Source: Science 20
Though to Western women, Muslim women in the Mid-East and Asia seem oppressed because they have no choice in wearing a hijab, the Islamic head- and body-cover common in Muslim culture, studies have shown that Muslim women have a more positive body image.
Psychologists using a wider range of body image measures have found that British Muslim women who wear a hijab generally have more positive body image, are less reliant on media messages about beauty ideals, and place less importance on appearance than those who do not wear a hijab. These effects appear to be driven by use of a hijab specifically, rather than religiosity.
A total of 587 British Muslim women completed a battery of scales assessing their frequency and conservativeness of hijab use, body image variables, attitudes towards the media and beauty ideals, importance of appearance, and religiosity. Preliminary results indicated that 218 women never used the hijab and 369 women used some form of the hijab at least rarely.
Categories: Europe and Australia, Hijab, Religion, Science, Women
Highly questionable findings. reality on ground is different.
I am not sure whether I agree with Khan Sahib. The reality on the ground here in Jordan is that the ‘Hijabis’ are very self-confident. (I did not talk to them in detail about ‘body image’ kind of thing however).
Wearing the niqab is fashion, not faith, otherwise you are saying that decent devout Muslim women of the older generation neglected to behave modestly. So are we allowed to decide to wear a fashion item despite the law because we want to? In an ideal world, every woman wearing the niqab would be doing so out of free will, rather than facing heavy social pressure or punitive laws that force her to cover her face. “I don’t want to be controlled and told what I can and can not wear: that is oppression”. So, if you ever have daughters, what will you tell them? Have fun at the beach? The Burkha and Niqab are expressly designed to inhibit social interactions. That is what they are for. Do you actually have any evidence that women wearing the niqab have been involved in any armed terrorist activity in the West?
How about it is none of your business what women choose to wear. People should be free to wear whatever they want, or even not wear anything at all, as it would be none of your business? Why shouldn’t she be free to wear what she wants, for whatever reason, if she is doing no harm by doing so? No matter what you choose to wear, you also choose with it how you want people to see you and react to you. If it’s a niqab, then you also get questions about your identity, and (unfortunately) the current suspicions of anyone who does not reveal their face. If it’s something almost indecently revealing, you can expect men in cars to stop and proposition you. Either way, there’s no point getting offended. People still don’t have the right to assume they know how you think or will behave, but you will have to deal with their assumptions. Of course, if you’re older and basically dowdy, they just won’t notice you’re there most of the time… I feel liberated by the fact that I choose what you see. And I choose what I interact with. This will not include you. If you do not trust me then you are not asking for my trust, either. “The niqab makes me feel liberated, and no law will stop me from wearing it”.
Yes. Clothing can be an indicator to society and an indicator of society. Or it can be something to put on in the morning. In most western societies, a woman will be thought to be inviting sexual activity if she wears short-shorts and a sheer blouse without a bra underneath. In some Muslim societies she will be thought to be inviting sexual activity if she fails to cover her hair. But Muslim societies vary. Some require extreme cover-up. Others are pretty much like western societies. Sometimes people are sending loud messages about themselves via their clothing. Other times they aren’t intending to send any particular message. Some people read a lot into what folks are wearing, whether or not the folks are intending to signal anything. Other people don’t pay much attention to clothes. Some organizations insist that people “dress the part”, perhaps by wearing the organization’s
Most Jewish women are puzzled by the small number of Jewish women who do this too. There is certainly no religious dictate to do it. Those that maintain this tradition and do it willingly, claim its a sign of modesty with a particular sect. The huge majority that don’t would say its just a way of maintaining control and conformity within the Hassidic sect. Nobody covers their face incidentally,uniform, perhaps by wearing certain colours or styles. Other organizations don’t care what folks wear as long as they perform their functions well.
IA
http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk