It’s Just A Scarf!

I’m enraged! Yes, enraged! You know whom I’m angry with? Feminists. They claim to support freedom for everyone, especially all women. But, you know if they come across another woman who doesn’t fit into their agenda or world view of how a woman should be, then they can’t accept her. Not only can they not accept her, they show hatred, hostility, numbness, and if they are a potential employer: discrimination.

Against who, you ask. Against me and other Muslim women who wear an Islamic attire. All because of a scarf and some modest attire. How silly! I know there’s more to it of course (like a warped perception of Islam, or just plain hatred of Muslims).

Let’s take Islam. Yes, Islam says that the man is the head of household. Yes, in the Quran women are admonished to obey their husbands. But, in the Quran, there is also nothing that says woman was created second, or that she was solely responsible for the fall of man. It clearly states in the Quran that they were both responsible for their actions. It also states that God created a human and from this human created its mate. It doesn’t specify which sex was created first. Also, women and men are considered equals before God.

Yes, we Muslims have a different world view from you feminists, but does that give you the right to treat us less than human? Being a conservative and modest Muslim woman, I prefer to go to female doctors. Unfortunately, many of the female doctors (not all) treat me as some kind of alien or oddity, in some cases plain numbness. When they walk into the office, they are always taken aback when they see me. Why? I would like to know. Do you think that someone is forcing me into this lifestyle? Do you think I get beat daily by my husband? Do you believe I am my husband’s slave? I don’t believe you think this way, because you fully support that a woman has a full mind and is just as capable as a man of deciding for herself what she wants out of life. You do believe this, don’t you?

Okay, so maybe you don’t like the idea of a woman allowing a man to be the head of the house and a woman obeying her husband. That’s fine. I’m not writing this article to convert you to my lifestyle. You have a right to your beliefs. I respect you, but I believe differently. That’s the point isn’t it? Everyone has a right to their beliefs and lifestyles. I may not accept your lifestyle; you may not accept my lifestyle, but everyone has the right to be accorded full respect, at least to be treated as a fellow human.

Also, for many years feminists fought for the right for women to be allowed to work in the work place; at any job she’s capable of doing. These same women will turn around and treat a Muslim woman applicant with hostility and coldness. I’ve been treated overall, more fairly by men, yes white men (the bigots right?).

And to all non-Muslims, in general, I say, remember we’re human just like you are. When you see me and my fellow Muslim sisters walking down the street, shopping in the store, working in an office, driving her car and you stare with wide-eyed amazement, just think: would you like someone staring at you as if you were an alien who just beamed down from Mars, or wherever? Wake up, it’s just a scarf!