Muslim women: My headscarf is not a threat
random thoughts:
i am undecided on many of the following and just interested in other's thoughts
what about burkas?
would anyone be offended to walk into a walmart 5 years from now and 1/2 the women in there are wearing burkas?
i know that wont happen, but if it did, well would it bother you?
i suppose it would be their legal right? freedom of expression? freedom of religion?
in some ways catholic nuns used to wear burka like outfits
so what would be the difference?
but honestly when i saw a woman in a head to toe burka at O'Hare in Chicago my immediate reaction was negative
i suppose it may have to do with what the burka partly represents in my mind, repression of women?
any thoughts?
Christian, first I want to ask for a clarification on your terminology.
A burqa is, for example, what we saw women in Afghanistan wearing under Taliban rule. All black, thick, heavy, covered head to toe, including face (and even eyes). Sometimes the Niqab is also referred to as burqa.
(See a picture of burqa here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burqa)
Niqab is a form of face covering (only - not referring to any other garments on the body), usually exposing only the eyes.
(See a picture of niqab here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niqab)
Hijab is the head scarf, worn by many Muslim women in the company of non-related men.
(See a picture of Hijab here:
http://www.thehijabshop.com/)
Abaya is the outer garment worn as a sort of overcoat to cover whatever the women is wearing underneath. Women will usually wear this while outside of the home (at the market, in transit, etc.) but will remove this overcoat upon reaching the home of friend or family.
(See a picture of Abaya here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abaya)
If you seriously meant burqa, in terms of what we saw Afghani women wearing, I can't blame you for thinking repression. I do too. A large majority of Muslims see it as repression as well, usually political in nature.
If you meant niqab, more and more Muslim women are starting to cover their faces around the world. Still, even mainstream Muslims consider it going WAY too far; at the very least far beyond what they have learned through the Qu'ran and Hadith.