Reflection on The Veil in Our Minds and on Our Heads

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Table of Contents

Introduction
The Veil
De-veiling
Discussion
Conclusion
Reference

Introduction

This papers main argument is that the veil in the context of the Western world is heavily imbued with racism and ethnocentrism. Hoodfar (1992) illustrates the veils significance in Muslim culture and norms. She gives insight into Islamic feminism, a perspective often ignored by white feminists, and how it is hindered by racism and Islamophobic misconceptions about veiling. This essay aims to provide a brief account of the contents of the paper The Veil in Their Minds and on Our Heads and critically examine it.

The Veil

Hoodfar explains in her paper the origins of practices such as veiling and seclusion. The first refers to covering ones body so as not to get molested. The second is the idea that women should be guarded against males. Seclusion in practice meant women often had to stay home. Limiting womens movements outside the home made them financially dependent on their husbands or male relatives. However, Hoodfar also argues that these practices were not severe, stating that the veil only symbolized status for women in the upper class. She also explains that a Muslim womans wealth was managed by her, meaning seclusion was not practiced significantly.

In my opinion, this context is very needed because most Western people do not understand the meaning of the veil in Muslim cultures because of white ethnocentrism. A strong point of this argument is that it dismisses the common misinterpretations of white westerners that Muslim cultures are uncivilized and rely on mistreating women. A negative aspect of these misconceptions is that they function as a mechanism to carry out white supremacy.

De-veiling

The de-veiling movement started with upper-class Egyptian women who questioned the ideology of the veil and the seclusion of women. The discussions were overtaken by men who believed in the need to westernize and modernize. Eventually, in many countries, scarves and chadors were banned, and policemen were given specific orders to tear them off of women in public (Hoodfar, 1992, 9). Naturally, most women decided it was better not to leave home than face the embarrassment of being undressed. Women could not leave the house for work, socialization, and other daily tasks, which enforced the practice of seclusion to a more intense degree.

Instead of liberating women, as most westerners would understand, prohibiting the veil did the exact opposite. For this reason, it is important to examine a nations cultural values before enforcing ones ideals upon them. I agree with Hoodfar in this statement: the persistence of colonial images of Muslim women with their ethnocentric and racist biases have formed a major obstacle to understanding the social significance of the veil (18). However, the question of how to deal with such obstacles remains unanswered; I would suggest combating them by educating westerners about Islamic feminism.

Discussion

The questions worth discussing are the culture and the value of the veil in Islam and Islamic feminism. These topics were chosen because the paper The Veil in Their Minds and on Our Heads: The Persistence of Colonial Images of Muslim Women clearly defines the main issues of Muslim representation in society and feminism specifically. I believe that the problems Hoodfar sees in white feminism in the 90s are still prevalent today.

Conclusion

This paper gives an insightful look into the perspective of Muslim women, which is often overlooked when discussing gender equality in the East by white feminists. Hoodfars main arguments stand strong because she explains the oppression of women under Islam and the discrimination they face because of their veil. Veiling is an important cultural practice that should be discussed outside of the context of white supremacy and misconceptions.

Reference

Hoodfar, Homa. 1992. The Veil in Their Minds and on Our Heads: The Persistence of Colonial Images of Muslim Women. Resources for Feminist Research 22 (3/4): 5-18.

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Reflection on The Veil in Our Minds and on Our Heads

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