Hijab Removal, Iranian Women, and Freedom of Dress

May 26, 2014 By syahirah

This post was originally published at Aquila Style.

The liberal feminist organisation Femen and its members’ naked breasts have had their media run. Now a more modest sort of uncovering is happening, this time in Iranian social media. Last month, London-based Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad started a movement on Facebook and Twitter, translated as “My Stealth Freedom”, to highlight the “legal and social restrictions” faced by women in Iran.

Secular and Muslim women all over Iran are posting photos of themselves without the mandated headscarf, in secluded places where there are no Basij (religious police) to punish them for violating the country’s dress code. The movement is led by women who are removing their headscarves and posting photos of themselves of their own free will.

But the title of an article on Vocativ, “The great unveiling”, gave me a bad feeling. It made me uneasy because the idea of “uncovering-as-freedom” is fraught with historical baggage.

The “great unveiling” has already happened. In fact, it’s occurred many times over in modern history. Algeria under French colonisation is the best example of this.

In Frantz Fanon’s A Dying Colonialism (1959), he points to the use of women as a metaphor for the colonised Arabs. Essentially, they represented the Orient. Because women were the main target of la mission civilisatrice, unveiling them was a way for the French to prove that they had utterly penetrated their Algerian colony.

And unveil the French did: in 1958, the military organised mass unveiling ceremonies of women. These ceremonies took place in several major cities, including the capital city of Algiers, as a deliberate display for the international press. There are reports of women who had never worn a headscarf being forced to put it on and take it off, just for the ceremony. Despite the fact that rural women then also did not habitually wear any head coverings, the veil was taken as a symbol of Algeria’s secret primitivism – for the French to civilise, of course. (more…)

Muslimah Lifestyle Videos Offer More than Just Hijab Tutorials and Fashion Tips

April 7, 2014 By Guest Contributor

This post was written by guest contributor Kristin Peterson (@KrissyPetey), who also blogs at Third Spaces, a group blog for researchers at CU-Boulder’s Centre for Media, Religion and Culture.

YouTube is frequently the go-to place to check out the latest hilarious video, view a clip from a movie, or watch a music video. Over the last few years, YouTube has also become a space where young people can create and post videos, sharing their personalities and advice on various topics, while also attracting more and more “likes” and followers. A popular genre of these amateur-style videos is the female lifestyle video, which features topics like fashion styles, makeup tutorials, beauty product recommendations, relationship advice, and dieting tips. In many ways, these highly polished and entertaining videos have replaced the female fashion magazine. For example, one of the most popular individuals on YouTube is Michelle Phan, a self-described “makeup guru” who attracts millions of viewers to each of her videos and was recently featured in an advertisement for Dr. Pepper. These lifestyle videos are not only entertaining for viewers, but they are also highly lucrative for the video-makers who can attract larger followings.

youtube - amena — Screenshot from a fashion video by Amenakin.

YouTube is also full of numerous videos that share information about Islam, and along with the many YouTube videos about Islamic theology and scholarship, there is also a community of young women who post videos about lifestyle advice and daily activities, like how to wear hijab, recipes for holiday meals, and makeup tips. While many of these videos are meant to be entertaining and frequently imitate popular video forms on YouTube, the videos still incorporate strong Islamic themes and sensibilities.

YouTube is a flexible medium that allows for these Muslim women to blend together elements of popular culture with their Islamic faith. Young Muslimahs living in North America and Europe are frequently fighting against an assumed dichotomy that they must either assert their Islamic identity or assimilate into Western culture. For young Muslimahs who have grown up in places like the U.S., Canada, or the U.K., this dichotomy usually does not speak to their personal experiences. While these Muslimah lifestyle videos may come as a surprise to those not familiar with Islam, this hybrid style of modest fashion videos or halal makeup tutorials is not out of the ordinary for these women. These videos are just another example of how Muslimahs are using online media forms to make meaning in their lives and to express themselves.

With the larger trends of mainstream lifestyle videos in mind, several Muslimahs have created YouTube channels that feature similar lifestyle videos while incorporating Islamic styles and values. For example, a popular trend on YouTube is the Outfit of the Day (OOTD) video, in which women discuss what they are wearing that day and from where the items were purchased (check out examples of mainstream OOTD videos here and here). Several Muslim YouTubers (saimastyleslike, TheSewist, dinatokio) have posted similar videos, but they feature outfits that are seen as more modest (long skirt or pants covered by a tunic, long-sleeved shirt, and a headscarf), and the outfits are frequently being worn to go to religious celebrations. These videos focus on common lifestyle topics (fashion, makeup, relationships, nutrition), but they incorporate Islamic elements to distinguish them from the mainstream videos and to always keep Islamic values at the center of their lives. For example, the women discuss how to dress and act piously, apply simple and natural makeup, offer nutritional tips for fasting during Ramadan, and use Islamic phrases and prayers in their videos. In addition, not all the videos on these sites are about lifestyle topics. Several video-makers (Nye Armstrong and ChelseyHijabLove) are also converts to Islam and have filmed videos about their personal experiences as converts, as well as useful tips for new Muslims. (more…)

“Hijabi Experiments”: Are They Enough to Change America’s Perception on Hijab?

