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Traditional Female Muslim Attire

A big part of the Muslim faith is having a modest dress (Williams et al.).  Hijab is a term that refers to the headscarf that many Muslim women wear to cover their hair, neck and ears, leaving their face out.  Hijab also refers to the concept of modesty as a whole.  There are other forms that cover up more.  The niqab covers the face also, but leave the eyes out in the open.  Also, the burkah covers the entire head and face, with a mesh veil over the eyes so that the woman may see, but her eyes are shielded.  Muslim men are also to be modest in dress.  Some Muslim men wear a jilbab – a long sleeved full robe (Williams et al.).

A Muslim woman who may be asked to remove or change her traditional attire would likely be very insulted and offended.  The Civil Rights Act of 1964 protect beliefs and expressions of belief of religious nature (Benson).  Title VII protects against discrimination in workplace hiring and promotion, provide for reasonable accommodations, and protection from harassment in the workplace.  This is especially important since hijab is not considered merely a symbol of faith, but many Muslims believe it is mandated and therefore it is one of the “facets of belief that deserves protection” (Benson 11).  Many Muslim women feel that they are being forcefully coerced into assimilating into Western Christian normative attire and dress (Benson).  The stereotype of the oppressed Muslim woman wearing hijab is perpetuated by the lack of females hired and promoted into jobs in the general public.  In fact, many women are threatened with a demotion, pay reduction, or transfer for refusing to remove their hijab (Benson). 

Wearing hijab is important to many Muslim women.  Many see it as a direct commandment from Allah (Al Wanzi et al.) and therefore the wearing of the hijab is mandated (Williams et al.).  It is viewed as a symbol of piety and empowerment (Al Wanzi et al.).  Wearing the hijab helps some young Muslim women “create some cultural space for themselves” (Williams et al. 272) by helping them connect with other Muslims.  Some young women will start to wear a hijab at college age to identify with other Muslim women and to resist assimilating completely into Western society, even when their mothers may not wear the hijab (Williams et al.).

Many women see the hijab as a public proclamation of faith.  The hijab can also be seen as a fashion statement.  Some young Muslim women may feel peer pressure from other Muslim women to wear the hijab or risk social ostracism (Williams et al.).  When women wear the hijab, they reported to have more respect from men and were generally viewed as the “religious and moral authority” and “taken more seriously” (Williams et al. 282).  Wearing hijab can liberate women to interact with the world while still protecting them, especially in the eyes of parents and the Muslim community and can lead to more freedom for the women (Williams et al.).

Islamophobia has been on the rise since the attacks on September 11, 2001, with “lingering resentment, anxiety and reservations about Muslims” (Rangoonwala 231).  Due to lack of fear and lack of education and understanding about Islam, there has been increased levels of hate crimes and discrimination against Muslims.  This can lead to mental health problems (Rangoonwala) depression and post traumatic stress disorder (Al Wanzi et al.).  My responsibility in dealing with Muslim women who choose to wear hijab is to become educated and to be respectful when I encounter them.  If I am in a position of power, such as an employer, I would make sure that they are not discriminated against for choosing to wear the hijab.

You can advocate for Muslim women choosing to practice hijab in several meaningful ways.  A tangible way you can help would be to educate people in your life about the meaning of hijab and that it is not oppressive to the women who choose to wear it.  Americans of other faiths need to be more accepting and understanding.  Muslims in America consists of a population of about 6 to 7 million people (Al Wanzi et al.).  You could also write a blog, newspaper article, or social media entry speaking on tolerance for Muslim culture and attire.  You could also encourage American Muslim women to read the Qur’an and interpret the messages about women and women’s dress as well as other topics for themselves (Hammer).

A good way to replace fear with understanding of Muslims is to get people together for a dialogue or perhaps interreligious meetings, festivals or parties.  The world can change when two people from different backgrounds get together and talk with open minds.  Mandating courses on world religions in high school and/or college would help people to understand the Muslim faith and to not fear it.  A great way for people to be more understanding and culturally aware, respectful, and unafraid is to visit a mosque or a majority Muslim country.  Full immersion into another type of society can help people see outside themselves and their sometimes narrow view of how they think things “should” be.

 

Works Cited

Al Wazni, Anderson Beckmann. "Muslim Women in America and Hijab: A Study of Empowerment, Feminist Identity, and Body Image." Social Work, vol. 60, no. 4, Oct. 2015, pp. 325-33. Academic Search Complete, doi:10.1093/sw/swv033. Accessed 17 Dec. 2017.

Benson, Kristina. "The Freedom to Believe and the Freedom to Practice: Title VII, Muslim Women, and Hijab." UCLA Journal of Islamic & Near Eastern Law, vol. 2, 2014, pp. 1-19. Academic Search Complete, dcccd.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.dcccd.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=111083023&site=ehost-live. Accessed 17 Dec. 2017.

Hammer, Juliane. "Identity, Authority, and Activism: American Muslim Women Approach the Qur’?n." Muslim World, vol. 98, no. 4, Oct. 2008, pp. 443-64. Academic Search Complete, doi:10.1111/j.1478-1913.2008.00239.x. Accessed 17 Dec. 2017.

Rangoonwala, Fatima, et al. "Muslim Identity, Dress Code Adherence and College Adjustment among American Muslim Women." Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, vol. 31, no. 2, June 2011, pp. 231-41. Academic Search Complete, doi:10.1080/13602004.2011.583517. Accessed 17 Dec. 2017.

Williams, Rhys H., and Gira Vashi. "Hijab and American Muslim Women: Creating the Space for Autonomous Selves." Sociology of Religion, vol. 68, no. 3, Fall 2007, pp. 269-87. Academic Search Complete, dcccd.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.dcccd.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=26878512&site=ehost-live. Accessed 17 Dec. 2017.

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