Jenni's blog » Who is telling whom to wear what?
Who is telling whom to wear what?
The same week that we saw the young women of Iran, in their burkas, fighting with their lives for democracy, Nicholas Sarkozy declared a ban on the burqa as it is, in his opinion, a symbol of repression and he is going to rescue Muslim women in France from being oppressed.
Hmmm'.if you ask me, the Muslim women I saw on TV don't look as though they need anyone, particularly a non-Muslim commission, to rescue them. In fact, I seem to recall that women in Iran fought - and died - in the 1979 revolution in Iran. Pretty tough stuff.
But I am definitely sure that I wouldn't like to be told what I can or cannot wear - whether it is by my church, or by the President of France.
I can't help thinking there is something else going on here, don't you?
Post your comment
Comments
-
I've watched (and heard) creeping racism within the community - starting with people complaining about Muslim women who seem to isolate themselves by being veiled. I've decided that the only thing a feminist and anti-racist can do is to defend the right of women to wear a veil, or a burqa, or a hijab. I realise it is a confronting sight at first, and I hope the women I see are making a choice rather than being forced to wear it. Perhaps we feel embarrassed at the more revealing clothes that constitute approved clothing for modern Western women?
Many of us grew up going to Catholic primary schools where the nuns all wore veils as part of their habit. Is it really much different? Surely there are more important issues!Posted by Kate Morris, 19/08/2009 2:42pm (2 years ago)
-
If the sexualisation of women and girls is an underpinning of male dominance in our society, perhaps the Burka, surely the most non-sexualising garment possible, is a way to avoid being sexualised? But I don't think women in Iran have much in the way of 'rights' (as we think of the term), so I also wonder if it is another instance of women being held responsible for men's allegedly uncontrollable sexual urges? Either way, it's not up to Sarkozy to interfere - I think whatever comes after the Burka needs to be what Muslim women want and not what a non-Muslim male (or any male) might think is appropriate. In doing that, he simply recreates repression in a different form. Empower the women and let them get on with it.
Posted by Linda Peach, 14/08/2009 7:03pm (2 years ago)
RSS feed for comments on this page | RSS feed for all comments
Follow me on Twitter
Subscribe using RSS