I wish this was a joke, but, hey, it’s at the far, far left UK Guardian
My hijab has nothing to do with oppression. It’s a feminist statement – video
Hanna Yusuf asks why a simple piece of clothing is seen as the very epitome of oppression. She says many women find empowerment in rejecting the idea that women can be reduced to their sexual allure – and we should not assume that every women who wears the hijab has been forced into it
Sure, not every woman has been “forced” into it. However, most are, even if it is just strongly suggested.
Even the notoriously Progressive readers of the Guardian aren’t buying this explanation
- …wearing a hijab means using the material manifestation of slut-shaming and victim-blaming (the hijab), quite the opposite of feminism. It is like running aroung with a swastika on your shirt insisting this is a hindu symbol of luck and happiness. It’s deluded.
- The hijab is a symbol of female repression where it is forced on women and young girls. It may be true that some women in some countries have the choice whether or not to wear it. (leaving aside the more complex question of indoctrination and religious pressure) But if they want to make a feminist statement they should reject it in solidarity with their sisters who have it forced on them.
- I don’t know any reasonable person who has an issue with somebody covering their head. However to argue that it is part of women’s liberation is a complete falsity and actually rather dangerous. The sexism that exists in islamic societies is a different type to the sexism in the west. The reason given for covering up in islamic tradition is because men cannot help themselves but to sexually violate women unless they are covered up. One cleric even used the outrageous metaphor ‘if a piece of meat is left out in the sun the cats will devour it. Who’s fault is that? The meat’s’. So essentially it justifys rape. The person who made this is conflating very different cultural attitudes to women, both of which are sexist, but in different ways.
- Hanna Yusuf has the right to wear whatever she likes, and she may well have freely chosen to wear the hijab (at least in her own terms) – but none of that alters the fact that the hijab was introduced as a symbol of oppression, and remains that for most Muslim women, who do not have the choice that Hanna Yusuf claims she has.
- BTW if Hanna wore that coloured hijab fully displaying her face and that dress, where she’s displaying her arms, in a public place in Saudi she’d last about two minutes tops before she was hauled off by the mutaween (religious police) and possibly end up being soundly thrashed in public for her immodesty after being heavily fined. Feminism is a punishable offence in the Sunni heartland, so have a clear think about that, Hanna.
All good points.
Let me fix your headline.
I guarantee, if Jeff read the same post at the DU, Daily Kos, Think Progress, etc, he’d agree with post.
Jeff, why not read the comments at the Guardian? It’s very much a hive of far left thought. Most are disagreeing with the video.
Teach here in New York Orthodox Jews “force” their women to shave their heads and then wear wigs. They also force ALL women on certain bus routes to sit in the back of public buses.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/nyregion/bus-segregation-of-jewish-women-prompts-review.html?_r=0
This is because all women al considered to be UNCLEAN 1/3 of the time and they may stain seats where men after sitting on them would have to ritualistically cleanse themselves
Got a problem with Saudis? Didn’t Bush I and II both rush to put American lives in harm’s way to defend them ? Right wing oil companies have long looked the other way over Saudi domestic policies.
Teach most muslims are not Arabs. Most muslims never wear the Hajib.
Try going to a beach in Indonesia which has the largest muslim population and see what women wear.
In Israel THE most Orthodox women now are copying the most conservative muslims and fully covering except for a veil to see out of
In New York also many Orthodox are not Zionists and do not think that teh state of Israel should have been forme BEFORE the Messiah arrived
The hajib was used by Mary mother of Jesus
Is anyone surprised in the least that John condemns Jews, in this case a tiny subset, then immediately turns around and offers full protection for Muslims?
Is anyone further surprised that John missed the point about feminism?
Source please john.
Back up your statement as it is factually false. The hajib is a garment proscribed by Muslim doctrine and teaching. It is not the same thing as a head covering worn by Jews in the time of Mary.
Furthermore, I am unaware of any source which describes what Mary wore. Therefore you are, as usual, making things up.
That makes you a liar, john.
Now if you want to start a Biblical / religious discussion, try seeing what the Bible says about “bearing false witness” and what that means.
Then you can come back to us or return to your “brood of vipers.”
Nothing liberals like john and his ilk say and do surprises me Teach.
Nothing that liberal trolls do surprises me.