On Islamic Facial Covering

[tsukikage]

You know, it's strange. As supportive as I am of hijab, even to the degree to which it is usually taken in the Twin Cities Somali community, I have to admit that once a facial covering is added I start feeling some of the reactions I hear from many Westerners. It's like... Covering the body so modestly that no arms or legs or hair is showing is okay, even a bit enviable (except for maybe the hair bit). But it's like... Once you cover the face, that's when what you're hiding is their humanity. Their personality. Certainly, it's not like their personality goes away when you cover the face, but how do you have a conversation with someone you can't even see? Whose facial expressions you can't interpret? I guess the point is that if two women or a woman and a male family member want to talk face-to-face, they can do so when they get back home.
On the other end of the spectrum, I can't really see the point of wearing modest clothing and a scarf if you're going to wear make-up.

Comments

[lugia222.livejournal.com]

Large picture is really large and has the potential to screw up people's f-lists if they're not on huge monitors.

That said, I don't really get the oppression of the hijab or really any type of covering. I think it's demeaning, and their culture and the Islamic culture, in my opinion, has a long way to come into the current progressive world. Personally, if I were a woman, I could never wear that much clothing at any time - I'd die of heat stroke. I just think it's sad and oppressive. If people truly want to cover up to that extent, they should be able to, but they shouldn't be forced to by archaic religious law.

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

Eep, totally meant to link that picture, not inser it. *fixes* Sorry about that.
I def. agree that they should be able to make that choice for themselves, though, although I also recognize that just because they're allowed to make that choice by law doesn't mean they won't feel social pressure to do so and thus have at least a portion of that choice removed.

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

I should also say that I oppose movements to ban covering (except, perhaps, in situations of safety like a chemistry lab, where some "modifications" should still be possible), as I consider that to be just as harmful to free, personal choice.

[carve037.livejournal.com]

I think it's demeaning when it's forced, a la Saudi Arabia. I do get, though, the argument, the idea that "I want to be judged by my actions and not my appearance," which is something I've heard used before to justify the custom. I mean, if that's why you're doin' it, then rock on.

And heat stroke would kill me too. I'd have to install, like, an internal cooling system or something.

[conuly]

But, tsuki, you have conversations all the time with people you can't even see, and whose facial expressions you can't interpret. You're having one right now, in fact :P

And no, smilies do *not* count as facial expressions!

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

*laughs* Actually, though, that's a good point.