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K.m. Chaudary / AP
Veiled supporters of the Pakistani religious party Jamaat-e-Islami attend a pro-hijab rally in Lahore, Pakistan, Sept. 4. Rallies were held throughout the country to encourage Muslim women to wear the hijab, a veil which covers the hair and sometimes the face.
Shakil Adil / AP
Women raise their hands to take an oath to continue to wear the hijab during a rally in Karachi on Sept. 4, 2012.
Arif Ali / AFP - Getty Images
Pakistani women march on 'Hijab Day' in Lahore.
Asif Hassan / AFP - Getty Images
A Pakistani woman holds her child as she takes part in a pro-hijab rally in Karachi.
Farooq Naeem / AFP - Getty Images
Women gather to mark 'Hijab Day' in Islamabad.
Muhammed Muheisen / AP
Images of daily life, political pursuits, religious rites and deadly violence.
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I have to wonder if women really want this or if they have no alternative. Being a woman from the West, I can't understand how being clad from head to foot gives women any rights. When I see women looking like this, I think that domestic violence will rule that country as well as other Muslim countries that want to return to an Islamic state.
More than likely they don't have a choice because their husband, brother, cousin, uncle, or father would have them put to death for "Fasad fil-ardh"
This sounds odd but the Hijab may in fact appeal to a women's vanity. The Islamic bimbos want to be accepted, desired and protected by their men, and their patriarchal society has convinced them from childhood that a woman's value is based on her purity and virtues and they will be honored by Allah above other females for their piety.
It also hides the acid burns and stretch marks from birthing 10 brats as well.
No ones stopping those that want to wear them that right the problem is they want to impose their will on every woman. An Islamic culture that beats those appearing without it or without a male relative every where they go isn't about individual rights but only the rights they support.
When has the Christian West had a female Prime Minister as head-of-state? Islam has already crossed that bridge; in essence, they back-up their words about the equality of women with action! Meanwhile, the West gives lip-service to the notion of female equality and Western women have been bamboozled into accepting it.
Muslimahs who choose to wear the hi-jab are not doing it out of fear. They are wearing it because they know that in the West - no matter how much it claims to the contrary - women are looked upon as physical objects - i.e., Does she have big breast, heart-shaped hips, a bubble-butt, etc? - and not respected for their intelligence or inner qualities.
If the issue is about the right of women to choose, that right should not be limited to choosing whether to wear the hi-jab. Women who choose to wear it, should not be criticized or labeled as oppressed.
Since they are out with signs demanding for it, I would assume they want it.. Every culture has different standards and etc. Also it used to be that a woman didnt have to wear a hijab in most middle eastern countries but with the brotherhood takeover thats quickly changing..
problem is that these people all the time fighting western culture,why we do not give them what they want:let them have hijiab,stay at home and cook for their man,and have no social rights,they practice Islam and go deeper in their crap and live in their prehistorical belief,BUT from other side we cut all our financial and technological help ,leav their country ,let them enjoy their life!then we see what happend.with brotherhood taking over Egypt,and rising Iran with nuke and not doing anything about growing problems that we have in Middle East we have to wait for worst than this.
Sam: That one word, 'brotherhood.' should have altered your assumption!
BTW, your avatar is woefully incorrect and misleading. Our president is right of center politically--exactly where Republicans were in the 1990s, before Teabaggers stepped in and warped the Grand Old Party. Why try to offend when we really need to pull together as a nation?
The hijab is merely a manifestation of male domination, and some women have been convinced (for whatever reason) that wearing it represents modesty, personal dignity, and honor.
To my knowledge, the hijab is a cultural tradition, NOT required by Islamic law, but is rapidly being transformed into a religious (or religio-political) symbol anyway.
Ask these women: In societies wherein they're "obliged" to wear hijabs, do they really have any other choice? How would their menfolk react if these women suddenly appeared in even modest western-style attire?
BMette, your comment :
Ask these women: In societies wherein they're "obliged" to wear hijabs, do they really have any other choice? How would their menfolk react if these women suddenly appeared in even modest western-style attire?
Made me chuckle and think, oddly enough, of Mary Tyler Moore and the stir after the Dick Van Dyke show in which she appeared as a housewife in the infamous ooooh black slack's! B&W tv did not help the dark image of her slack's, appearing black, the standard of distinction between good and evil at that time.
If it wasn't for the religion, I sometime's think the only difference to the middle east is that our primitive side's are out of time with each other. That we forget, we've been there already.
i would like to invite all the women of pakistan to come into the 21 century and if you cant do that please come into the 20th century and if you cant do that please come into the 19th century and.............
Ya, will all women who wear that veil are brainwashed with religion. This is not the dark ages and women are not evil if they show their face and hair. Women are not responsible for what men do just because some evil religious books say they are. Ever man is responsible for his own demons and making the female population pay for that behavior is a form of slavery.
Culture has nothing to do with it in this day and age. When religion is removed and all people are equal, then they and other women who wear the veil will make it out of the dark ages.
Hijabi pride? I thought the purpose of hijab was humility and modesty...
