Was freeing the slaves in the American South after the Civil War cultural imperialism? Maybe. Was it the right thing to do? Absolutely.
Of course, women have the right to act subservient to men, if they choose to. There are plenty of women in America who still do, and while I personally find that attitude quite depressing, I have no right to force them to stop.
The situation of women in many Muslim countries is quite different. It's not that they're making a choice to be subservient; it's that they have no other options. They're expected to marry who they're told to. They're expected to go nowhere except in the company of a male relative. They're not allowed to drive a car. Basically, they have no independence, and no choice. In more rural areas of some Muslim countries, a woman can be stoned to death for committing adultery. Sometimes a woman's husband will claim that she's committed adultery simply so that he can easily get out of a marriage. That's simply immoral, and everyone should be trying to change that, whether it's cultural imperialism or not.
Now, I'm not saying that the West should go in with guns and bombs and force a change that way. That's obviously not the right solution. Nor should we forbid wearing burqas or hijabs, or force women to drive or get jobs. But there's nothing wrong with exerting economic or media influence on nations that are acting in ways that violate human rights, and I hope the West should continue to do so. Woman should not be forced into a certain societal role, but they should be able to choose how to live their own lives.
Of course, women have the right to act subservient to men, if they choose to. There are plenty of women in America who still do, and while I personally find that attitude quite depressing, I have no right to force them to stop.
The situation of women in many Muslim countries is quite different. It's not that they're making a choice to be subservient; it's that they have no other options. They're expected to marry who they're told to. They're expected to go nowhere except in the company of a male relative. They're not allowed to drive a car. Basically, they have no independence, and no choice. In more rural areas of some Muslim countries, a woman can be stoned to death for committing adultery. Sometimes a woman's husband will claim that she's committed adultery simply so that he can easily get out of a marriage. That's simply immoral, and everyone should be trying to change that, whether it's cultural imperialism or not.
Now, I'm not saying that the West should go in with guns and bombs and force a change that way. That's obviously not the right solution. Nor should we forbid wearing burqas or hijabs, or force women to drive or get jobs. But there's nothing wrong with exerting economic or media influence on nations that are acting in ways that violate human rights, and I hope the West should continue to do so. Woman should not be forced into a certain societal role, but they should be able to choose how to live their own lives.