THIS WEEK ON TO THE CONTRARY.•• FIRST, HAVE WOMEN COME A LONG WAY SINCE SECOND WAVE FEMINISM?

THEN, THE EFFECT OF THE PRESIDENT'S CONTINUING SEX SCANDALS ON REPUBLICAN WOMEN RUNNING FOR OFFICE.

AND BEHIND THE HEADLINES, 50 MILLION RISING, A MUSLIM WOMEN'S REVOLUTION.

HELLO, I'M BONNIE ERBE.

WELCOME TO TO THE CONTRARY, A DISCUSSION OF NEWS AND SOCIAL TRENDS FROM DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES.

UP FIRST, FEMINISM.

AS WE CLOSE OUT WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH WE WANT TO TAKE A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT STANDS TODAY.

HOW FAR HAVE WOMEN'S RIGHTS BROADENED SINCE SECOND WAVE FEMINISM?

THE SECOND WAVE OF FEMINISM TOOK PLACE IN THE 60'S AND 70'S.

LEADERS INCLUDED, GLORIA STEINEM, SHIRLEY CHISOLM, DELEGATE ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON AND BETTY FRIEDAN WHO WROTE "THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE," AMONG OTHERS.

SOME SCHOLARS SAY IT'S BEEN YEARS SINCE FEMINISM WAS AS CULTURALLY RELEVANT AS IT IS TODAY.

THEY POINT TO THE #METOO MOVEMENT, THE WOMEN'S MARCH AND THE RESISTANCE AGAINST THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

AND THERE ARE AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF WOMEN RUNNING FOR OFFICE THAT SOME BELIEVE COULD MEAN WOMEN WILL HIT RECORD LEVELS IN CONGRESS.

EVEN SO WOMEN ONLY MAKE UP 23-PERCENT OF HOUSE AND SENATE CANDIDATES...AND AMONG THOSE CANDIDATES, 99 GOP WOMEN ARE RUNNING COMPARED WITH 351 DEMOCRATIC WOMEN.

SO, ELEANOR YOU WERE AT THE START YOU WERE AT THE BIRTH OF THE SECOND WAVE WITH YOUR LAWSUIT AGAINST "NEWSWEEK", OF COURSE.

HOW MUCH PROGRESS DO YOU THINK WOMEN HAVE MADE SINCE THEN?

>> BON I IN, I DON'T THINK THAT SECOND WAVE PROGRESS CAN BE DENIED.

BUT, JUDGING FROM THE POSITION OF THE AVERAGE WOMAN, I THINK IT'S STILL RUNNING ITS COURSE.

>> I THINK COMPARED TO THE FIRST WAVE, CLEARLY WE'VE ADVANCED BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS.

BUT I AGREE WITH ELEANOR, THERE IS A LONG WAY TO GO, STILL.

>> HOW CAN YOU NOT AGREE WITH THE WOMAN AND THE LEGEND SITTING HERE.

I AGREE AND I THINK MOVEMENTS CONTINUE.

IS THERE A START DATE?

WOMEN'S LIB CHECK IT OFF THE LIST.

IT GOES IN WAVES AND I THINK WOMEN WERE TAKING STUFF FOR GRANTED AND WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR OUR RIGHTS AND PROTECT THE RIGHTS THAT WE WANT.

>> I CONSIDER MYSELF A MODERN FEMINIST AND I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING SAID.

WE HAVE A MOVEMENT THAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS MOMENT.

OF COURSE, THAT MOVEMENT IS CHARACTERIZED BY WOMEN ON THE LEFT PRIMARILY RIGHT NOW AND I THINK THAT IS OK. WOMEN ARE FIGHTING FOR EVERYDAY RIGHTS.

>> THERE SEEM TO ME TO BE THERE WAS FORWARD MOW METROPOLITAN TUM IN THE 60s AND 70s.

MOMENTUM IN THE 60s AND 70s BUT IT SLOWED DOWN AND ANYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH WOMEN'S RIGHTS KIND OF SLOWED DOWN IN THE 80s AND 90s.

