-Amarah Niazi-
Growing up in the streets of Pakistan, most of us never questioned the wisdom behind women covering their heads, wearing a chadar, hijab or burqa. In fact I somewhat envied the invisibility it afforded women, and the spectacle of watching men actually making way for burqa clad women instead of ogling them into squirming uncomfortably was a source of endless fascination for me as we grew older. Little did we know that our customary chadars and hijabs would lead to pondering and deliberations at some of the highest echelons of power in the West. It appears imperative that Muslim women of substance join the debate and have their opinions weighed in before the fate of scores of hijab wearing Muslim minorities in the West is decided for them.
Much has been said over the years about the 'burqa' as a recognizable symbol of women's oppression in the Muslim world. The discussion hasn't reached a fever pitch in Washington yet, maybe because the US has enough on it's plate with eight years of alienating the Muslim world in general and the large Muslim minority in the US itself in particular. France it appears however, has been at the fore front of condemning any outward symbolism of religious belief and orientation and has a state-sponsored campaign underway for declaring the burqa or hijab unlawful in the public domain. The rippling effect of the discourse is attracting women's activists and human rights experts; not to mention everyday critics of the Islamic way of life across the North American continent, Europe and Australia. I was recently invited to a public forum hosted by the Australian National University (ANU) and the self explanatory title of the discussion 'Should we ban the burka?" has prompted me to put my thoughts on paper.
Before I comment on the necessity for state-level interference on the issue, let me share a disclaimer with the readers. I consider myself a very moderate Muslim woman with a very strong independent streak that has often come into conflict with my conservative upbringing; I do not wear the burqa, have strong opinions about how the burqa manifested itself into a class-segregation tool in the post-colonial South Asia- and yet, I object vehemently to any Western discourse that solicits state intervention for declaring the burqa unlawful or unnecessary.
My first objection to the ongoing colloquy is that it is patronizing, somewhat condescending and extremely unilateral in its approach. It fails to acknowledge women who have committed themselves to an understanding of their customs, religious doctrines and the art of intricate balancing of gender roles in a complex Islamic society and CHOSEN to wear the veil out of their own accord. Even the women who are forced into a voiceless existence behind the veil (and there is no denying there are plenty such women) this discussion doesn't represent their interests because most commentaries on the subject are steeped in Western ideals and do not reconcile with Muslim women's unique experiences. Secondly, I find this debate contradictory and paradoxical to the Western idea of freedom. As a woman of faith and color, I find the notion most disturbing that the state would dictate how anyone, let alone women who have been dictated to for centuries, must express themselves in public. Muslim women are a unique force unto themselves and while a large number of them are subjected to oppression and abuse, still a large cross-section of them across the Muslim world are very aware of their rights and still choose to cover themselves.
I wish someone would point out the commonly thrown-around argument in the West regarding 'Freedom of Speech and Expression'. The burqa is a manifestation of oppression only when forced upon a woman against her will. A lot of women cover themselves out of respect for their customs and to make a bold statement about their values; why should the state decide this matter for them? I do, however, think that the state can enforce laws that protect women from harm if they choose not to wear the burqa. The matter to me is simply that of defining freedom equally across the board for women of all religions. I will be a very interested participant if the debate ever arises over allowing women the right to wear revealing clothing in public, or even public nudity as that could be seen as an extreme form of expressing one freely. Objectifying women into sexual objects could be no better than dehumanizing them behind identical fabric walls.
This debate could be so much more than it is right now. Muslim women from different cadres of societies need to add their voice to a largely Western discourse and ensure our customs are not scrutinized with a negative lens without bringing unique socio-cultural perspectives to the table that define each one of us in a diverse way.
