Like many Western women, I've always believed that the Muslim hijab is nothing more than a symbol of oppression of women. To be fair, though, I decided to do a little research and was surprised by what I found.
In some cultures, veiling women is an oppressive part of tribalism, and that I do not agree with. However, Muslim women living in the West apparently often choose the hijab for religious reasons. They wear it as a sign of modesty before God and in an effort to avoid being seen as sex objects by men. However, that very obvious sign of Muslim faith has led to a lot of undeserved harrassment of Muslim women, particularly by Westerners who wrongly accuse them of terrorism.
So, particularly women of Christian or Jewish faiths, both of which have traditions of headcovering for women, would you be willing to wear a headscarf as a sign of solidarity with Muslim women who suffer ill-treatment for their faith?
I don't know if I would, but I'd like to know what you think.
2007-08-29
08:18:09
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23 answers
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asked by
nardhelain
5
in
Religion & Spirituality