AND NOW, WITH #METOO AND ALL THE MOVEMENTS ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA MOVEMENTS THAT ARE GOING ON IT SEEMS TO HAVE SPED UP.

>> THAT IS ALMOST THE CHARACTER OF MOVEMENTS.

THE FIRST WAVE WAS REALLY ABOUT THE RIGHT TO BE REPRESENTED.

THE SECOND WAVE, SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALSO ABOUT THE RIGHT TO REPRESENT.

BUT YOU'VE SHOWED FIGURES THAT BARELY 20%, 23%, HERE, 20% THERE, THE HOUSE AND SENATE, ARE WOMEN.

SO IN JUDGING PROGRESS, WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT HOW FAR WE'VE GONE MEASURED AGAINST THE FIRST WAVE AND THE SECOND WAVE IS THIS ALL THE SECOND WAVE WAS GOOD FOR?

ARE YOU READY TO MOVE ON TO A THIRD WAVE?

AND HERE IS WHERE I AGREE WITH YOU.

WHAT WE WERE STRIVING FOR IN THE 60s AND 70s HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED?

NO.

MOVEMENTS BLEED INTO ONE ANOTHER AND THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY.

>> WHY IS IT THAT THE G.O.P.

HAS SO MUCH TROUBLE ATTRACTING WOMEN TO RUN FOR OFFICE?

>> WE HAVE BEEN HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON WITH THE G.O.P.

IT IS IRONIC SINCE WE WERE THE PARTY THAT PUSHED FOR SUFFER RAJ TO BEGIN WITH.

IT'S MORE TO THE POINT WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW DID THE MOVEMENT SLOW DOWN SECOND WAVE.

I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IT MORPHED AND MORE WAS BEING DONE.

WOMEN ADVANCED IN ACT ACADEMIA AND IN A LOT OF WAYS.

THIS YEAR WE'VE REACHED A POINT WHERE HALF OF THE JOBS CREATED IN THE UNITED STATES ARE CREATED BY WOMEN AND FEMALE OWNED BUSINESSES.

>> BUT THEY ARE LIKE NAIL PLACES.

>> WHO CARES.

IF THEY ARE MAKING A GOOD LIVING AND GIVES THEM INDEPENDENCE, I SAY THAT IS TERRIFIC.

>> MANY AREN'T MAKING A GOOD LIVING.

AND THAT IS -- >> BUT I LOT ARE.

>> AND THE WOMEN WHO WORK FOR THEM AREN'T MAKING A GOOD LIVING.

>> AND A LOT ARE.

AND IT DOES HELP GIVE THEM FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE.

>> I FEEL LIKE WITH EVERY MOVEMENT THERE IS A BACKLASH AND THERE WAS A BACKLASH TO FEMINISM CALLED A FEMINIST.

>> THERE WAS A BOOK CALLED BACKLASH.

THAT WAS POPULAR IN THE 80s ABOUT REAGAN AND WHAT THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION DID.

>> I FEEL LIKE IN THE START OF MY CAREER WE WERE WORKING ON I USED TO WORK AT THE FEMINIST MAJORITY FOUNDATION AND NOT BEING SCARED OF THE WORD AND THE PRESIDENT SAID THAT WORD HAS TO BE PRESENT AT THE TABLE.

AND WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW WITH THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION FEMINISM IS BECOMING COOL AGAIN.

AND PEOPLE ARE LIKE THIS IS JUST POP CULTURE BUT IT MAKES A BIG IMPACT ON OUR CULTURE.

>> THERE WAS A PERIOD WHERE THE RUSH LIMBAUGH DENIGRATED FEMINISTS AND THERE WERE FAMOUS QUOTES OF AWFUL THINGS THAT HE SAID.

BUT THE RIGHT DID A GOOD JOB OF DEMONIZING THE WORD FEMINISM.

AND NOW MILLENNIALS EMBRACE IT.

AND YOU EMBRACE IT AS A CONSERVATIVE.

>> EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN DEFINITION AND THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF THIS MOMENT AS WE SEE THIS MIX OF THE WAVES SO TO SPEAK.

BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS THAT ARE AT PLAY WE NEED TO OCTOBER KNOWLEDGE.

ONE IS IDEOLOGY.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DISPARITY AND THE NUMBERS, WHEN IT COMES TO THE NUMBER OF DEMOCRAT FEMALES IN THE HOUSE AND IN THE SENATE FOR EXAMPLE, THEY ARE STAGGERINGLY LOW.

THE REPUBLICANS COMPARED TO THE COUNTERPARTS.

>> AND THAT WILL NOT CHANGE IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS OF THE PERCENTAGES OF WOMEN RUNNING FOR OFFICE IN NOVEMBER.

IT'S 99 REPUBLICANS AND 351 DEMOCRATS.

>> SO IT'S IDEOLOGY.

CONSERVATIVE THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO CONSERVATIVE WOMEN TRADITIONALLY CHOOSE TO DO FAMILY, CAREER EVERYTHING BEFORE MOUNTING A RUN.

IT IS SEEN A LIBERAL AND PROGRESSIVE TO TRY TO BALANCE IT ALL.

MOST CONSERVATIVE WOMEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES AND IT BECOMES LOW BER AND LOWER TO SERVE IN PUBLIC OFFICE FOR CONSERVATIVE WOMEN, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY, THE WOMEN EVERYDAY WIVES SOMETIMES TO BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS OR THEY THEY ARE NOW SOMETIMES THE MAJOR BREAD WINNERS THEY DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO CONSUME MASS MEDIA THE WAY MANY OF US COASTAL FOLKS DO.

AND THEY STILL SUBSCRIBE TO THE TRADITIONAL SET OF VALUES.

SO THAT IS WHAT IS THE LIMITING FACTOR HERE.

>> AND THAT IS -- >> PART OF IT IS THE PARTY DOES NOT PLAY IDENTITY POLITICS.

BUT IT'S IRONIC, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT AS A PERCENTAGE OF THOSE WHO RUN IN GENERAL ELECTIONS AS REPUBLICANS VERSUS DEMOCRATS, WOMEN WIN AT A HIGHER RATE WHEN THEY RUN AS REPUBLICANS.

THE PROBLEM IS WE CANNOT GET THE WOMEN THROUGH THE PRIMARIES.

BUT WE WIN AT A HIGHER RATE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.

>> AND THAT IS A GREAT POINT.

GROUPS LIKE MINE I LAUNCHED WOMEN INFLUENCERS NETWORK AND WE ARE WORKING TO FILL THAT VOID AND MILLENNIAL WOMEN NO LONGER WANT TO SUBSCRIBE TO WHAT THE PARTY WAS SAYING.

TWO THINGS HERE.

WE NEED HELP IN THE PRIMARIES.

AND WE ALSO DO NEED TO PLAY THE IDENTITY POLITICS BECAUSE -- >> THE LEFT IS DOING.

AND IT HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR A LONGTIME AND HAS MOST OF THE MINORITY VOTES.

>> NOBODY RUNS FOR OFFICE AS A WOMAN.

BELIEVE ME.

NO ONE SAYS VOTE FOR ME BECAUSE I AM A WOMAN.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY ELECTORAL POLITICS.

REPUBLICAN WOMEN HAVE NOT STEPPED UP AND YOU HAVE NAILED THE REASONS WHY.

THEY DO NOT PLACE PUBLIC OFFICE ON THE SAME PLAIN AS DEMOCRATIC WOMEN DO.

>> AND I KNOW YOU ARE NOT A REPUBLICAN, BUT WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A REPUBLICAN WHO SAID HELP US WE ARE TRYING TO GET MORE -- >> GET OUT.

HOW CAN YOU NOT WANT TO PLAY IDENTITY POLITICS WHO YOUR PRESIDENT THAT YOU'VE ELECTED.

WHO ARE YOU COVERING UP FOR?

AND STICKING BY WITH.

