America is a nation with many different attitudes towards immigration and culture. America is comprised of many immigrant families and citizens who can trace their roots all over the world. This type of diversity can be witnessed across the student bodies of high schools, colleges and various political groups. However, there are many individuals who are vocal about their dislike of non-white cultures due to perceptions about the latter being uncivilized. However, this is an unfair attitude to take towards these cultures because oftentimes they can be more progressive than American society.
My mother and father left Turkmenistan to come to America. We still have many relatives in that country, on both parents' sides. Everyone, to my knowledge, practices Islam and follows the Sunni branch of the religion. In America, there are varying attitudes towards Islam and religion in general. Many Americans assume that Islam is a terrible degrading religion that claims women are inferior to men. Some of these people do not even realize there are separate denominations of Islam. They believe that anyone who follows Islam has dark skin, long beards, and covers themselves to an unnecessary degree. Thus, these select Americans believe that their own traditions and ideals are superior to those of Muslims, especially in regards to women. They think that America is a good country to be a woman in because any country that has Islam as a major religion is unjust. My female relatives are content to reside in Turkmenistan and practice Sunni Islam because they have many opportunities. They have more opportunities there than they would have in America.
For example, not all of my female relatives are homemakers who take care of the house and the children. Only a few of my family members follow the traditional roles for men and women. The women who do not follow these roles are business owners, government workers, and all are educated. One of my aunts is a bakery owner while the other is a nurse. I also have an aunt who works as a police officer while the other has a job at UNICEF. They were allowed to have the same education as their brothers and they attended college to receive their necessary degrees. They have good salaries. Fathers and mothers would dissuade them from marrying and having children until the women had good economic standing.
In America, lots of women are mocked for being stay-at-home mothers and told they are not doing enough for the family in comparison to their husbands. They are considered to be lazy and arrogant, and seen as women who would rather depend on their husbands than get a job. If they do choose to have a career, they are told by society and their peers that they do not devote themselves to their children. No one makes these remarks to men, but women are constantly put down for choosing to work or choosing to stay home. This type of attitude is not prevalent in Turkmenistan. Women and men are expected to make their own decisions in terms of careers and families. Even in the '50s and '60s, Turkmen women had the opportunity to get a college education and work. During this period in America, women were discriminated against for their gender. If women went to college, it was under the impression that they would find a good husband there. If women worked, it was under the impression that their husbands were unable to provide. It is even difficult in modern America for a woman to find balance due to the behavior exhibited by society. There are good qualities about America and its legal system in consideration towards women, but that does not mean that other cultures and countries are automatically terrible.
There is a similar attitude towards women in the Turkmen community in New York. To me, the Turkmen community is not as large as other immigrant communities, such as the Russian community. Turkmen people here make connections through word of mouth or by attending religious meetings. They do not have strict rules about forming platonic or romantic relationships with non-Turkmens, but it is always preferred to stay with people from the same country because one does not have to worry about having different cultural ideals. I feel that young Turkmens are encouraged to start looking for spouses here more than they are in Turkmenistan because there is a smaller population of Sunni Turkmens. However, education is emphasized above all.
People in America incorrectly assume that they live in a perfect place. Some people go as far as to assume that America is better than any other country because the citizens follow their rules. This is a narrow-minded viewpoint to have towards America and other countries. Turkmenistan's societal views towards women prove it is more progressive than the misconceptions some Americans may have. Americans who incorrectly claim that their country is superior ignore the fact that every country has its weaknesses and its strengths.