April 3, 2014 By samya

Every time we think this discussion about hijab and burqas has ended, the internet surprises us with new horizons on the issue. I was checking my Facebook the other day, and a video caught my attention because of its title. It was called “Hijabi Experiments.” I am not a big fan of watching such videos, but this particular one, originally posted in December 2013, had about three million views, so I thought there must be something different with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XPjQrQs3JY

I have to say: I was disappointed. The video itself was poorly made, and its message was not very clear. According to the video’s creator, “the intent (of this experiment) was to educate (people) about why women wear hijab. The goal was to not only erase the ignorance towards ‘hijabophobia’ but also to raise awareness as to why it’s so important to intervene in these types of scenarios.”

The producer also stresses on the fact that “women in hijab can defend themselves, but it doesn’t hurt to know that her brothers and sisters in this country and other countries are by her side.” (more…)

One-Dimensional Hijab Stories

January 16, 2014 By afia

In a previous post, I talked a little about the 99 Hijab Stories book and why the idea of the book made me squirm.

hijab stories twitter — Image from the Hijab Stories tvOne Twitter feed.

I don’t know how succesful the book has been, but it certainly has generated enough hype that a few months later an Indonesian TV channel announced that it would air (*drumroll*) a TV show “inspired by the book”.

The basic idea of the show is pretty much similar to the book: hijab-wearing public figures will be invited to the talk show to talk about why they wear the hijab, their hijab journeys and so on.

But I bet there is one famous woman the show will never invite, even though the story of this woman was included in the book and her face appears on its cover.

In December, Ratu Atut Chosiyah, the governor of the Banten province, was arrested in one of the most-publicised graft cases in Indonesia. Tabloids were soon filled of stories of her Louis Vuitton headscarf, shopping trips to Europe and her opulent lifestyle. Only a couple years ago celebrated as the country’s first female governor, Ratu Atut is now seen as a “disgrace” to her nation.

Which is why I am sure that she will never appear in the TV show. I even wonder if Muhammad Assad, the author of 99 Hijab Stories, is strongly considering to redo his book so that Ratu Atut will no longer appear inside the book or on its cover. Because the hijab stories as written in his book are all about righteous women who don the hijab and live happily ever after. A woman who tripped and made a horrible moral mistake certainly does not fit its storyline. (more…)

Uneasy Solidarity and the Hijab

December 31, 2013 By amina

As the debate on Quebec’s Charter of Secularism (formally the unaptly named Charter of Values) rages on, two Montreal professors wore the hijab to demonstrate their solidarity with Muslim women. In short, the Charter of Values in Quebec is a proposed law that bans the visibility of religious symbols – hijabs, kippa, crosses, turbans – in public spaces. Effectively, if the law passes, anyone employed by and paid through the public purse may be disallowed from wearing anything that could be construed as religious. (For a fuller discussion of the Charter and its implications, refer to Krista’s MMW post from September.)

Nora Jaffary, a history professor at Concordia University, and Catherine Lu, a political science professor at McGill University, have worn the hijab to their classes in protest of the proposed charter. Jaffary, who as of November 25th was still wearing the hijab on campus grounds, points out that the vast majority of Muslim women have the autonomy to choose the hijab and that the charter instead singles out visible minorities. She goes onto say, “If many people are wearing religious signs, it’s impossible to tell who’s wearing them for what reason and so it sort of muddies the waters.”

Jaffary’s and Lu’s iintentions are incredible, especially in the context of a public debate that has been venomous and xenophobic. By being so public in their support for, in particular, the religious rights of Muslim women, Jaffary and Lu risk the ire of a Quebec populace among whom the Charter has substantial popularity. Yet, to be bluntly honest, this act of solidarity does not sit well with me. (more…)

A Hijabi in Healthcare: The Story of Dr. Lailiyya

November 12, 2013 By afia

The recent debates on Quebec’s Charter of Values and on hijabis in Singaporean workplaces remind me of a woman that I know. Her name is Dr. Lailiyya.

She was born in a small town in Java, the youngest girl of twelve children. When she was little, she suffered from polio. Her poor parents were unable to obtain medication for her, so little Lailiyya grew up with a deformed leg. In order for her to be able to attend school, Lailiyya’s brother had to carry her on his back to school and back.

Nevertheless, Lailiyya’s intelligence outshone her classmates and she was admitted to one of Indonesia’s most reputable schools of medicine. However, being a small-town girl, she was not used to the aggressive competition of the big city, and failed nearly all of her classes in her first year at the university.

With much hard work and determination, though, Lailiyya was able to finish her degree and pursue a further specialization in neurology. While she was studying for her second degree, she took classes in acupuncture to complement her education. Today, Dr. Lailiyya is a respected neurologist at a major city in Indonesia. Her knowledge of Western and Eastern medical concepts and techniques makes her a highly sought-after professional in her field.

I know her story well because Dr. Lailiyya is my aunt, my father’s youngest sister. (more…)

“I Wasn’t Always Dressed Like This”: A Documentary Exploring Hijab as a Choice

November 11, 2013 By samya

The concept of wearing hijab tends to stir controversy around the world, especially in the media. For some, hijab may be a piece of cloth that women wear as part of social traditions; for some others, it is a form of religious devoutness; yet, for others, it is a symbol of oppression and injustice towards Muslim women.

While some women are forced to wear hijab by their husbands, brothers, or fathers, others do it voluntarily. This is the central theme of the documentary I Wasn’t Always Dressed Like This. Aiming to convey this notion of free choice, the documentary explores the experiences of three UK Muslim women who have chosen to put on hijab.

Director Betty Martins interviews three women in the 33-minute documentary, addressing mainly three themes: first, the journey that these three women have had to go through to make decisions on hijab; second, what hijab means personally for each one of them; and finally, how the surrounding community views those women as they opt to cover their hair, and in one case, her face. (more…)