GIVE ME A BREAK.

NO IDENTITY POLITICS?

MAYBE 15 YEARS AGO.

>> ARE THEY GOING TO LIKE HIM IN NOVEMBER.

THE SIGNS ARE POINTING TO KNOW.

>> I THINK YOU WILL BE SURPRISED.

>> YOU THINK THERE WILL NOT BE MUCH DEMOCRATIC BY WAY OF DEMOCRATIC PICKUPS.

>> THERE WILL BE SOME.

IT ALWAYS HAPPENS.

THE FIRST MIDTERM AFTER A PRESIDENTIAL SHIFT.

WE'LL SEE.

BUT I DON'T THINK THE BLUE WAVE IS GOING TO BE AS BIG AS THEY SAY.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> WELL, THE POLLS ARE IT WILL BE HARD TO OVERCOME WHAT THE POLLS ARE SHOWING AND THE PRESIDENT HAS -- >> BUT THE ACTION THE MOMENTUM HAS TO BE MAINTAINED OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

>> AND I AGREE.

IN THE FIRST ELECTION AFTER PRESIDENT IS ELECTED, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME PARTY NOT IN POWER IS GOING TO SUFFER.

BUT, LOOK, USUALLY IT'S NOT THAT YOU WILL TAKEOVER A WHOLE HOUSE.

AND THAT IS WHAT IS BEING PREDICTED NOW.

OVER A HOUSE AND MAYBE A SECOND HOUSE THERE IS A BIG BACKLASH AGAINST THIS PRESIDENT YOU REPUBLICANS SHOULD THAT UNDERESTIMATE IT.

>> AND WE NEED UNITY WITH WOMEN.

THERE IS A FEELING THAT COASTAL WOMEN DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE AVERAGE AMERICAN WOMAN LIVING IN MISSOURI OUR LIVES ARE SO DIFFERENT WHAT WE ARE IN THE STREETS FOR IS JUST SO DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THEY NEED EVERYDAY.

WE NEED A MOMENT OF UNIFICATION WHERE WOMEN COME TOGETHER AND SAY I DO NOT CARE WHAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN AGREE ON AND THE BIPARTISAN, THE POLARIZATION, IT'S CONTRIBUTED TO A POINT WHERE SURE WE'VE SEEN THE MOVEMENTS THE WOMEN'S MARCH BUT IF THAT DOES NOT TRANSLATE TO ACTION AT THE POLLS, THEN IT'S ALL FOR NOT.

>> BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS -- >> BUT IT IS.

>> THERE ARE THINGS THAT DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN WOMEN CANNOT AGREE ON, FIRST ABORTION RIGHTS.

THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY PROGRESS THERE.

AND EVEN FUNDING STUFF LIKE THE INDEPENDENT WOMEN'S FORUM WHO'S EMPLOYEES WE HAVE ON ALL THE TIME INCLUDING THE HEAD OF THE FORUM, CARRIE LUCAS, THEY WANT TO ALLOW WOMEN TO TAKE FAMILY AND MEN, MEDICAL LEAVE PAID WHEN THEY ARE YOUNG AND TAKE IT OUT OF THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY MONEY SO WHEN THEY GET OLD THEY HAVE LESS TO LIVE ON.

I DON'T THINK THAT IS A PLAN THAT WOULD BE EMBRACED BY THE DEMOCRATS.

>> WHY CAN'T WE GET TOGETHER ON FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE?

WHY SHOULD THAT SPLIT US?

AND YET, IT DOES.

>> BUT THERE'S PAID PARENTAL LEAVE WHICH IS BECOMING A BIPARTISAN ISSUE GAINING CONSENSUS FROM BOTH SIDES BECAUSE THERE ARE CREATIVE WAYS TO GO ABOUT IT.

I WAS PART OF AN EFFORT TALKING TO LEGISLATORS HOW WE CAN CREATE INCENTIVES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES TO OFFER THAT.

I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE CONSENSUS ON SOME OF THE MAJOR ISSUES AND I HOPE THEY ARE LIKE PAID PARENTAL LEAVE BECAUSE THEY AFFECT ALL OF US.

