The relativity of Honor

Please don't think that this article is by any mean related to honor crimes or a justification in anyway to honor-violence

Honor, appears to also have different value from one culture to the other, from time to time, even in the same culture from one household to the other. It's not an absolute value as one would hope as many prostitutes in one culture might have achieved the greatest honor in one culture, while banished to shame and dishonor in another.

Honor as it seems may or may not exist alongside other virtues like honesty, integrity, chastity, harmony and others. However, some cultures chose to define honor in one way or another. Some even go as far as associating defiance as honor, freedom fighting as honor. While some will consider meeting Micheal Jackson a great honor! Whatever your choice is Honor is defined differently, and relatively

Which brings me to an area that is begging for a definition. What is Honor for Arabs?

At some point, the great position in the Arab world was for the Sharif (The most noble, but literally the most chaste or of the Highest honor). As a position, it was abstracted from almost all sexual relation. So regardless of the conduct of the person he still held a position that has "Chastity" in it's meaning.

In the modern day Arab world, Honor, is often synonymous with purity, virtue and chastity. Those who let go of their chastity have committed what is considered by most dishonor.

Honor is obviously an intrinsic property of the society, it doesn't matter if someone in the west considers men or women who have extra marital affairs. What really matters is what the local society feels, or in this case condemns.

The rise of the double standard...

The act of letting go of someone's honor is always a burden on people who have it. Or maintain it. The custodians and keepers of honor in the family. In this specific case it's the women of the family. They are entrusted with the honor and at the same time responsible for it.

From that came the double standards of dealing with males and females. Where males are viewed outside the concept of honor. (Except if they're on the receiving side of homosexuality, where they will be treated as women).

Since Honor is being objectified as something that can be taken. Those who have it (Women), try to maintain it and protect it from those who want to steal it! Therefore, Men "stealing" someone's honor is not as shameful as someone allowing them to have it. The didn't lose "theirs" they took someone else's.

It's that idea that dominates the concept of Honor in the Arab world. (And please pardon the oversimplification).

Again, I would like to stress that I don't condone duel standards, nor do I, or would I ever justify honor violence. I'm in fact against both. I would prefer to see a society where men and women are looked at equally in regards to this matter. If they're guilty then both need to be equally guilty and equally bring shame to thier family.