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A retort - Muslim in
America
Here’s a response I received to
my last entry about hijabs and burqas: muslim in america Hello, I’m really surprised that you
believe I’ve no identity because of my headscarf. Is it anytime someone dons
something on their head? Or only when it’s an expression of faith? Why does a
woman’s expression of faith erase her? Are nuns devoid of individuality, do you
think? Anyway, this hijab as invisibility cloak is foreign to me because
although I recognize that it has symbolism and carries meaning, it really is
just clothing. Also, sometimes hijab is worn for
cultural reasons. So, in our society, people who follow the cultural norm… are
erased? I think instead of viewing us
from afar, you should talk to these women you are seeing. You’ll find that
we’re just like anybody else. In fact, you seem to be unaware of a whole world
of women, strong, vibrant women… who also happen to wear a scarf or a veil. Men *do* hijab, it’s just a
little different. Muslim men are required to dress and behave modestly, and
many maintain beards (some say it’s necessary for a man to have a beard, some
say it’s optional.) So Muslim men have similar requirements to us. I don’t know any women who wear
burqa, but I know women who wear niqaab (face veil), and none of them are
forced. They all wanted this for themselves and are quite happy with it. How is it brainwashing that I
cover up in summer? Yes, it’s hot, but it’s hot for everybody, even those in
tank tops and shorts. I’ve experienced summer both ways (I, too, began covering
as an adult) and actually, I’d rather be all covered up in the sun. You could
argue that just about anything we humans do is brainwashing then. No, it’s not
brainwashing. It’s opinion, it’s a choice. How very egalitarian of you to
tell all women that the only good opinion, the only good choice is yours. Well,
I’m a woman, too. I’m a feminist, too. And I’ve arrived at a different
conclusion from yours. There is nothing negative or anti-woman about my life!
We can follow different paths in our lives and still be woman-identified. The thing that makes me
laugh about this response is that it came from an
anonymous female identifying herself as “Muslim in America” with a
fake email address. What a coward! If being a muslim is
something she is so proud of it, you’d think she would have at least left her
first name. I don’t buy her arguments.
In fact, I think she doth protest too much. I also find this quote very
amusing. How very egalitarian of you to
tell all women that the only good opinion, the only good choice is yours. I guess the next question I have
to ask is if she feels it is her choice to wear the hijab or the burqa,
then how does she feel about countries where it is required to wear a
burqa? Just for women though, of course. Women have to hide
themselves because they can’t tempt men. How egalitarian is THAT?
In these countries the Islamic way forces all women to cover themselves from
head to toe in public and apparently the onus is on women to make sure men
aren’t overly sexed up. How is it that a woman is responsible for making
sure men don’t look at them? I’m pretty sure men are capable of looking
away if they are uncomfortable or learning to control themselves might be a
good idea. Seriously — it’s ridiculous. I find it interesting that women
who live in a country where there is a majority of muslims are terribly treated
and horribly oppressed. You can say that Islam is a religion of peace,
but if that is true then why are they so horrible to the women in their own
culture? The men can divorce their wife just by saying a few
sentences but the wife can’t divorce her husband unless the husband
consents? HOW EGALITARIAN IS THAT?
Hmmmmm? Oh, and the husband can have up
to 4 wives in some countries that controlled by muslims. Can the wives
have more than one husband? No, of course not. The women are often
forced to marry as well. If I was one of the women in a
muslim country who had to endure such horrible treatment, I think I would be
very saddened to see muslim women in Western culture willingly putting on a hijab
or a burqa. It would feel like a slap in the fact to see these women
wearing these coverings when they have become unwilling victims because of
their muslim faith. http://fantasticalicious.wordpress.com/2008/07/22/a-retort/ |
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I am a Muslim woman who wears hijab AND I’m a
feminist. And here’s more surprising news: I’m far from the only one!