This is not meant to be racist...?

Question

I would like to know what your views are of women who wear the hejab (the veil to cover there whole face (not just the hair). I see a lot of women wera these in places like the Midlands and the North -West like ....Preston and Bolton.

Answer 1

Depends whether they're doing it out of choice or fear.

If that's their chosen religion, and they're happy with abide by the traditions, fine. No problems with that, would you put up with anyone dictating to you what you can or can't wear in public?

If they are forced into that style of dress, and afraid of the consequences of disobeying the rules of their community (I'm thinking for example of the "honour killings" by families that have been in the news again recently), then it's an abuse of their human rights and it should be stopped.

I'm hoping that it's mostly the former!

Answer 2

no matter what noone can tell me that women do this voluntarily.
There is no religious reason why women do this(the Koran makes no mention of women having to cover their hair and/or face) the only historical reference to this practice is that it is said(this is not certain) that the prophet Mohammed kept his women in a separate room behinde a veil. The answer most Muslim men give to this practice is that they do it to protect their women So that no other man could get sexual desires about them (I don't know whether this is more discriminating towards men or women!!!) I feel that we should all follow the Turks in this issu where the wearing of the hejab has been forbidden since 1920

Answer 3

the reliogen is muslim my friend weares a hejab and i repenct that im a muslim but i dont wear a hejab but i do when i pray every girl does.wemen wear the whole head to be seuore from many things like eyes of the men. but the whole head is always optinal but the hejab is not opittoinal thats why im still wroking on that im just a 12 but it's always better to start at that age but the hejab is also not a forse but better to wear in the religeon

Answer 4

Years ago I met a girl who was living in England away from her family who were still all in Iran where the Iran/Iraq war had begun. She wore western clothes and showed me photos of her sisters back home also wearing western clothes. However, by the time I met her, her sisters were only able to leave their homes if they were wearing full religious wear. Even nail varnish would result in public humiliation at the very least. This was not their choice. It was enforced by the regime which took over in their country.

I add this only to give the silent woman a voice. Many many wearers of such religious coverings are very happy and proud to do so and this should be upheld and supported where possible. However, there are women in countries all over the world who wear these garments in fear of retribution if they do not. They will not speak out and so we have no way of knowing if the women in our own country all wear this clothing happily or not.

Want to stress this is not a criticism of the wearing of such items, but a criticism of blanket rules which allow women no individuality and opinions and is borne of my knowledge of my friends family and their experiences.

Answer 5

I am offended by it, if the Muslim men covered up likewise I would not have such a problem with it, but one rule for one sex, and one rule for another strikes me as very unfair. Most of us grew up in an era of increased legislation for equal rights for women, and don't like seeing anything that suggests we are not equal. How is a woman's hair or face unfit to be viewed by the public when it is OK for a man? And I suspect a lot of women in the UK that wear this dress are not just doing it because they are brainwashed into submission, but they are actually trying to show their superiority - shoving their religion down our throats and calling unveiled women sluts by wearing them. No-one dressed like that could be accused of trying to integrate into western society.

Answer 6

I have the same views of these women, than those wearing scarves, make-up or mini-dresses. They are women dressing in a way that they like or prefer for reasons individually and deeply (or superficially) true for each of them. I only know them, and have a more comprehensive (!) view of them, when I take the time to know them.

Double Standards apply so easily when people are different from us: Clothes will not define people if the clothes are not too strange. But it will define those women who wear clothes more foreign to us. Why do we not allow all people to define them by their actions - which should surely (!) inform our views much more than a piece of linen!?

Answer 7

While I don't agree that any dress wear should be forced upon someone, with possibilities of punishment. That is wrong.

For alot of women who wear them it seems to be a personal choice, and from what I've read or personal views that have been aired, it seems to give them a sense of status. It is meant as a beautiful thing, yes not only to keep themselves for their husbands eyes only, but also for a sense of dignity, they don't feel they have to put their bodies on show to be ogled at, like we do. Looking at it from that point of view it means they are not merely seen as sex objects.

Answer 8

Actually it is racist cause muslim womens wear hijab so that no other men should look at them with lust..It means every man has lust running in his mind all the time so to cover herself shows that men are evil...In India girls used to never cover their heads until when the moghuls came and started raping the teenage girls and womens who were non muslims so they used to cover their face with the saree so that the muslims dont look at their beauty and rape them..But since its been since so long even now the village folks made it a tradition.

Answer 9

I don't know why you start of with a question of race, as it is indeed a matter of culture and perhaps religious belief. But anyway, when I see a lady dressed like that I do look at her and try to imagine how she manages to survive when it's hot. It's a normal and innocent curiosity, I have no assumptions about her life and cannot begin to imagine what it's like - so why should I have an uneducated opinion about her life, her freedom, what must she think of me?

Answer 10

I find it stupid. I respect that it's their religion, but do it in the country in which the religion in practiced. You never know who is under the large covered clothing. Some of the woman actually attempted to get their passport photos taken with that on! Are you kidding me, they are no more special than anyone else.