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The Feminism Of Muslim Americans Essay

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Despite many Muslim American women openly declaring that their choice to don a hijab is a celebration of their personal identity, some American feminists believe that hijabs embody Islamic oppression through forcing overly conservative fashion on women (Haddad 261-262). These feminists fail to understand the nuances of the mid-twentieth century Islamic revival, which occurred as a response to many Muslim-majority countries beginning to westernize through the adoption of western fashion and the consumption of alcohol. During the revival, many Muslim women throughout the world began to revert back to traditional Islamic customs, such as wearing a hijab. This open acceptance of religious tradition allowed these women to reaffirm their faith and have a constant reminder of how their personal identities align with their spiritual beliefs (Gomaa).
The American feminist critiques are rooted in the conception that Islam forces Muslim women to reject their own identity in order to adhere to religious beliefs. Muslim American college students responded to this anti-Islamic sentiment by stating that the feminist critiques “usually stem from a lack of cultural and religious exposure, beyond that of small Midwestern towns and Christianity… a lack of sufficient information maintains alienating stereotypes and misconceptions” (Cole 58). Through applying social pressures to Americanize, American feminists are continuing to conform to a social trend that has dominated the nation’s
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