrams online edition. ProQuest. Retrieved on January 16,
2015 from
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country_sections.php?contid=&wmn=&cid=
89&cn=Lebanon&sname=Religion&snid=5
This database discusses the various religions in Lebanon. It gives statistics on the amount
of Christians, Muslims, and other religious sects. CultureGrams is an online database that
St. Marys County Public Schools provides. It gives information on various nations
including information about the history, people, government, culture, economy, etc. of
that country. CultureGrams contains little to no bias. It is also up to date as of 2016.
Lebanon profile - Timeline - BBC News. (2015, April 29). Retrieved January 24, 2016, from
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14649284
This online newspaper article is from BBC World News. It gives a timeline of events in
Lebanese history, including key details of the Lebanese Civil War. It is written in a
comprehendible manner. It was written in April, 2015, so it is up to date and accurate.
48
BBC World News is a reliable source. It has a good reputation. Because the article is
purely facts, there is a minimal amount of bias, if any.
Leuchtenburg, W. (Ed.). (2002). President's commission on the status of women. Research
collections in American politics.
This journal gave information on the Presidents commission on the status of women. It
discusses Kennedys plan to end discrimination of women in the workforce. It also
discusses the services that Kennedy tried to create that allowed wives and mothers to
work. Although the journal is almost fifteen years old, it is still relevant because there
have been no changes to Kennedys commission on the status of women.
Lughod, L. (1998). Remaking women: Feminism and modernity in the Middle East. Princeton,
New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
This book focuses on the evolvement of womens actions for equality in the Middle East,
especially in terms of feminism. The analysis begins with the nineteenth century and
continues into the twenty first century. This book argues that despite what it may seem,
women who are veiled are a symbol of modernity just as much as those who are not. The
book is comprised of multiple essays that access the lives of veiled women and their role
in society. It is a reliable source due to its renowned Princeton University publishing. The
author, Lughod, is a professor of Gender Studies and Anthropology at Columbia
University. She studied at Harvard University and has written six other books.
Makarem, Y. (2016, January 17). Gender inequality in Lebanon [Telephone interview].
Yasmeen Makarem has a Bachelors degree from the Lebanese American University in
business management. She has a Masters degree in human resource management from
the American University of Beirut. She is currently working for her PhD in human
49
resource development at Texas A&M University. She was born and raised in Lebanon
and has first-hand experience of gender inequality, particularly in the workforce. The
interview was conducted very recently so the information is very relevant. Makarem has
a lot of background in the topic of gender inequality in Lebanon, making her a good
source.
Maktabi, R. (2013). Female Citizenship in the Middle East: Comparing family law reform in
Morocco, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon.Middle East Law & Governance, 5(3), 280-307.
doi:10.1163/18763375-00503003
This scholarly journal was taken from a large book about how the Middle East is
governed and the various laws that citizens in the region face. This journal compares
family law between Morocco, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon. Its information on the dual
court system of Lebanon was very useful. It discusses the importance of religious
autonomy in Lebanon. Maktabi has written multiple scholarly journals concerning
women and the Middle East. This journal contained little to no bias. This journal was
written in 2013, so the information is still relevant.
Mansour, H. A. (Director). (2013). Wadjda [Motion picture on DVD]. United Kingdom: Soda
Pictures Ltd.
This movie was directed by Haiffa Mansour, a female Saudi Arabian director. It was the
first movie shot fully in Saudi Arabia. It is a recent movie, released in 2013, that contains
relevant information on gender inequality in Saudi Arabia. The movie follows the
rebellious ten year old Wadjda as she attempts to acquire a bike by earning money. This
movie is to be shown to the Girl Scouts at our service event with the hope of educating
and empowering them.
50
Nazir, S. (2005). Lebanon. In Women's rights in the Middle East and North Africa: Citizenship
and justice. New York: Freedom House.
This book is an excellent source analyzing the gender inequality throughout the Middle
East and North Africa. It breaks down the book by country I only looked at Lebanon. It
then further divides the chapters by the various aspects of life and discrimination that
might occur. It even gives recommendations of what can be done to improve the rights of
women in that nation. The book ranks the nation on various aspects of gender inequality
and includes graphs as visuals for the data it provides. The chapter on Lebanon was
written by Zeina Zaatari who is a lecturer and research associate at UC Davis. The book
was written in 2005, which is still relatively recent, and the information is still relevant
and accurate.
Population estimates, July 1, 2015, (V2015). (2015). Retrieved March 28, 2016, from
http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/
This website was sponsored/published by the United States government. It is the 2015
United States population census. It gives the percentage of males and females that make
up the United States population. It is purely statistics. It contained minimal bias, if any. It
is relevant information because it was taken in 2015 and is the most recent census
conducted.
Razor Film Corporation. (2012). Wadjda plot summary. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2258858/
This website gives a synopsis of the movie Wadjda that will be shown at our service
event. The synopsis was written and published by a company that produced the film,
making it a reliable source. The website the synopsis come from is a well-known, reliable
51
