Repeatedly, Muslim women have defied the stereotypes and proven that modest dress is their choice and a right they are fighting for from their governments, their societies, and yes, even from their husbands. Many of the women who cover the most are actually converts to Islam; Anglo-European women who have embraced the principles of modesty in the form of covering. In a recent article published by The Times Online UK, five female converts who were interviewed decided to adopt the hijab as a matter of choice. Despite being very vocal about their choices, the media and the politicians continue to ignore them and propose legislation to protect them from their own decisions. They are based on widely held misconceptions that Islam is inherently oppressive to women.
A significant portion of Europeans support some type of ban and cannot understand why a woman would ever choose to cover herself. It is likely they see the practice as something foreign, backwards, and forcibly imposed, however for me and many other Western Niqabis (women who wear the niqab), this could not be further from the truth.
Legislation banning the full face veil is presented under the auspice of protecting Muslim women, and that the burqa, as a symbol of oppression, should be banned in order for Muslim women to be liberated. The legislation, if taken at face value, may appear to protect Muslim women, but in fact it is ignoring the fundamental question of why women cover. For me this comes down to the freedom of choice.
I was born in Tennessee to Egyptian immigrant parents and have never lived outside of the United States. I entered college at 15 with the full support and encouragement of my Muslim father. At 22 I completed my Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, one of the top engineering universities in the world.
After a stint in the corporate world, in which I experienced firsthand sexual harassment and intimidation, I left to discover my spirituality, my femininity and my true self-worth. As a result I started to wear the niqab. I began to choose jobs that allowed me to work on my terms rather than in an environment that compromised my values.
I daresay there are few women in the West who don’t question their image, or have concerns about their weight, body measurements, skin texture and colouring. A woman’s body can easily become a commodity, either for her own vanity or someone else’s objectification. These are societal pressures that are put on women, but the majority of women really seek security, respect, love, and commitment.
I have found that modesty and Islamic dress, for me, gives a woman that sense of value, control, and security. Wearing a full face veil for the first time gave me an unexpected self confidence because I no longer cared what others thought of me, only how I thought of myself. For a Muslim woman who covers, her sexuality is under her control and expressed in the confines of her marriage in an atmosphere of commitment and respect. In this way modesty has for me and many others become a liberator and a source of empowerment.
This is not being recognized by the policy makers shaping proposed legislation, in fact, in their attempt to protect women, some European countries are taking away the freedom of choice they claim to promote. Legislators need to confer with the range of Muslim women in an attempt to understand the reasons behind the choice to wear the niqab. This will ensure that diversity is embraced rather than outlawed.
We must move forward into a new discourse that is neither gender or religiously exclusive. If proposed legislation is based on the grounds of protecting the rights of Muslim women, their voices must be a vital part of the debate. The current debates have, in part, lost sight of the real issues: a woman’s right to have a say and a freedom of choice.
Hebah Ahmed lives in the US with her husband and two children. She works to dispel the myths about Islam and Women through community presentations, is an Associate writer of MuslimMatters.org and heads Daughterz or Eve, a Muslim girls youth group in the US.
I really have to agree here. Banning a form of dress should only be considered if it is hurtful to other people. Neither the burqa or the niqab offends any more than traditional western clothing. Leaving this decision up to individual women would seem to be the most logical option. I truly believe the author hits the nail on the head with: “We must move forward into a new discourse that is neither gender or religiously exclusive.”
Is it not easier to objectify somebody who looks like an object (specifically, a tent) rather than a human? Changing one’s dress to accommodate men seems like a sign of weakness rather than strength. Most men in this country are not animals who cannot control themselves in the presence of a woman’s face. Covering one’s face in the US is ultimately shutting oneself off from the community. As long as safety is not being compromised (which is a real issue here) then I think it should be a woman’s right to wear what she wants, but it is also my right to think it is unnecessary, if not ridiculous.
I think you nailed it on the head with the last line: it all comes down to choice, something that even in the US society has trouble giving women.
My guess is that some people crusading for the face-covering ban are doing it out of pure hatred and anti-Muslim sentiment but others think they’re helping women who have no choice but to be covered. I’ve always had a troubled relationship with the dialogue surrounding all forms of head-covering. I am an ardent believer in choice in all parts of life but at the same time I worry because I know that in some situations (I wouldn’t hazard a guess as to what percentage) it is coerced either directly though laws or indirectly through cultural norms. I think in general though it’s a strawman argument, talking about the burqa is ignoring what we really need to be having a discussion about: women’s empowerment(and multiculturalism). Let’s stop focusing on these surface issues, because if a women is truly being coerced to cover her head then we have far deeper problems that legislation won’t solve.
Zee, I think you nailed it on the head. “What we really need to be having a discussion about: women’s empowerment and multiculturism.” So often the real issues are ignored in favor of what’s more dramatic or easier to have a black/white argument over.
It’s a complex issue I covered in my French class this past semester.
Americans very well see it as ‘oppresive’, but from a French perspective having ‘ostentatious’ religious symbols – cross necklaces, veils, yamaka – is ‘oppressive’. Their freedom is considered to be FROM religion in public places. Our freedom is considered to be FOR religious expression in public places. It doesn’t take much imagination to understand this if you look at France’s history, the country experienced tireless religious war – mostly between protestants and catholics – from the 1400 to the 1700s – that was extremely bloody and often linked to maintaining the incumbent monarchy (e.g. Saint Barthelomew’s Massacre; Revocation of the Edict of Nantes).
However, none of this context will help the French National Assembly draft a law prohibiting the veil that will not be under intense scrutiny from Europe’s Council on Human Rights. It doesn’t seem to me from what I read that the French have yet figured out a law that will pass Europe’s Human Rights standards. But, they are working on it. It will be interesting to see what happens.
It’s also worth noting that France has done a terrible job at integrating its legal immigrants. Many and most of the unemployment rate can be attributed to 2nd and 3rd generation immigrants – mostly from Northern & Western Africa. This probably has to do with France’s extremely rigid labor market. And, it’s exacerbated by feelings of classism and elitism that seem to exist in French society, which is often expressed as ‘true french’, read ‘white french’. Is the increase in xenophobia in France a result of all these factors; or have all these factors helped to create a sentiment of xenophobia? In any case, all this does not bode well for France. And, it’s unfortunate to see from my perspective as a lover of France and French culture and language how unenlightened France has become on social issues. I used to dream of living in France, but now it is not so appealing.
In America, since the beginning of The War On Terror I have noticed young Muslim women are covering their heads. This seems to be a trend even when the young women are from moderate families. I take this as a sign of them claiming their culture in a time of war. It can even be seen as a form of protest.
I think women cover for all different reasons. Sometimes they have no choice and sometimes they do.
As a moderate Muslim woman I do not believe in veiling or the burqa/hijab etc. I was quick to judge it in the past.
But now I don’t. I’ve seen it be used as a sign of pride.
I find this conversation very interesting. And I agree with everyone that the real discussion should be about women having the power to choose. The veil is a symbol – traditionally used by men to control/protect women and today it’s a symbol that women use in modern societies.