Welcome to Gaia! ::

Taken from my livejournal.


Where do I even begin? I admit that the women in Egypt were seemingly not respected- at all, unless they were from a wealthy family which is easy to spot considering wealthy women generally do not wear hijab. I had almost no interaction with women at all aside from in Aswan, and even there the Nubian women refused to make conversation aside from wanting to know if we needed anything. Now, I believe in modesty and even though I don't follow Tznuit Laws, wear hijab, or even look like an Amish (although I am progressively becoming more modest recently) I have not, do not, and will never think that a woman wearing a headscarf is a symbol of oppression.

I always end up infuriated while arguing about the 'oppression of women in Islam'. Let's look at Christian modesty for a moment. Having been the good little Catholic girl and then sent off to a VERY strict Presbyterian school with a bunch of pastor's children, we were taught that sexualizing ourselves is wrong (yes, I did rebel in my teenage years) and that we are perfect the way we are and will go to Hell for wearing makeup, having our skirts above the knee and on some days *gasp* showing our elbows! Although I have many issues with instilling this kind of fear into children, with sex being plastered on everything and anything that it can be in our society, we seem to be declining in good morals.

The feeling of being accepted for who you are and not what you look like is a very fulfilling feeling. It is not healthy to concern yourself with weight, hair, makeup and spending hours upon hours staring into the mirror thinking you'd be happier with a larger bust size or a bumpless nose. As someone who does have an eating disorder and is slightly more vocal about it only for others to learn from, our culture sucks. I admit I am a hypocrite at times but I am also a product of Western culture and it's difficult to shake that. We're teaching our little girls that it is OKAY to look like prostitots, it is OKAY to be boy crazed at a young age, hell, Tyra Banks had a girl on her show who was taking fertility pills to try and get pregnant. She was fifteen and her boyfriend was eighteen!

I think that we have been influenced so much by the media that we as a society cannot fathom that happiness cannot be obtained by how attractive we are or how much money we make. We forget that family, friends, our own beliefs (whatever they may be) and respect for ourselves and others is what will make us happy. In an attempt for superficial popularity we lose ourselves, we forget who we are as a person.

Every girl has dated at least one guy who was only out for sex. The more modest I dress, the less frequently I attract negative attention.

Dressing modestly attracts men who are interested in you for who you are, not what they think they can get from you. It significantly decreases the number of toxic people who become a part of your life. The same toxic people who have pressured me into taking drugs and left me on a street corner, have given me ecstacy at a party when I wanted a Tylenol, have taken me into sketchy abandoned parking lots to 'talk', and various other frightening situations. Get the idea?

But what does this have to do with Islamic women?

Depending on how wealthy or poor the country is will indicate how egalitarian it is. Do not blame Islam or the Q'ran for the lack of women's rights; there is a huge difference between religion, culture, and customs. In Iran (this is shocking to most) women must wear headscarf but are allowed to show their hair! It's also a much wealthier country than Egypt. Hijab in this case is a sign that women respect themselves enough not to be put on display, which in turn makes for a safer environment for them. Egyptian men see ALL Western women as prostitutes because we do not dress in a way that shows (to them) that we respect ourselves or have any religious values.

Having said this, there is also a significant religious reason for hijab. Not only is hijab extremely beautiful in itself but it makes Muslim women feel beautiful! The idea of covering a part of yourself, keeping it mysterious, sharing it only with your husband, and respecting yourself for Allah is a feeling of accomplishment.

I have not seen any articles going on about the oppression of women in Orthodox Judaism! Isn't is required by Halacha that a married woman covers her hair?

I have to stop blabbering now but keep this in mind; if you follow a certain law or rule within a religion do you do it because you must in order to avoid eternal damnation or any other form of punishment, or does it make you happy?

I use the same philosophy as a Noachide. I follow Kashrut laws as closely as possible (impossible because I am not Jewish) but when I consciously make the decision to, say, not mix dairy and meat, I feel as if I have done something good.I feel even better when no one notices! This is sacred to me. I don't do it because it's ordered of me but I choose to do it because it makes the bond between me and Hashem even stronger.

It comes down to just that; the relationship you have with Gd.

I wore a headscarf for a day once and I felt empowered as I always do when I make the decision to be modest. I feel independent, confident, and more myself than ever. All the Muslim women I have spoken to have the same thing to say; they feel proud of themselves and confident that they are able to be modest. It is a VERY spiritual experience.

In the end it is a woman's choice whether or not to wear a headscarf (in this country at least) and to find so many Muslim women continuing their values in the Western world is very respectable. It's hard for them to do so, especially with many people not understanding Islam, but they won't let it harm their spirituality.

We should embrace diversity.

eh, either way I don't see a problem with it at least not from the way I look at things. It should just be a matter of personal preference and if people are allowed to act on that preference then where is the oppression?

It gets so frustrating when people start harassing you about what you are wearing and it doesn't matter which direction the harassment is directed in (whether it is because someone is being too modest or too revealing).

Could you link your livejournal?

Well either. 1. He likes your writing. 2. He wants it as a source, or 3. Plans to debunk you?, 4. All of the Above except 3.

it is so ironic that in the name of liberating them, France wants to compel Muslim women to unwillingly bare parts of their bodies.

I guess we'd have to find out if they really want to wear it or are saying so because they don't want to be killed. Are any of these women allowed to drive, be educated past the age of 13 or hold jobs? Islam is not supposed to be repressive, but the burka is widely seen as a symbol of that very thing. Especially when it seems they are worn in societies where women are more repressed and have less rights. I could be wrong. Some may enjoy living under the man's thumb, just like some Christian women seem to prefer. But I think many wish for more freedoms that their other Islamic counterparts have.

I have a great deal of trouble considering wearing a scarf on your head "virtuous."