Hijabs, Niqabs, Burkas, religion, misogyny and modesty.
I have a dilemma when it comes to the clothing restrictions made on women in Islam.
I do not like it. I think it is misogynistic. I do not believe it is Islamic; it is pre-Islamic. I see it as a process of subordination and oppression of women that stems from the Arabic, Abrahamic tradition; straight out of medieval tribalism.
I do not think women should be treated as sex objects. I think they are equal. But they should be allowed to express their sexuality. I do not like repression in any form.
I despise the imposition of dress codes on women and become furious when I read of women being whipped or beaten for not complying.
I feel it is grossly unfair when I see men walking around free to wear what they like while their women are constrained.
I know that some women want to wear these costumes from long ago. They say it gives them confidence and they do not like men’s eyes on them. I can understand that.
I know some women feel that it is a religious duty to comply.
I know that some women wear hijabs that are highly decorative and that it is attractive.
I do not find it so. I find it a symbol of repression, control and un-emancipation. It is like a woman is being forced to wear shackles.
It stinks.
I have enough trouble with the absurdity of religion without the primitive, sexist, misogynistic overtones.
Then I hit the dilemma.
I also believe that people should be free to wear what they like, dress how they like and believe what they like.
I just wish that women in this country would appreciate the plight of their disenfranchised sisters and show a bit of solidarity! We have a culture of equality, tolerance, freedom and democracy.
I believe that costume challenges those values.
In the UK – paperback and digital:
In the USA in both paperback and digital:
Show a bit of solidarity to what?
Their religious beliefs? Their culture? Their lifestyle? Their opinions? Their obsequious tolerances to abuses? Their settlement for their “second best” status? Their inherent bigotry?
Is this Solidarity that you perceive of on the simple pretext that they possess a vagina just like the rest of us?
Is that it? Is that how you value other non-Muslim women?
I think you will find that most non-Muslim would need a great deal more commitment from their side of things before we put ourselves out on their behalf.
Why is it always us that are expected to “do something”?
Sorry, no not possible. You can’t argue with a sick mind and their minds are sick.
You said this:
“I just wish that women in this country would appreciate the plight of their disenfranchised sisters and show a bit of solidarity! We have a culture of equality, tolerance, freedom and democracy.
I believe that costume challenges those values.”
Yes, WE have that culture – but THEY chose not to accept it or integrate towards our culture.
They practice no such equality, tolerance, freedom and democracy. Although, many UK citizens aren’t too hot on the values of democracy themselves these days.
Yes, that costume changes everything – everything for them and everything for us, because we understand the absolute statement that costume stands for.
Unfortunately we cannot tear it off them. That wouldn’t be democratic.
Personally, I couldn’t care less. They add no value to our society and as women, they really are to their great majority nothing more than ignorant and uneducated.
Did you really fail to understand? It wasn’t hard.
Show solidarity with their sisters who are being forced to wear the Burka by not wearing the Burka. They should realise that there is oppression going on and show solidarity in fighting that oppression.