You are all looking too far into this veil thing. When, on balance, you are so ugly, a veil is a good thing. Simple.
Actually most middle eastern women are stunning, with glowing black eyes and slight curly black hair. Also everything's built out in the right places.. Go over there once, ive always wondered they have such pent up rage, with such gorgeous beauties willing to do anything for them ..
Pakistan: we will take you to the dark ages, because allah told us so.
No different than the Evangelicals in the USA... What's your point?
BeekGirl
The article is about Islam, not evangilicals in the US. They present a different set of problems, but they are clearly not the same. Stop excusing Islam by making all criticisms seem hypocritical.
@ Charles the Hammerhead - Where did I make an excuse for Islam, exactly? The answer: I didn't. What I did do is implicitly point out that belief in an Abrahamic god stops progress and in fact can reverse it.
If these women want to wear this stuff, it would seem to be their right. I don't understand why they need to demonstrate about it. I doubt that anyone in Pakistan is trying to force them to stop, unless there are a lot of folks in veils pulling heist's.
It seems they might be attempting to force other women to join them in their arcane belief system.
They're in Pakistan, yet their hand-held signs are in English. Hmmm. Do you wonder who the demonstration was really intended for? The U.S. media?
It would seem so since quite a few women in Pakistan dont wear the hijab and its not required by law.
Some people are afraid of freedom, or choice, of options. Maybe from the way the were raised, maybe from society's pressure, maybe from religious beliefs. It is a lot easier if everything is decided for you. What to wear. Who to marry. When you can leave the house. Who you can talk to. If these people don't want to be able to think or choose, let's impose that on everyone. It will eliminate any doubt about their choices. It will make everything nice and neat. Easy. No thinking. No choices. No mistaked. Easy. Nice.
Let these countries and people alone and let them decide how they want to live. Withdraw all funding but also, from a humanitarian point of view, if they need food send them all the pork they want.
Interesting how the Islamophobes see a problem with the hajib, while the Bible requires a woman to do the same:
1 Corinthians 11:5-7 And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head--it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.
Now how is Islam any more misogynist and patriarchal than Christianity? It's not. So let's put the blame where it is: On religion, and on those who operate by tradition rather than equality.
It's the 21st Century BeekGirl, mainstream Christians no longer live by the words of the Bible so why quote obsolete Scripture?
latekate - Indeed, it is the 21st century, but it doesn't stop people from pointing at scripture to claim gay marriage is against god's will. Or that god is against abortion. Still waiting for that Constitutional ban on Red Lobster, tho. Thanks for playing. Try again.
@ BeekGirl - Stop making sense. People like latekate need to be able to cherry-pick in order to justify why her monkey troop is better than other monkey troops.
MILLIONS of Christians support abortion, gay rights and birth control they just don't run around blabbing about it so game over.
latekate - I wish the "game" were over in that voters (and therefore state laws) wouldn't deny the rights for men to marry men and for women to marry women, and to leave it for each individual woman to make choices about her own body and reproductive health. But that's not the actual case, is it? The reason millions of christians support abortion and gay rights is due to the necessity of changing cultural norms, and as the culture changes and science advances, religion becomes more irrelevant. However, the voting majority of still many states, mostly in the south - big surprise - still point to scripture and claim "moral superiority" as reasons to continue to legislate against abortion and to not allow gays to marry. So, you can't honestly claim that scripture is "obselete." You're just conveniently ignoring the parts that you don't choose to follow - and that's fine - but don't argue otherwise unless you don't mind when people call you out on it.
What am I cherry-picking about Lilac, that women shouldn't be wrapped up in cloth from head to toe like Frankenstein? Go back to gossiping about Kim Kardashian's huge ass you fool.
@ latekate - BeekGirl already laid out exactly how you're cherry-picking. Really? Frankenstein? I think a side-by-side comparison of a woman wearing a hijab looks more akin to a christian nun than an imaginary male monster in a tattered shirt and mens slacks. I'm not sure who Kim Kardashian is, but her ladybits seem to not have escaped your notice. Personally, I care about social issues for women, not what they look like.
@ BeekGirl: I'm not completely familiar with US politics but I have noticed on the times that I did visit the women of the US seem very modern and not restricted by religious laws. As for Christians being forced to adapt because of changing cultural norms that is incorrect since many Scientists and Politicians are in fact born into religious families and since the Church has lost it's absolute power to control people's lives, the people have chosen a social order where everyone, including women have civil rights and protection from violence. It's far from perfect and I'm not saying that any religious group is more superior than another just trying to point out that mainstream Christianity is less stringent than say 50 years ago.
Lilac I'm glad you care about social issues for women we have to stick together not fight.
latekate - While women in the US appear modern, our laws are often not, and this will vary from the northern US and the Southern US. Indeed, christians are being forced to adapt to modern society and scientific discoveries. You may be interested to read about the nuns in the US who are rebuffing the Vatican on womens' issues. Just because people are born into religious families does not mean they carry the same values and views into their adult lives and/or careers. Churches have lost *absolute* power, but not their influence, which in turn influences their voting. One can claim women have civil rights, but we do not have *equal* rights.
