Bikini or headscarf — which offers more freedom? || CNN
I thought this was going to be another one of those ridiculous behind-the-veil articles, but it is actually quite interesting. It’s about a mother’s reaction to her young half-Arab daughter’s decision to start wearing a hijab.
“The other day, when I dropped her off at school, instead of driving away from the curb in a rush as I usually do, I watched her walk into a crowd of kids, bent forward under the weight of her backpack as if she were bracing against a storm. She moved purposefully, in such a solitary way — so different from the way I was at her age, and I realized once again how mysterious she is to me.
It’s not just her head covering that makes her so: It’s her lack of concern for what others think about her. It’s finding her stash of Halloween candy untouched in her drawer, while I was a child obsessed with sweets. It’s the fact that she would rather dive into a book than into the ocean — that she gets so consumed with her reading that she can’t hear me calling her from the next room.”
I loved this story…
Bikini….
1. You feel confident in being bare, as it is your choice
2. The male gaze is on you often sexual in nature
3. People will judge you (honestly as confident/free, or promiscuous)
Headcovering
1. You feel confident in being clothed, as its your choice (disregard those who force their women to wear it),
2. The male gaze is on you (could be sexual (as some men are turned on by the mystery), but often in this 21st century its usually a respectful gaze, or nonchalant)
3. People will judge you (honestly as oppressed, confident, respect worthy)
(Source: almaswithinalmas, via reallifemuslimgirl)
