ABSTRACT
Feminist theorists have long been interested in the part women play within relations of power. In this chapter, the author extends his arguments on the complexity of consent to consider the problem of hegemonic relations and gender resistance. The author explores the puzzle of women's persistent efforts toward change and the equally persistent presence of gender inequality—the puzzle of the resilience of power in gender relations. The case of Middle Eastern women is particularly interesting with reference to this issue. From a Western vantage point, women in the Middle East are often pitied as the victims of an especially oppressive culture, generally equated with Islamic religion. Women are depicted as bound to the harem, downtrodden and constrained; the ultimate symbol of their oppression and their acceptance of inferiority is the veil. The importance of veiling as a symbol of power relations in Middle Eastern society is underlined by the history of veiling in Cairo.