Beekgirl, The issue is about demonstrating for Hijab. But why should there be a demonstration for Hijab at all? If they had freedom to choose on what to wear, those who wish can wear even the most horrendous Hijabs!! But it seems to me that the intent of this demonstration is to "force" Hijab on everyone - ie, taking out their freedom to choose what to wear.
Dont understand why you point fingers to Christianity when such a discussion is going on? Does that absolve the issue at hand? Also note that the rest of the world does not wear their religion and belief system on their foreheads and demand they be followed by everyone. This process is called civilization.
Desert_Fox - I wasn't responding to the article. I was making an observation in response to all the Islamophobic hypocrites who are freaking out about women who are reinforcing their desire to wear a hijab. And yes, "the rest of the world" often *does* wear their religion (figuratively) "on their foreheads", and the Abrahamic religions in particular do demand they be followed by everyone. It's part of their job description and is codified in their religious texts. Perhaps you don't pay attention to politics in the US (and that's OK), but here the right-wing absolutely pushes bible-based "moralistic" laws on people - particularly women.
"And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels." Leviticus 27.
The Bible here is speaking of how slavery is OK and how the worth of the females is half that of men. Sharia. Same scripture for Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
Take your pick: "Allah is Great" or "In God We Trust". LOL.
Funny how they don't show all the men standing right behind these women with "I own your body" signs. Well I suppose it's not really necessary. I mean there not saying "I" own your body, there saying "god" owns your body. =D
BeekGirl: You're right!
I was a Catholic school girl when all females were required to cover their heads as they entered church. Even at 6 years old, I understood enough to be embarrassed and ashamed to see elderly women trying to bobby pin Kleenex tissues to their hair in wind and snow before crossing the threshold into church.
That feeling of shame didn't leave until I left the church altogether.
I'll have to join a peaceful revolution or leave the country if Republicans are allowed to merge church and state here in order to dictate how I must live BECAUSE OF MY GENDER.
U.S. states passed 2,100 laws specifically targeting women's rights since 2010.
(We'd also go a long way towards cutting our $15 trillion in debt if Willard & the filthy rich had to withdraw their $20-30 trillion from offshore accounts and pay the 31% in taxes, whether as income or capital gains, my family pays!)
Obama/Biden and a Democratic Congress in November!
Fine good for them as long as they don't infringe on the Pakistani women who don'twhere the Hajib... but I doubt it.
BeekGirl, I applaud you on how you have presented your case, however I do have to disagree with you on some points. First of all your reference to "I Corinthians 11:5-7" while it does state that in those verses you must read chapter 11 in its entirety. He is referring to the tradition (that most people practiced) of requiring women to have head coverings and explains that it doesn't bring you closer to GOD but brings about division among the people. Furthermore he is stating that all married women who pray and prophesies should be covered by their husbands (since he is the head of the home) who are suppose to be students, and teachers of GOD's word (not saying that all husbands should be preaching outside the home but they should be inside the home). Many people take scripture out of context and that's why you have to dive in and study the word for yourself.
Secondly, we all have equal rights (Men and Women) when it comes to serving GOD. GOD hasn't banned women from being leaders in society, church or anything else. Just as long as it doesn't go against his will (i.e. Murder, stealing, lying among other things) then he is okay with it. It's only because of traditions that some Men came up with and decided on their own to implement into the church. The only thing that GOD requires is for us to Worship and follow him only and to Love others as ourselves. Once again read and learn the word for yourself.
Thirdly, you can't say that because of the advances of science and cultural changes (changing cultural norms) that Christianity is becoming irrelevant. Most "real scientists" will admit to you behind closed doors that a supreme being does exist. (If you really want to get into the meat and potatoes of this I will discuss it in another post). I'm a believer (Christian for those who don't know) and I don't force this upon anyone. It's your choice if you choose to believe in GOD or not. It's the second greatest gift GOD has given the human race, the right to choose. I may not agree with your choice (my right) and if it's totally against his word then I will express it (via e-mail or vote). However I will not view or speak about your or your choice with hatred or malice, because it was your choice. People tend to forget that way too often on both sides of the fence (i.e. the topic of abortion or gay marriage). I will only say these two things about gay marriage.
1. Marriage was created by GOD so it's a religious ceremony and there are numerous verses talking about marriage. Read Matthew 19:4-6 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what GOD has joined together, let no one separate."
2. The second reason for marriage is sex and the main purpose for sex is procreation (make similar copies of your species). Science fact "all animals have sex (that's the sole purpose of sex) to reproduce and the ones that don't need an opposite partner (male and female) can reproduce naturally so why can't humans do this? When you look at the human body in regards to reproduction the male and female apparatus lines up naturally. Why is this? I'm just talking about things in a natural (science) concept it's not that difficult to figure out. Once again if you need me to talk deeper about this subject just ask. As I conclude everything you do is a choice, but before you make that choice learn as much as you can and be informed