Philosopher's Zone Feminism, generosity and cross-cultural support
Sep 2, 2026
Sameema Zahra, a psychotherapist and philosophy lecturer at Australian Catholic University, explores feminism, Muslim women’s experiences and cross-cultural solidarity. She discusses the hijab, Simone de Beauvoir’s idea of generosity, the Boupacha case, Muslim feminism in India and the pitfalls of imposing outside visions of freedom. She also connects solidarity with therapy and supporting agency without becoming a savior.
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When Congratulations Felt Like Judgment
- Sameema Zahra supported her friend’s decision to remove the hijab after decades of wearing it.
- Friends’ enthusiastic congratulations made Zahra feel they had merely tolerated her own hijab as oppression.
Generosity Respects Another Person’s Freedom
- Simone de Beauvoir sees freedom as relational: people’s choices can support, restrict, or oppress one another.
- Generosity offers support without expecting repayment or claiming authority over another person’s life.
Beauvoir Took Up Jamila Bupacha’s Case
- Simone de Beauvoir publicized Jamila Bupacha’s torture and rape allegation during the Algerian War.
- She presented Bupacha as a person whose rights were violated, not merely as a heroic political symbol.