Shrouded In Contradiction Summary

The idea that Muslim women are oppressed and need saving from the veil itself is part of the ethnocentric view that Westerners have of muslims. Afghani women, in particular have to deal with white feminists trying to free them from this restriction. Lila Abu-Luhgod gives us some insight on what this certain issue looks like from an anthropologists’ point of view.

The article “Reinventing the veil” by Leila Ahmed discusses how the concept of hijabs has changed over time. Back then many people had the assumption the veils would

“But I’m a different breed of man, Mariam. Where I come from, one wrong look, one improper word, and blood is spilled. Where I come from, a woman’s face is her husband’s business only. I want you to remember that. Do you understand?”(Hosseini 63).

Customs and convictions change; respectable people are the last to know, or to admit, the change, and the ones most offended by fresh reflections of the facts in the mirror of art (Updike). The story, A&P, is written by John Updike, it takes place in a grocery store named “A&P”. Three girls were judged based on what they wore. In the short story, the main characters are the girls, manager, and the teenage boy. The short story, “A&P”, by John Updike demonstrates diverge ideas of the feminine sex through ideas of feminine uniqueness, collective expectations, and rebellion of the social ideas.

Throughout the entire book, we see Satrapi constantly rebelling against the rules put in place by the Islamic regime, starting out when she was only ten. We see Satrapi and many of the other girls are using the veil to jump rope with, use as a monster mask, and basically everything but its intended purpose (3 / 5). We see this motif of the fight against the veil further extrapolated upon later in the memoir, with Satrapi and her mother taking part in protests being held against the veil being portrayed (5/ 1) and (76 / 4-5), as well as the subtle ways that women fought against it, such as Satrapi’s wearing of a denim jacket and nikes(131/ 4) and the wearing the veil in more and more revealing ways, stating on (293 / 6) “Year by year women were winning and ⅛ of an inch of hair and losing an ⅛ of an inch of veil.” All of these combat the common Western assumption that absolutely everyone in the middle east can be

American Muslim Hijabis fight for social consciousness and social justice, advocating for cultural diffusion rather than the removal of a symbol of cultural identity. She concludes, “This more than a fabric its choosing to be different and a nonconformist and wearing it with pride”(Gomma). This is an act of empowerment, and liberation from societal popular expectations in regards to “beauty,identity,race, and culture”(Gomaa). Women like Mariam Gomma exemplify the points that the hijab is a choice, and doesn’t limit their potential or ability whatsoever.These sources paint a different narrative from the ostracized and victimized American Muslim woman that is oppressed by the hijab, but of strong, empowered women moving forward to fight for their rights and their identity in our culture liberated by the hijab.

The safety of native born Muslim immigrants was fragile for the first few years after September 11. Higher levels of discrimination have been found in the Chicago area, which had the highest number of reported hate crimes in the nation. Harassment and hate crimes happened more in southwest suburbs of Chicago, which was an area high in Muslim concentration. This would explain why many Muslim American’s have encountered hate, mainly due to their extensive presence. Many of these crimes relate to woman wearing a hijab. The threat of a woman wearing a hijab presents that they conform to a set of values that are interpreted as “un-American”. Often one’s own demeaning stereotype can rationalize their behavior against a minority group. Common American

Samah recounted her journey with the veil and explained how she started wearing the veil when she was fourteen years old, as she felt connected to her identity as a Muslim woman and wanted to wear it, making it clear that she was in no way forced to. K on the other hand explained that she does not feel that the hijab represents who she is as a person, and how she works around the mandate in her country by sporting hats, or shear scarves, both of which could result in her arrest. This movie showcases two different Muslim women, whom carry different views on veiling, one finding it empowering and the other suppressed. With the different examples of Muslim women exhibited throughout the course readings and their different views on veiling, it’s clear that this is a personal decision that only Muslim women can form for themselves as individuals. One element that these women all share is their expression of autonomy and self-determination, by making that choice for themselves and speaking up about what the veil means to

"As part of my Advent Worship, I will wear the hijab to work at Wheaton College, to play in Chi-town, in the airport and on the airplane to my home state that initiated one of the first anti-Sharia laws (read: unconstitutional and Islamophobic), and at church."

While I previously viewed the Muslim form of veiling as misogynistic and compulsory; however, Tamira Stephens describes that certain American Muslims see it as empowering (Stephens pg. 5). Furthermore, despite the common belief as veiling being particular to Muslims, Tamira Stephens also reports through her essay that even “more American” subcultures (the Amish) have a form of this practice much closer to my perception of misogyny (cite). Though Stephens’ comparison of the Amish and American Muslim veil serves as a means to subdue any negative stereotypes surrounding the Muslim practice, Stephens’ description of this Islamic practice of veiling can also serve as a testament to the positive effects of pluralism and equality in the United States.

The necessity of Iranian girls wearing veils indicates the regime taking over Iranian society further effect Marjane’s belief towards her identity. The first part of the book presents the background history of this graphic novel by saying, “In 1979 a revolution took over place. It was later called The Islamic Revolution” (Satrapi 3). The readers see right away that every students entered school was asked to wear veil due to the fact that “1980: The Year it became obligatory to wear the veil at school” (Satrapi 3). The veil symbolizes the restriction of social liberties for

Common American understandings of the meaning of hijab are related to a foreign cultural threat. There was a clear relationship between safety and wearing a hijab, this resulted in some women to stop wearing it after 9/11. A hijab carried a religious meaning, this factor played a role in the way Americans viewed women wearing it. Muslim women were aware that they were potential targets of attack, they were aware of the shift in public attitudes toward their apparel. Cainkar interviewed Muslim women and found, “One of my friends, immediately after September 11, she was afraid, and she couldn’t go out, and she ended up staying home”, another woman said, “After the events, we have begun to feel less secure than before. And because I wear a veil,

The Islamic religion was also the reason for veiling even after the Islamic revolution. However, there is the one difference after the revolution which is fundamentalism. The fundamentalist strongly believes that women 's hair stimuli men 's sexual desire, as the TV explains why women need to hide their hair in Persepolis (Satrapi 74). Indeed, When Marjane 's mother was in town without wearing the veil, she was insulted by fundamentalist (Satrapi 75).

Fatima Mernissi was born into Middle- Class family is Fes, Morocco of 1940. She earned her doctorate in 1957 studying political science at Sorbonne and at Brandeis University. Afterwards she returned to work at the Mohammed V University where she then had taught at the Faculte’ des letteres between the years 1974 and 1981 mainly on subjects such as methodology, family sociology as well as psych sociology. She earned her title as a well-known Islamic feminist that was greatly concerned with Islam and women’s role in it. Fatima Mernissi had conducted thorough investigation of the nature of the succession of Mohammed in order to verify what was written in the hadith. Fatima Mernissi’s works include: Dreams of trespass: Tales of a harem Girlhood, Islam and Democracy: Fear of the Modern World, and the well-known as well as her first Monograph, Beyond the Veil, which was published in 1975. It has become popular book in fields such as sociology and anthropology of the women in the Arab World.

Indonesia went through crucial events in the last few centuries including the spread of Islamic faith and influence. The spreading started out from trades that happened between Indonesians and Arabians (Sousa). Religious laws and traditions have changed from the moment Islam spread in Indonesia. Architectural style and mandatory rules also changed. Islam also had an impact on Indonesia economically, such as on banking and financial products (Rama). Islamic culture expedited massive changes whether religiously, artistically, or economically throughout Indonesia’s territory.