FASHION or OPPRESSION?
On February 1, 2018 Macy’s announced a major decision to sell a fashionable line of Women’s Hijab. This line called the “Verona Collection” debuted a few days ago in stores and online. The news is being heralded as “groundbreaking” and as a “landmark” decision. The announcement comes on the heels of the Nike Hijab selling out like hotcakes.
For a former Muslim woman, I don’t get it… I don’t understand the hype and I don’t understand the desire to wear a man-made restriction on my head. As a Muslim who lived in the United States, I never wore a hijab nor was I ever made to wear one. I was the child of very educated, progressive mother who saw great oppression from the strict Islamic clerics while working in Saudi Arabia as a physician. She experienced first-hand what it was like to be pushed down when she was going to Medical School in the 60’s in Pakistan as well.
When we moved to the US, my mother literally breathed a sigh of freedom. Both of my parents allowed us to have many blessings that come from living here, including being raised with education, being outspoken and as strong women. When we would see another Muslim woman in a hijab, we would all wonder (sometimes out loud) why she was wearing one here where the rules of society did not mandate it?
Therein lies the conundrum. For centuries, women have been forced to take the veil in Muslim countries – not all, but many. Today, younger women are fighting more for a visible ethnic identity than anything else. Diversity is wonderful and it brings out a rich expression in our country, however it is my belief that Muslim women in America are CHOOSING to be set apart for their religious beliefs. Instead of Inclusion, it is a call for Exclusion by the Muslim community. Many Muslim women I have talked to see it as showing the half-naked women in the West that they are more pious, modest, and they belong to a special class of private women.
Some American Muslim women have gone as far to say that this is an overt way they show their freedom to choose how they wish to express themselves, while in Tehran only a few weeks ago, 29 women were arrested for taking off their hijab as a protest for not having any freedom or rights — this is nothing new. Over 100,000 were arrested in Iran in 1978 during a similar protest!
So… which one is it?
Is it a symbol of oppression or is it a symbol of ethnic identity?
Macy’s happens to think it is a symbol of fashion and a way to make money.
16but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Great article!
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Thank you Jennifer! 🙂
Interesting and sad.This kind of thing can never make sense. I thought part of the goal of covering was to keep from inviting men to look at one. So my favorite picture from this collection was one of a stunningly attractive woman wearing cropped pants, spiked heals, large jeweled sunglasses, and a beautiful scarf. Add corporate America to the list of abusers of these women. Were the models used in these pictures Muslim women? Would be interesting to know.
LOVE those thoughts! 🙂 Men are looking and so are women. We are all taking notes of who is wearing what… that’s entirely the OPPOSITE of what the hijab is supposed to do! So funny.
Mona,
As a woman from Iran who lived 40 years there, 26 years of that time was under the anti women and humiliating Islamic rules of the Islamic regime of Iran, just wanna thank you for your article and say I agree with you because my experience prove your thoughts and your ideas in your article.
May the LORD bless you, my sister. I cannot imagine having to endure what you had to do for so long. I moved to the US when I was 10, so I did not have to endure under Islamic rule as an adult woman. I hope that you will share your experiences with those living here in America so that they can see that not everything the media says about Islam is wonderful. There is a very dark side that is oppressive to women. May you be blessed.