>> DO YOU THINK THAT WILL ONLY HAPPEN IF MODERATE REPUBLICANS ARE ELECTED TO CONGRESS?

>> I THINK MANY WILL BE.

I THINK THERE IS A MOVEMENT THAT IS GIVING POWER TO THE CENTER.

MODERATES.

>> HOW DO THEY GET THROUGH THE PRIMARIES?

>> THAT IS WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON.

I TELL YOU SOMETHING BIGGER.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE MODERATE.

IT CAN BE CONSERVATIVE WOMEN.

YOU PUT WOMEN IN A ROOM TOGETHER OF ALL STRIPES AND THEY WILL FIND CONSENSUS.

IT'S SOMETHING WE DO.

AND SWANY HUNT DID A STU STUDY THAT TALKED ABOUT HOW OUR BRAINS ARE WIRED TO BE PEACEMAKERS AND MEN'S AREN'T.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT.

>> YOU ALL GIVE ON ABORTION?

WILL YOU -- >> THEY WILL FIND COMMON GROUND.

>> WE DON'T NEED TO GIVE ON ISSUES LIKE THAT.

>> THEY WILL FIND COMMON GROUND BECAUSE THEY WILL TRUST THE WOMEN.

BUT YOU PUT WOMEN IN A ROOM AND YOU SWEAR TO GOD YOU WILL FIND SOLUTIONS.

JUST ELECT US.

>> I THINK THEY CAN FIND SOLUTIONS TO THINGS LIKE DEFENSE SPENDING, AND SOME OF THE MORE MALE PARTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

>> I'VE SEEN WOMEN AND MEN SIT IN COMMON GROUND SESSIONS THAT ARE STRUCTURED TO TALK ABOUT IT.

AND COME OUT NORMALLY SHOOT AT EACH OTHER OUTSIDE THE ROOM, FIND COMMON GROUND SOLUTIONS THAT THEY CAN WORK ON LEGISLATIVELY AT THE STATE LEVEL.

IT CAN HAPPEN.

>> POLITICALLY, DO YOU THINK WOMEN HAVE COME AS FAR AS THEY SHOULD HAVE SINCE THE SECOND WAVE?

>> NOT IN AMERICA.

NOT IN AMERICA.

AMERICA IS STILL RANKED 75TH AROUND THE WORLD.

AND AS SOON AS MORE WOMEN -- >> TERMS OF WOMEN ELECTED.

>> ELECTED WOMEN, RIGHT.

ELECTED POSITIONS.

BUT I FEEL LIKE IF WE JUST GET THE MEN OUT OF THE WAY, AND LET WOMEN START FORMULATING POLICY ON OUR HEALTH AND LIVES WE WILL GET A LONG WAY JUST STARTING THERE.

>> WE KNOW WOMEN'S HEALTH POLICY CHANGED WHEN WOMEN GOT TO THE TABLE.

AROUND THE WORLD THEY HAVE QUOTAINGS AND FORCE WOMEN INTOER THOSE POSITIONS AND I HAVE A HEARD AND I'VE BEEN TO 66 COUNTRIES AND WHAT THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT IS THE MEN ELECT THEIR CLONES AND SO THE WOMEN'S REPRESENTATION DOES NOT CHANGE THINGS.

SO HAVING QUOTAS IS NOT THE WAY TO GO.

>> THEY ELECT MORE CONSERVATIVE WOMEN.

>> THEY ELECT WOMEN WHO THEY HAVE MANIPULATED BY THEIR HUSBANDS AND BROTHERS AND THAT THE WORST WE COULD HOPE FOR.

>> LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK?

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @BONNIEERBE @BONNIEERBE.

FROM WOMEN IN POLITICS TO MUSLIM WOMEN WORKING.

BEHIND THE HEADLINES: AN ECONOMIC REVOLUTION ACROSS THE MUSLIM WORLD WITH MILLIONS OF ISLAMIC WOMEN JOINING THE WORKFORCE.

