Comments on: What Is Veiling?, Sahar Amer

By: Jackal

Jackal — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 06:49:00 +0000

I always try to be relativistic about this kind of thing, but once you get up to the niqab and burqa it’s like, but aren’t you hot? Also, that’s how people dress to rob a bank. It is human to be nervous when someone else is clearly a human but has no face. The face is how we know which human we are talking to, and covering it usually done specifically to conceal one’s identity.

I think an aversive reaction to such things is pretty normal, but when people get weird about the hijab I just want to slap them upside the head. Women wrapping their hair up out of the way/feeling like it should be covered for modesty is a pancultural classic. It’s not that big a deal, you can see who they are, they can see where they’re going ,and it’s good safety practice if you’re working with machinery or anything.

Anyway, I want this book. XD

By: Heather O'Roark

Heather O'Roark — Sat, 06 Feb 2016 21:32:00 +0000

So this looks fantastic and something I definitely want to read. I live in Orlando and we go to theme parks quite frequently, and I see women wearing hijabs and burqas pretty regularly. I am VERY guilty of judging the men they are with, when it is 100 degrees and the husband is wearing shorts and a tshirt, and the wife is completely covered so you can only see her eyes, like what the f guys, your lady has to sweat to death being completely covered yet YOU get to be in luxurious summer clothing? I need to read this book. And also, stop being so judgmental. I’m working on that part. :/

By: Athira

Athira — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 23:20:00 +0000

Yep, what you said! I recently got into a discussion / argument with someone who was insisting that “Muslim women need to be rescued from their burqas or veils” and this person could not accept that some women choose to wear them.

By: Deepika Ramesh

Deepika Ramesh — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 18:57:00 +0000

Hi Jenny, I have always wanted to read a nice book on this theme. This sounds intriguing. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Also, I read Anuradha Roy’s ‘Sleeping On Jupiter’ recently, and I am thankful to the author for writing about what most Indian women think about the way they are judged in India, based on their clothes. Have you read the book?

By: Kristen M.

Kristen M. — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 16:18:00 +0000

I kind of love that she used the word “veiling” in the title because it seems like the second a foreign word like hijab enters the conversation is when lots of people get up on their uninformed, judgmental soapboxes. Be cool, people!

By: Alley

Alley — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 03:31:00 +0000

This sounds excellent and definitely something I do not know enough about. And I am fully on board with your skepticism.

By: Jenny @ Reading the End

Jenny @ Reading the End — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 23:58:00 +0000

In reply to Stefanie@SoManyBooks. Amer talks about that actually! She talks about the way the burqa can be a real barrier between the woman and the world. It's interesting, very much recommended.

By: Jenny @ Reading the End

Jenny @ Reading the End — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 23:58:00 +0000

In reply to Alice. OH I WAS SO EXCITED

By: Jenny @ Reading the End

Jenny @ Reading the End — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 23:57:00 +0000

In reply to Aarti. Yep -- and it seems like whenever women and their decisions get dragged into the mix, people get even judgier than they'd have been in the first place. :/

By: Aarti

Aarti — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 20:04:00 +0000

I 100% agree with your skepticism. People are really big on applying their values to other people’s decisions, which is generally not a great way to approach a diverse world.