source for plot synopsis. The information is still relevant as the movie has not changed in
the last four years.
Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973).
The case of Roe v. Wade established that a woman had the right to complete an abortion
as long as it was done before the child reached 24 weeks. It is considered a landmark case
in US history. The case went to the Supreme Court where a justice ruled that under the
14th Amendment, women were given the right to privacy and as a result should be
allowed to complete abortions without the government being involved. This case has
come from the Supreme Court it is reliable. The ruling has not been overturned since its
establishment, therefore the information is still relevant.
Saidi, M. (2015, May 10). OPINION: Lebanons sexist citizenship law hurts mothers and babies.
Retrieved January 16, 2016, from http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2015/5/lebanonssexist-citizenship-law-hurts-mothers-and-babies.html
This article comes from the online version of the reputable Al Jazeera newspaper. Mira
Saidi was born in Lebanon. She attended the American University of Lebanon. She also
attended the London School of Economics and Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
This article discusses the Lebanese citizenship law. It focuses on how the law hurts
Lebanese families, specifically children.
Scharlach, A. E., & Grosswald, B.. (1997). The family and medical leave act of 1993. Social
service review, 71(3), 335359. Retrieved on January 16, 2016 from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/30012623
This scholarly journal describes the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. It details all
of the provisions of the act, as well as gives background information. The journal gives
52
recommendation of what could be done further to benefit women with the Family and
Medical Leave Act. It was retrieved using Google Scholar. Although published in 1997,
the act has not been changed.
Selected economic characteristics US Census. (2010). Retrieved March 28, 2016, from
http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk
This website was sponsored/published by the United States government. It contains
statistics about the economic status of the residents of St. Marys County, Maryland in
2010. It displays that females earn marginally less than males in St. Marys County.
Although the information is almost six years old, it is still relevant because the income of
women did not comparatively surpass that of men in St. Marys County. There is little to
no bias on this website as it is purely statistics and no opinion.
Sheckels, T., & Gutgold, N. (2012). Gender and the American presidency: Nine presidential
women and the barriers they faced. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books.
In this book, the authors discuss multiple American women who have tried to become
President or hold high power positions, but have faced obstacles. It discusses what these
obstacles are and makes recommendations to how women can overcome them. Sheckles
is a professor at Randolph Macon College and has written other books concerning gender
inequality. Gutgold is one of the Deans of academics at Penn State University. She has
written multiple books, all of which concern women and the gender discrimination they
face.
Sidani, Y., & Gardner, W. (1999). Work values among Lebanese workers. The journal of social
psychology, 597-607.
53
This source is from a psychology journal. The authors both have reputable degrees.
Although it is an older source, the information remains relevant because the mentality of
women in Lebanon has not had major changes in the last sixteen years. This source
discusses four posed hypotheses about women in Lebanese organizations to better
understand the applicability of work values in Arab societies. The journal is backed by
many sources and shows apparent research. Although it was written in 1999, the
information is still relevant because Lebanon has not faced any major changes in terms of
mentality in the last seventeen years.
St. Mary's County. (2016). Retrieved March 28, 2016, from
http://www.stmarysmd.com/bocc.asp
This website gives information on the government of St. Marys County, Maryland. It
provides the names and information of the County Commissioners and other government
officers. This sources shows that mostly males hold government positions in St. Marys
County. This webpage is up to date with the recently elected officials. It t contains little
to no opinion or bias.
State Policies in Brief: An overview of abortion Laws [Pamphlet]. (2016). New York, NY:
Guttmacher Institute.
This pamphlet provides information on abortion laws in various states in the United
States. The pamphlet was mainly comprised of a chart comparing states abortion laws.
The pamphlet was published in March, 2016 so it is up to date with all of the recent laws
and possibly recent changes. It contained little to no opinion or bias it was mainly
informative.
54
Stewart, J. (2008). Countries in crisis: Lebanon Countries in Crisis: Lebanon Rourke Publishing.
Retrieved January 12, 2016 from http://sks.sirs.com
This article was taken from the Sirs Research database. This database is paid for by many
schools and universities. It contains articles written by scholars and experts on the topic.
This article discusses the history of Lebanon. It was extremely useful in its information
about Lebanon under the French Mandate. The article was published in 2008, but since
Lebanese history has not changed, it is still relevant and reliable. The article contained
minimal bias, if any.
Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. (2015,
September 25). Retrieved June 01, 2016, from
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300
The United Nations Development Program conducted a summit in New York City in
September 2015 with world leaders in order to develop sustainable development goals.
There are seventeen goals that aim to end poverty, hunger, inequality, and ensure justice
to all by 2030. Goal Five, specifically, aims to end inequality and empower women. The
goals were created fairly recently so they are up to date with the current issues in the
international community. There was minimal if any bias in the goals as they are based on
facts and current problems the plague the world. There were many countries involved in
creating these goals, so it is not catered to a specific country, or region.
The 5 Skills and Girl Scout Leadership Outcomes. (2012). Girls Scouts cookie program, 1.
Retrieved February 6, 2016, from
https://www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_cookies/pdf/2012_5_skills_and_gs_leadership_ou
tcomes.pdf
55
This article discusses how the Girl Scouts Cookie Program helps girls develop leadership
skills. It was written in 2012, but all the information still applies as the program has not
had any major changes since then. It was beneficial in the organization section of my
paper.
Turow, J. (1985). The Effects of Television on Children: What the Experts Believe.
Communication Research Reports, 2 (1), 149-155. Retrieved from
http://repository.upenn.edu/asc_papers/36
This journal discusses how childrens perspectives are effected by the television shows
that they watch. The author, Turow, has been a professor at multiple well renowned
universities, including Perdue University and the University of Pennsylvania. Although
the article is slightly outdated, the specific statistics discuss children in 1985, who, in
2016, are now adults with views that were impacted by watching television as a child
back then. The author gives many statistics to back his argument and avoid a bias.
U.S. Department of Labor. (2015). 50 Years Later Women, Work, and the Work Ahead [Fact
sheet]. Retrieved from
https://www.dol.gov/wb/stats/stats_data.htm#earningshttps://www.dol.gov/wb/stats/stats
_data.htm#earnings
This fact sheet comes from the U.S. Department of Labors website. It includes statistics
about women in the workforce and how their role has changed over the last fifty years.
The information is based on research done by the U.S. Department of Labor. It should
contain minimal bias as it is mainly statistics backed by research.
[Girl Scouts of the USA]. (2014, October 22). What does Girl Scouts do for you? [Video File].
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_bOMdGk-FE.
56
This video includes a basic background to the Girl Scouts organization. It discusses how
being a Girl Scout benefits young girls by establishing leadership skills, giving them
confidence, and giving them lifelong courage, determination and friendship. The video
was created by the Girl Scouts of the USA. It is from 2014, so the information is still
recent and relevant. The video gives evidence to why Girl Scouts are good leaders and
how they acquire skills within the organization, as well as a link to gain more
information.
Who We Are - Girl Scouts. (2016). Retrieved February 06, 2016, from
http://www.girlscouts.org/en/about-girl-scouts/who-we-are.html
This is a page on the official Girl Scouts website. This page gave basic background on
the Girl Scouts organization, including information on the founder, the mission, and how
many girl are currently in the organization. It is reliable because it is the associations
official web page. It is up to date.
"women's rights conventions." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2015. Web.
ABC-CLIO is a database source provided by St. Marys Country Public Schools. It is a
reliable database. This particular article provides a lot of information about the Womens
Suffrage movement. It focuses on the history behind the movement and the impacts
today. It is a recent article.
Women's Rights. Issues & controversies. Infobase learning, 25 Mar. 2013. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
<http://icof.infobaselearning.com/recordurl.aspx?wid=96743&ID=6344>.
This database source provided by St. Marys Country Public Schools. It is a reliable
database. This particular article provides a lot of information about the Womens Rights.
57
It discusses the history of womens rights, as well as current issues. It is a fairly recent
article, so the information is up to date and relevant.
Women in the U.S. Congress 2015. (2015). Retrieved January 17, 2016, from
http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/women-us-congress-2015
This website give statistics on the amount of women present in Congress. It breaks down
the number of women by age, race, and party. This information is useful in establishing
the lack of women in the United States government. Rutgers University is a reputable
source. The information is up to date for the current women in Congress, making it still
relevant.
58
Appendix A
The Imperial Harem
The Imperial Harem is a novel by Leslie Peirce about Ottoman women and the role of the
Harem. It was published in 1993. It is considered a critical work about gender in the premodern
period. It argues that women in the Harem were not powerless they had the ability to influence
the Sultan. (Ebeling Garland, Nashat, Dursteler, 2010).
59
Appendix B
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War occurred from 1975-1990. The Civil War was caused by a
combination of reasons. A weak constitution, which allowed more power to certain religions,
instead of truly equal rights was a major factor of the war. Also, a lack of nationalism where
various religious sects had more loyalty to other countries that had the same religious beliefs as
them increased tension throughout the nation. A big reason the Civil War occurred was due to
the Palestinians living in Lebanon. After the creation of Israel, there was an increased amount of
Palestinians who, by the mid 70s, became very powerful and hard to control by the Lebanese
government. Since the Lebanese government was proudly led by the Christians, while the
Palestinians were mainly Muslims, the political cause was hijacked by religious war lords.
Various religious war lords sided against each other, building alliances with nations based on
their religion. The idea of the enemy of my enemy is my friend plagued Lebanon at the time.
Even though it was a brutal Civil War that created a large economic, as well as migration crisis,
it was very sporadic and it was only in certain areas of the country. The weapons that were
mainly used during the war was machine guns, which did not devastate the nation as much as
other countries that have experienced Civil Wars. In 1989, the Taif Accord was signed by the
various religious sects, formally ending the war by 1990 (Lebanon Profile, 2015).

Appendix C
50 Years Later Women, Work, and the Work Ahead (2015)
(50 Years Later Women, Work, and the Work Ahead, 2015)
60

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Running Head: GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

Gender Inequality in Lebanon and the United States of America

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

much of a disqualifying trait (Sheckles, Gugold, Carlin, 2012). Aggression or assertiveness of

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

Our service is a seminar, which includes a movie followed by a question/answer session

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

The movie Wadjda

Location of event LHS Media Center

Computer/Smart Board with internet access and presentation software

Snacks for audience

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

Signs to guide audience to Media Center

Paper and markers for discussion questions

Duct tape for activity

Audience Girl Scouts age eleven to eighteen

Thursday, March 10: Buy movie off of amazon

Friday, March 11: Watch movie

Saturday, March 12: Create movie questions

Monday, March 14: Reserve auditorium

Tuesday, March 15: Make flyer with information about event

Wednesday, March 16: Get flyer approved

(Ongoing) March-May: Create presentation, practice presentation

May 1-13: Last minute details, more practice

Saturday, May 14: Service event

Girl Scout Troop Leaders

Brenda Hager - Media Center supervisor

Tracy Harding project supervisor

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

Brian Byrnes mentor

Deborah Dennie school administrator

Clothes, food, school, people, etc.

What are some sources, if any, of inequality in your life?

Leila and Josies Presentation

Pathway empowerment/leadership activity

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA

GENDER INEQUALITY LEBANON AND USA