IN FIFTY MILLION RISING, SAADIA ZAHIDI SAYS THIS PHENOMENON IS ALREADY HAVING AN IMPACT ON WOMEN AND FAMILIES.

>> THE MOVEMENT OF WOMEN WHO DO NOT SEE THE HEAD SCARF OR CLOTHING AS ANY KIND OF BARRIER TO GOING OUT AND ABOUT, AND LIVING THEIR LIVES WHETHER IT IS IN A UNIVERSITY OR IN A SCHOOL OR OUT IN A WORKFORCE OR IN AN OFFICE OR BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR.

>> SAADIA ZAHIDI FOUNDER OF THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM'S GENDER GAP REPORT SAYS YEARS OF INVESTING IN EDUCATING GIRLS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD IS NOW STARTING TO PAY OFF.

>> WE'RE VERY, VERY, VERY SLOW RATES OF PROGRESS AND THEN THE SPIKE BY ALMOST 50% IN THE LAST 15 YEARS.

AND THAT IS WHAT IS LEADING TO THE SHIFT WHERE THERE IS THIS NEW FEMALE WORKFORCE AND THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE ADULT WOMEN IN THE MUSLIM WORLD ARE STARTING TO WORK.

THAT IS THE CHANGE THAT HAS YET TO COME.

>> THE NUMBER OF WORKING MUSLIM WOMEN WORLDWIDE JUMPED FROM 100 MILLION TO 150 MILLION REACHING CRITICAL MASS.

>> WE TIMELY HIT THAT MAGIC NUMBER OF 30% THAT ARE WORKING OUTSIDE THE HOME.

NOW, THAT TENDS TO BE IN A LOT OF THE LITERATURE ON DIVERSITY, IT TENDS TO BE THE NUMBER AFTER WHICH THE MINORITY IS NOT SUCH A SMALL MINORITY ANYMORE.

>> AND WITH THAT COMES CERTAIN BENEFITS.

>> I SPENT TIME INTERVIEWING WOMEN ACROSS THE INCOME SPECTRUM AND THE EDUCATION SPECTRUM WHO STARTED WORKING AND HEARING FROM THEM THE NEW-FOUND RESPECT THAT THEY NOW HAVE IN THEIR HOMES, THE NEW FOUND SENSE OF ADVENTURE, THE SENSE OF OPTIMISM AND VALUE FOR THEMSELVES THAT THEY NOW HAVE, THAT PART IS CRITICAL.

A SECOND ASPECT IS WHAT THAT IS DOING IN TERMS OF INCOMES FOR FAMILIES AND THEN OVERALL ADDING TO THE GROWTH IN THE ECONOMIES.

>> SAADIA ZAHIDI SAYS SOME OF THE WOMEN BREAK STEREOTYPES WITH THEIR OWN TECH START-UPS.

>> THE IMAGE OF A TECH ENTREPRENEUR IN SILICON VALLEY IS PROBABLY A MAN IN A HOODY WORKING IN A BASEMENT SOMEWHERE, RIGHT?

OR ELSEWHERE.

AND FOR ME, THE IMAGE WALKING AWAY FROM A LOT OF THESE INTERVIEWS WAS A WOMAN IN A HIJAB WHO IS A TECH ENTREPRENEUR USING HER KNOWLEDGE OF STEM AND DIGITAL SKILLS TO SOLVE A LOCAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

>> AND OFFERED TWO EXAMPLES.

>> THERE IS A WOMAN SAMERA HIJAB IN CAIRO, AND SHE HAS SETUP THIS RIDESHARING PLATFORM.

AND I WANT A RIDESHARING PLATFORM THAT WILL GET ME SAFELY TO MY WORKPLACE, AVOIDING THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT ISSUES AND ANOTHER WOMAN JAJING LESTARRY IN INDONESIA AND SHE SETUP A PLATFORM FOR MODEST CLOTHING AND MODEST MAKEUP.

