Last Friday, the screening of ‘They Call Me Muslim’ was an insight into the lives of two Muslim women in France and Iran, and their views on the hijab. In the context of growing Islamophobia, this issue gains greater relevance as the hijab becomes a more conspicuous part of clothing.
Both women had largely different experiences: one lived in a theocracy while the other in a democracy. However, they were both faced with issues that challenged their freedom of choice and agency. Today, it appears as though political forces view the hijab as a symbol of Islam as opposed to an article of clothing.
In the case of France, the singular ban on the hijab, and not other religious objects, could be viewed as a repercussion of the growing Islamophobia over the past years. In Iran, the enforcement of the hijab could be viewed as the agenda of a theocratic government. In neither case, does the ban/enforcement of the hijab make individuals more or less Muslim.
These laws are attempts to define public spaces according to a dominant voice in the system, denying the women their freedom of choice and agency. Often times, measures like these are aimed at women rather than men. This is evident in both cases, as political entities dictate what women should or should not wear. The issue with the hijab is a religious aspect of a general larger discourse that attempts to characterize people by the type of clothes they wear (Slut shaming, etc).
I remember how we had an entire discussion about feminism after leaving this movie and I agree that, regardless of what women do, there will always be rules decided for us. Sometimes there will be comments about women being prudes and dressing “like a nun” and other times, there will be problems that arise if our skirts are an inch too short. It’s amazing how men’s ideals somehow continue to dictate how women behavior. Sorry for the second feminist rant. 🙂
Hi Sryia,
Thank you for writing this post! I think people often forget that two people with similar identities all have the same view. I’m glad that this movies showed the diversity of thought between Muslim individuals.
I think the hijab debate is analogous to the homemaker debate. A women should have the right to choose what is best for her and her lifestyle. If wearing a hijab is empowering for you, then wear it! Similarly, if working outside the home is best for you, then do! I hope that as a society we can begin to move in a direction that allows for people to make choices for themselves.
I am glad that this film pointed out the similarity of forcing a woman to wear an article of clothing to forcing a woman to not wear an article of clothing, because the two situations are basically doing the same thing. I have never understood how a person can justify banning the wearing of the hijab due to people forcing women to wear them. Yes, it is wrong to force a woman to wear the hijab when she does not want to, but it is equally wrong to force a woman to not wear it when she wants to. I think part of the problem is that, since the hijab is often viewed as a symbol of religious oppression, some people cannot imagine a woman choosing to wear one. They think that, even if she says it is her choice, she is still being pressured to wear it by society and the people around her. While this may certainly be true in some cases, it is not true in all of them. For instance, I know of two Muslim women–sisters–who have both expressed their freedom to choose whether or not to wear the hijab. One has chosen to do so, while the other has not. This clearly shows that the woman who chose to wear the hijab did so willingly.