Veiling Muslim Women

The main topic of this text is the veil in North African and Middle-Eastern regions. Western people and Middle-Eastern people do not share the same opinion about its use, while the occidental region considers it as a simple cloth, sometimes it is even considered as humiliating, the Middle-Eastern region gives an important value to it due to its religious and historical significance. Many authors from different countries debated about the pros and cons of wearing

There has been debates about whether the Islamic face veil should be banned in countries. The arguments that governments of countries that have banned the Muslim face veil (France, Syria, Netherlands, Spain, and Belgium) argue that the full-face veil is oppressive, degrading towards women, and goes against values of each country. However, many Muslim women believe otherwise and strongly disagree with the banning of the veil. I strongly believe that the Islamic face veil should not be banned because it is a complete violation of religious and expressive freedom and forces them to conform to an alternative culture.

Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis introduces the Islamic veil as an attempt by the Iranian government to control women. Islamic radicals promised safety and security for those who abided by their rules. Rebels who refused to wear the headscarf were threatened with beating, rape or death. These modern women who fought against religious oppression met the minimal requirements of the government rules to safely live in the hostile environment. Through being forced to wear the veil, the control of the Islamic government drives its people to a rebellion.

One of the most controversial topics concerning Muslim women’s rights is the idea of the veil. It is believed by some Muslims that the veil is an Islamic obligation that all Muslim women must adhere to. But nowadays, the veil can have different meanings that are not necessarily religious. In her article “Reinventing the Veil,” Leila Ahmed addresses some of the different meanings that the veil can have. Marjane Satrapi explores one of those meanings in her animated autobiography Persepolis (2008). In Persepolis, Marjane tells the story of her rebellion against the Iranian Islamist regime that takes over Iran, oppresses women, and forces them to wear the veil. What was interesting to me was seeing Marjane wear the veil without being oppressed, although she does not believe in it, and is being forced to wear it. In Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi escapes being a subject to the Iranian Islamist ideology by establishing her individual identity through transforming the veil from a means of oppression into a means of feminist rebellion.

Abayas, shailas, burkas, and chadors: all are forms of veiling in the Middle East, and all are perceived as symbols of oppression and patriarchy by the West. The veil worn by a Middle Eastern woman is striking and beautiful in its simplicity and elegance. The hijab, the most common form of veiling, leaves only the face visible with the neck and hair completely covered. Onlookers are in awe at the mystery and symbolism associated with the many veils created out of fine, exotic silk. But such notions of oppression and patriarchy often associated with veiling are not only inherently biased and ironic – it would be interesting to explore the symbolism behind a mini-skirt or a pair of five-inch heels, no? – but they are also inaccurate. Although veiling has most definitely been used in the Middle East as a “mechanism in the service of patriarchy, a means of regulating and controlling women’s lives” (Hoodfar, 5), it has also been used as a mode for rebellion and self-expression. Marjane Satrapi, an Iranian woman who grew up during the Islamic revolution, resisted the regime and the universalizing nature of the veil in the hope that she could maintain her individual identity whilst communicating her political ideologies. By examining the way in which the veil is represented in Satrapi’s graphic memoir, Persepolis, while also considering the history of veiling in Iran, it will become evident that the veil is not just a political tool used by male chauvinists; it also presents an

Muslim women living in North America and Europe often face scrutiny over their choice to wear the veil, even though many Western people do not fully understand the practice.

The specific topic of this book is the oppression of women. Its overall purpose is to understand the women behind the veils and why the Muslim women take up the hijab. The purpose is also to show how

Abu Lugod argued that in order to move past this separation, we must: “First, we need to work against the reductive interpretation of veiling as the quintessential sign of women's unfreedom. Second, we must take care not to reduce the diverse situations and attitudes of millions of Muslim women to a single item of clothing.” (2002:786). As a result, creating a better understanding and better terminology of the “east” will allow feminists in these different social locations to communicate and to create a better strategy to move beyond the basic and into the complicated nature of feminism around the world.

Living behind the veil may be all the women of Saudi Arabia know, some may be comfortable with it, others afraid of the consequences they will face for not wearing it. Either way they do not have much of a choice since they are constantly chaperoned around by a male guardian know as a “mahram”, according to theweek.co.uk 4 “The guardian is often a male relative and will accompany women on all their errands, including trips and visits to the doctor”. Can you imagine having to go

politicians continue to make baseless links between terrorism and Muslim women's dress” . Through these statements the audience becomes aware of hardships faced and is persuaded to support them, illustrated in “Anyone who is actually concerned about the role and status of Muslim women would do will to listen to Muslim women rather than assume they can speak on their behalf”. Through this statements Ruby Hamad’s article helps to increase the awareness of adversities faced by Muslim women, as creates a positive and supportive view of the Muslim

The hijab is a traditional headdress worn by Muslim women, and to a lesser extent, Muslim men, based on Qur 'anic interpretations relating to modesty. Since religious mandates are rarely enforced in modern society, especially in Western nations, the persistent practice of wearing veils by Muslim women has received increasing scrutiny from government agencies and certain feminist groups . A common misconception stems from the belief that hijabs are used as a tool of oppression against Muslim women. However, many Muslim feminists have defended the practice as willful self-expression of identity, while stating systematic censorship is the real agent of oppression. Ultimately despite the vocal objections of certain political and feminist groups, the hijab represents far more than the religious implication. It is the embodiment of Muslim women’s right to self-determination and should only serve the interests of the individual wearer.

In Britain September 2013, Home Office Minister Jeremy Browne called for a national debate about Islamic veils in public places, such as schools. In 2014 The UK Independence Party (UKIP) came first in the European elections in Britain, winning 24 seats in Brussels. UKIP leader Nigel Farage has previously said that full veils are a symbol of an increasingly divided Britain, that they oppress women, and are a potential security threat.

Hijab. While this may seem like such a simple word over the course of history it has become such a complex issue for not only the Near East but western civilization as well. While the prevailing idea in the media is the idea of the Hijab as oppressive and a symbol of ‘otherness’ separating Muslim women who wear it from other woman of other cultures or specific countries. This idea is false with the hijab being more of a symbol of freedom for woman who choose to wear it and in no way separates them from the ‘mainstream’ culture and/or country that they reside in. This essay will describe the media’s view on those who wear the hijab while also exploring the history of this piece of fabric, from its Pre-Islamic roots to the more modern aspect

The wearing of a hijab or also known as a veil has lately become a problematic issue in numerous locations around the world, in particularly the Western part of the world. Hijab or veil is a headscarf that is regularly worn by Muslim women. Muslim women will wear a veil as a sign of favor to their faith. On the opposite side, others will wear it because they have no other choice from the pressure of their family members and religion. Individuals will even argue that the wearing of a hijab is a spiritual liberation. Other individuals will have a difference in opinion by saying that by wearing a hijab is an unjust to women, they believe that the wearing of a hijab is part of a Muslim system that brings women under command and control.

An individual’s identity can differ depending on several different physical and biological factors including sexuality, gender, age and class. Throughout Ruby Tabassum’s article entitled Listening to the Voices of Hijab, identity is related to gender in a number of ways. I have decided to discuss this specific article because the idea of how femininity is portrayed is a significant aspect of Canadian culture nowadays. I am also interested in focusing on how the identities of Muslim women are recognized in society and how individuals interpret the meaning behind wearing the hijab. Throughout this article, I have distinguished several different reasons for wearing