Jackson Barackman

RWS 200

Christoffer Werry

Februray 11, 2015

Veiling Under Judgement

The religious headdress known as a veil, also known as a burqa, has become a highly debated symbol of freedom or oppression. Abu-Lughod (AL) and Maysan Haydar share their opinions from their personal views on the matter. AL shares her opinion in her article The Muslim Woman, pulished in 2003,and Haydar explains her personal view in her article Veiled Intentions, written in 2004. Haydar is a Muslim women with a unique story about her head dress. Abu-Loghod is a member of the perseus book group who gives her own opinion about the burqa and its purpose. Haydar speaks to teenagers and tries to appeal to the new generation, where as AL tries to appeal to high scholars for an educational stance in the argument. Both AL and Haydar defend the culture of the head dress and explain that it is an optional garment that has strong benefits to all women who wear it. In this essay, I will comparing the views of both authors and the views of the feminist groups and the veil wearing groups opinions.

Haydar uses personal anecdotes to demonstrate her view of how an american woman views her head dress and her culture based on her head dress. Hayday explains how we should redefine how we see the burqa and stop the harassment of people who wear them. Haydar says

On a New York bus a couple weeks ago, i sat with another woman, also veiled, but wearing a traditional Jihab (a cloak that women wear over their clothing). A girl two seats over remarked to her friend, while flipping her hair for effect, that she couldn’t understand how we could dress this way. “me i got to be free.”

Haydar explains that she is free and feel more free that the girl who commented on her dress. Haydar tell the reader that the teenager seems less free because of the way the teenager dresses in tight jeans and lots of make-up. The viel is a sign of modesty and freedom to people who wear it. It gives thewomenwho wear it confidence that they are seen for their mind and not for their body, as like being seen as “20 piece chicken dinner.” The intended audience is the femaleteenager of america. The teenage audience is more advanced now and may see the view of Haydar in a more clear minded manner. This relates to the claim that our view on the burqa should be changed because the women who wear it get the free choice of whether they wear it or not. It is a personal choice and is not required by men or religion. AL also appeals to this with her explanation on how the burqa was made by women to protect them from abuse in the country they live in. AL also tells the reader to beware pity of the comment on burqas saying

One can worry about the echoes of this rhetoric in contemporary liberal feminist concerns about women around the world. One need only think of the American organization the Feminist Majority, with their campaign for the women in Afghanistan, or the wider discourse about women's human rights.

AL makes the points that feminist groups do not yet understand the burqa and need to research the meaning of it for themselves. AL wants them toaccept the burqa as a women’s choice of modesty.

Burqas are becoming more frequent to see in a free country such as america, we should be more understanding of the people who wear the headdress’s views on their style of clothing. Instead of opposing the idea of covering up we should ask them why they dress that way and accept their answers, and then take our opinions to ourselves. I have learned about the culture of the Muslim people and how they live their lives under the cover of a veil to protect their modesty and dignity in public. I believe that Haydar and AL both make great points to their side of the argument, however after reviewing AL’s article i noticed she used a quote from an Al Qaeda extremist. AL critically damages her appeal to any american who believes Al Qaeda is a risk to America and must be stopped at all costs. I do not disagree with AL, however to the average American the quote she uses from Osama Bin Laden would make her argument completely invalid. I believe to improve AL’s article she must look at the view of how an American citizen would read this. To improve Haydars document i believe that some facts are necessary to validate her opinions. Personal anecdotes only take a small effect on an authors ethos. In conclusion, AL and Haydar are personal experts of the burqa, having worn them, and should be recognized for their feminist actions in their culture.