These are some great web writings/sites about hijab. I learn so much by reading and looking over their shoulders and experimenting on my own. I read an article yesterday about a non-muslim woman starting a burka experiment of wearing an Islamic-style covering for a year and blogging about it. First of all, she doesn’t seem to be using the word ‘burka’ correctly. I’m sure I haven’t and don’t either, but before launching a year’s experiment perhaps she should have done some research. Also, she seems concerned that wearing a covering will require too much luggage space and hassle in airports and so delays beginning the experiment. Huh? Doesn’t that sort of defeat the purpose of experiencing the covering? And lastly, she appears eager to see prejudice at all corners and directly connects it to her scarf without digging deeper into the experience. Seems a little naive.
I could tell you, and have sometimes, my thoughts about it but I prefer to let Muslim women speak for themselves. Instead of letting an non-Muslim doing a 12-month experiment, here is a bit of what Muslim women have to say.
- The 11 Basic Facial Gestures When People See a Muslim (in pictures) Hilarious and honest.
- Hijab, “empowerment,” and “choice” – the sunny side. An honest look into why a north American convert to Islam chose to veil. Be sure to read the next article in the series as well – the dark side.
- I Wear the Hijab. So? Read all the way to the last line. Yup.
- HijabRevival. Lots of beautiful pictures.
- Do You Shower in That? From a teenager’s perspective and the title alone makes it worth the read.
- Its a Hijab, Not a Halo. A good read about learning to wear the scarf and the social burdens that come with it.
I haven’t read everything on these sites, so can’t vouch for anything beyond the articles I’ve linked to. But I know I have a lot to learn and these seem like good places to start.
Any other links/articles/stories you’d recommend?
My personal experience with this: if I go to certain malls in Mpls with my husband, at least one women working in a shop invariably asks my husband why he doesn’t make his wife cover up. (A man has never asked him that question.)
That is really interesting Anita. I would love to hear more about your experiences, I’m so glad you found the blog. What does he tell them?
The first time it happened he told me, “let’s get out of here” and ranted all the way to car about narrow-minded ignorance (thankfully, the woman didn’t hear all this lack of the fruit of the spirit).
One time he told the shop keeper, “Why don’t you tell her?”
I love that second comment – made me laugh out loud! I can just see the shopkeeper’s face.