HIJABS AND FASHION AND CLOTHING WHERE HER GENERATION WANTS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE MODEST CLOTHING BUT DOES NOT WANT TO HAVE IT IN THE SAME SORT OF ALMOST OLD-FASHIONED WAY THAT THEY FEEL THEIR MOTHERS WERE WEAR TO GO.

>> SAADIA ZAHIDI HAS SPOKEN WITH MANY MEN WHO SEE VALUE IN WOMEN WORKING OUTSIDE THE HOME.

SHE REALIZES SOME PUSHBACK IS INEVITABLE IF BUT FOR NOW THE TREND SET THE BAR FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

EMPOWERING WOMEN AND ENTIRING THEM TO EDUCATE THEIR DAUGHTERS.

>> THEIR MOTHERS NEVER HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY OUTSIDE THE HOME.

AND THEY WERE JUST TESTING THE WATERS OF WHAT WAS POSSIBLE WHILE COMBINING IT LARGELY WITH THEIR FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES.

BUT WHAT THEY WERE PLANNING TO DO IS INVEST DIFFERENTLY IN THEIR OWN DAUGHTERS AND TO INSURE FROM DAY ONE THEIR DAUGHTERS HAD A ROLE MODEL OF A WORKING MOTHER AND AT THE SAME TIME HAD MUCH MORE AMBITION OR GREATER ASPIRATIONS THAN THEY EVER DID FOR THEMSELVES.

>> DO YOU THINK THE WORLD HAS RECOGNIZED THIS TREND YET AND GIVEN MORE CREDENCE TO THE MIDDLE CLASS MUSLIM WOMEN WHO HAVE MONEY AND WHO HAVE CAREERS?

>> NO, THEY HAVEN'T.

I THINK PEOPLE REALLY LIKE TO -- AND I HAVE A PROBLEM -- I KNOW THIS WOMAN IS AMAZING I'VE INTERVIEWED HER AND I RESPECT HER WORK BUT MUSLIM WOMEN ARE NOT A MONOLITH.

EMPOWERING THE MUSLIM WORLD OR LIFTING THE VEIL.

WHO ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

THERE IS 1.6 BILLION MUSLIMS IN THE WORLD.

THE BOOK IS GREAT AND IT FOCUSES ON PAKISTAN WHERE SHE WAS RAISED AND IN SAUDI ARABIA.

THOSE ARE SOME OF THE MOST EXTREME AND STILL VERY CLOSED OFF MUSLIM COUNTRIES.

AND YOU LOOK AT BANGLADESH, ONCE WE LET WOMEN INTO THE ECONOMY, I MEAN IT STARTED HAPPENING IN THE EARLY TO MID-80s, COMPLETELY REVOLUTIONIZED OUR ECONOMY.

WE HAD WOMEN IN CHEAP LABOR FORCE IN GARMENTS AND LEADING THE WAY FOR THE SUCCESS OF MICRO FINANCE BECAUSE THE PAY OUT RATE WAS 90-95%.

IT'S GREAT BUT IT'S BEEN HAPPENING.

>> AND SHE SAID IN THE INTERVIEW SHE SAID A WOMAN IN A HIJAB.

NOW, WOULD THAT APPLY TO A WOMAN IN A NIKAB, THE BLACK DRESS OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT GOES TO THE GROUND AND COVERS EVERYTHING.

I SAW ONE WOMAN IN WASHINGTON WEARING THAT AND I WAS A BIT TAKEN ABACK.

>> IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THAT BRINGS OUT A WHOLE DIFFERENT SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM.

EVERYBODY IN THE MUD WORLD IS NOT COVERED UP TO TOE AND THEY ARE IN SAUDI ARABIA WHERE YOU WILL SEE THAT.

THEY HAVE WOMEN ONLY WORKFORCES AND WOMEN ONLY UNIVERSITIES.

>> IN THE POORER COUNTRIES, I KNOW THAT SAUDI ARABIA AND QATAR AND THOSE THEY HAVE A RICH CLASS OF WOMEN WHO DRESS WESTERN.

BUT EVERYBODY ELSE IS WEARING A NIKAB.

