Non-Muslim women: Would you wear a headscarf...?

Question

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.

Obviousman: Thank you; well said. I'm not sure I personally agree with that position, but I've seen testimony from Muslim women that does.

Jenna: Thank you for your answer. I think the issue is that Muslim hijab tends to be very recognizable, and it is easily distinguishable from the equally recognizable Amish or Mennonite bonnets. This has made Muslim women easily identifiable targets.

Gwen H: That's a very strong, honest answer. However, isn't part of feminism acknowledging the right of every woman to live as *she* sees fit, and not how anyone else (male OR female) thinks she should be forced to live?

Answer 1

I would have absolutely no problem wearing a headscarf. After 9/11 a bunch of female students at U of Michigan Dearborn did just that in solidarity with Muslim female students who were getting harassed. I've never seen it as a sign of oppression in and of itself.

Answer 2

I don't think that the hijab has anything to do with the harrassment of muslim women. If that were the case, wouldn't there be an equal amount of harrassment directed toward amish women?

No, I would not wear the hijab for your stated purpose. I wear a headcovering as a loving gesture of submission to my Lord (1 Corinthians 11), and for modesty. I would not change my reasons for covering, from an act of loving God to a societal issue. :o )

Answer 3

It is important to recognize that the vast majority of Muslims not only do not support terrorism, but compose the main victims of Islamist terrorism. Read any daily news report from Iraq. The casualties from terrorist attacks fall disproportionally upon Muslims. There is little wonder that moderate Muslims are hesitant to speak out against those who see it as a religious duty to carry out a fatwa against anyone they suspect of apostasy.

Muslims in free Western nations have yet to exhibit the courage of Muslims in, say, Iraq, who defy terrorists by voting in impressive majorities for democratic rule. Democracy stands in opposition to the traditional Muslim jihad for theocracy, which translates into military dictatorship by those who claim to speak for God.

Certainly Muslim women who wear hijab demonstrate a valuable modesty in Western culture that too often treats women as sex objects. But they also proclaim a solidarity with a religion that has historically proselytized via aggressive warfare. Too, militant adherents of an Islamist cult attacked the largest city and capital of the United States in 2001 with our own airliners, callously consigning innocent people as freight to deliver the airliners as bombs. Might we reasonably ask Muslims who seek the freedom and economic opportunity of the United States to show some solidarity with American ideals by adopting modest Western dress?

Answer 4

I really liked this question. As a Muslim I know that we have our fair shair of problems (i.e. Saudi Arabia oppressing women under the false guise of guided "Muslims"). But it is not all our fault. There is a HIGH unwarranted hatred towards Muslims in America, esp. those women brave enough to sport an outward beacon of faith (women in hijab, men in kufis etc). I have a high respect for those women/men who distinguish themselves from society for religious reasons despite the attacks they will face.

As a non-Muslim I would have high regards of you if you were to wear it (just occasionally at, say a Muslim event). But even more importantly I think we need to extinguish oppression in all forms; ranging from subjugation of women, to the unfair treatment of veiled women.

Peace.

Answer 5

If it was something like a day to protest prejudice against Muslims, I would do it. I have put on headscarves in order to protect my hair while I surf or to let my wet hair dry. (I swim three mornings a week.) I don't think a scarf by itself is oppressive at all. I do think the notion that a woman *has* to wear it and *has* to hide herself or she's considered a tramp is oppressive.

Then again, I'm Pagan anyway.

Answer 6

As a convert Muslim I have worn my hijab everyday after I took my Sharable! Being born and :raised in San Diego CA I wear my headscarves daily. I've been stared at by Muslims and non-Muslims I still hold my head up and live how I've learned

Answer 7

>They wear it as a sign of modesty before God and in an effort to avoid being seen as sex objects by men.

I would rather force Muslim women to unveil themselves. I appologise, for I mean no disrepect by it.

But I find it extremely disrespectful for a woman to veil herself in america or in any country where there has been feminist battles for equality.

Thousands of women have died in america for the simple right to exist in the last 400 years. MILLIONS were brutally murdered, burned, tortured and executed during the last inquisition.

They have to understand the impact on us and the anger it brings when we see such an incarnation of slavery on the head of a woman.

It's the same basic reason why Christians and Jewish women are technically supposed to hide their head too.

But we've learned that this is just an excuse. It is one of the basic forms of women control: constriction through clothing. Just back in the mid-70's, women who were rapped and not wearing a had or a veil sometimes saw their rapist excused because the judges (of a certain age) stated that proper women would have dressed more "appropriately" and avoided the situation.

Women will always be seen by men as sexual objects, it is a simple evolutionary fact. But, abuse is abuse and has nothing to do with basic "courtship". Rapists will rape weither there is a veil, a hat, a long dress or even a burka.

To those who say that there is less violence where women are more clothed, the U.N. and women groups accross the world can easily prove that it is quite the contrary.

Women who are brought to be hidden behind clothes or windows are the more abused of all women, it is simply that it is hidden and the "shame" and blame are put on the women's fault.

But it is impossible for women to protect themselves by simple garnments. Only methods of self-defense will help, physical self-defense.

There is also a strong link between clothing constriction and women's physical health, it was studied here (america) back in the early 20th century.

The women who are the most constricted by clothes are the ones who are physically weaker than they should and have poorer health. While women who were less concerned by clothing rules, were much stronger and lived longer.

Clothing is just one of the forms of control the mediterranean monotheist religions have been imposing on women for the last 2 000 years.

In america, women were forced into voting. It was only a minority of women who stood from tradition and demanded 1) to have the right to vote and 2) to force the other women to vote AND to vote according to their beliefs, not that of their husbands, fathers or brothers.

I will never veil my head, no more then I will over-expose my body. Both are tools of control invented by men to have a higher standing over women and have an excuse for inexcusable sexual mis-behaving and lust for power.

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>Gwen H: That's a very strong, honest answer. However, isn't part of feminism acknowledging the right of every woman to live as *she* sees fit?

No. It would imply first that women must be raised in an environment free of submissive constraints. Women who, in their mind, believe they are ment to submit and obey are not in a right state of mind to choose. Slavery is first made in the flesh, then in the mind.

Of course, that's a whole new semantic question: who has the right to decide for others?

Under most circumstances, I say: I decide for myself and the others decide for themselves. But there are limits to that basic freedom principle: one's freedom ends where others' begin.

Clothing constrictions and hypersexualization are a problem as they have a pulling effect. If allowed, people eventually see them as the norm. America already has to deal with hypersexualization, we really don't need to have to deal with the other extreme too...

I never said my attitude was fair. As Beaudelair said: necessary and unjustifiable.

Answer 8

There are three places in the New Testament that order woman to have a hat or scarf on when ever they are praying or prophesies. With out it covered we are 'dishonoring her head' 1Corinthians 11:3-10

Answer 9

I have nothing against them for wearing it.

I do have a problem with some bands of Muslim men throwing acid in the faces of Christian women in Iraq who do not wear them.

Peace be with you!

Answer 10

Not me personally but I respect women who do. I have a muslim girl in my class and to be honest she's drop dead gorgeous even with the head scarf so I don't know how much it's helping her. LOL