[Reader-list] Again - Brouhaha Over the Veil

[N L]

I submit that Yasir's comment did not ad anything to this conversation. For
the record as a women, I agree with the excellent rebuttal by Anjalika to
earlier comments.  It is not for men, Christian or Muslim or otherwise to
look upon women and determine our level of "decency" or sexuality.  Really,
we are dealing with two sides of the same coin when discussing the tradition
of the veil and women in the west who are encouraged to wear as little as
possible (as long as you meet their standard of tall, slender beauty-
otherwise you might be encouraged to wear a veil!)  In both places, what is
an "acceptable women" is determined by men.  In both places women are not
autonomous humans; but either are to provide for "eye candy" as a sexual
commodity or we are to wrap ourselves from head to toe in fabric in order
not to offend men with our physical presence.

I will emphasize that I am comparing two extremes- not all western women
dress (or care to dress) as those seen in clubs or in the movies.  In Muslim
nations (or nations with Muslim populations) not all women are forced to
wear burqa or niqab.  I personally feel that hijab- in the general sense of
modesty as meant for BOTH sexes- is perfectly acceptable if it were a *
personal* choice.  The dilemma is that for many women, "modesty" is forced
(threats and physical violence is a danger for a woman in a community that
does not accept women without hijab).  So, there is *no* real choice in the
matter. Of course, it goes without saying that forcing women to wear a burqa
or the Saudi-style hijab in the name of modesty is ridiculous and oppressive
in the extreme. I challenge any man who would say otherwise to don the
clothing himself (don't worry, no one will know you are a man under all of
that!) and spend a day (preferably a hot, summer day) walking in the shoes
of these women. THEN you can tell me how much you value modesty.

Natalie

On 7/26/07, yasir ~ <yasir.media at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> whatever planet youre from its not of the slums.
>
>
> On 7/25/07, Anjalika Sagar <anjalisaga at blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> > The permission that men give themselves to gaze ... hmmm.
> ...
> > Anyway these are my fleeting thoughts - it is so hot here and a girls
> > gotta swim.
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