>> IT'S THE DIVERSITY IS SO RICH IN THE MUSLIM WORLD IT'S DIFFICULT TO NARROW IT DOWN THE WAY I FEEL LIKE SHE IS TRYING TO DO.

YOU NEED TO STIPULATE WHAT COUNTRIES YOU ARE LOOKING AT.

AND I KEEP BRINGING UP BANGLADESH WE HAVE HAD 30 YEARS OF FEMALE LEADERSHIP AND WE HAVE A PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM.

THE PRIME MINISTER NOW IS A WOMAN AND BEFORE HER IT WAS A WOMAN AND BEFORE HER IT WAS A WOMAN.

EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE SAME WOMAN.

WE HAVE BEEN IN POWER BUT IN VARYING DEGREES AROUND THE WORLD.

>> MY FAMILY IS IN BOMBAY AND IT'S LIKE THE NEW YORK OF INDIA.

I AM NOT A PRACTICING MUSLIM.

I FEEL IT'S INTERESTING IN INDIA BECAUSE IT'S PROGRESSIVE IN THE URBAN AREAS BUT WHEN I PULLBACK I HAVE A UNIQUE TAKE BEING PART OF I AM A MUSLIM ALLY MY HUSBAND AND I ARE VERY, VERY CLOSE WITH FIRST GENERATION PAKISTANI AMERICANS AND WE ARE FIRST GENERATION OF KIDS OF INDIAN IMMIGRANTSES AND WHEN WE PULLBACK AND LOOK AT IT, YOU CANNOT PAINT WITH A BROAD BRUSH.

BUT THE ONE THING WE SEE OVER AND OTHER R OVER IS EDUCATION.

EDUCATION CHANGES EVERYTHING.

AND BANGLADESHI WOMEN MY HATS OFF TO EVERY BANGLADESHI WOMAN I KNOW.

PUSHING THEIR DAUGHTERS TOWARDS MORE EDUCATION AND I'VE SEEN THAT TO BE THE GAME CHANGER.

GROW GROWING UP ONE OF MY IDOLS WAS BATAR OF PAKISTAN.

>> PAKISTAN IS WHERE THE GREAT VERY INFLUENTIAL GUY WHO WAS BEHIND THE BOMBING OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.

>> BIN LADEN.

>> BIN LADEN LIVED.

IT'S ALSO WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SHOT -- THE YOUNG WOMAN.

>> THE TALIBAN.

>> AND SO THE TALIBAN TRAINING CAMPS.

ISIS TRAINING CAMPS.

HOW IS IT THAT WOMEN ARE ADVANCING THERE AND THIS STUFF IS STILL GOING ON?

>> IT AFFECTS THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT.

THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN HAS SPILLED INTO PAKISTAN.

THIS WAR HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 16, 17 YEARS AND AFGHANISTAN IS CARVED OUT OF PAKISTAN.

AND A LOT OF POLITICIANS THINK THAT PAKISTAN WAS PLAYING BOTH SIDES AND IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO NOT KNOW THAT BIN LADEN WAS THERE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME TAKING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS MILITARY AND U.S. FINANCIAL AID.

>> ELEANOR, QUICKLY NOW, HOW IS IT THAT PAKISTAN COULD HAVE WOMEN ADVANCING SO MUCH WHILE BEING THE HEADQUARTERS FOR THE A LOT OF TERRORIST GROUPS?

>> WELL, I DO THINK THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TERRORISM THAT HAS GNE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY AND I SEE THE PROGRESS OF WOMEN I CANNOT HELP RELATE IT TO I.T.

AND THE FACT THAT YOU DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE TO BE IN THE WORKPLACE AS IT WAS ONCE KNOWN.

AND THAT THAT CAN FREE WOMEN TO DO THINGS THAT THEY COULD NOT OTHERWISE DO.

>> THAT IS IT FOR THIS EDITION.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE, PBS.ORG/TOTHECONTRARY AND WHETHER YOU AGREE OR THINK TO THE CONTRARY.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.