To Niqab or not to Niqab

Every day I see the hatred of scarves by Western media. Often, it’s more directed towards Hijab wearing women. It is mostly target towards women of Muslim and sheik faith who wear turbans, hijabs, burqas, jilbab, or etc. With the turban being considered “okay” since African women wear these scarfs for fashion or to protect their hair. The turban is even considered as “fashion”.  If your Muslim and you “have” to wear a hijab, then they would rather you wear a turban. Regardless if you like it or not. The Western culture and other cultures particularly loathe the Niqab. With many countries banning the practice for “women’s rights”. Which brings into question, if you are a woman should you niqab or not niqab? Is wearing fabric suddenly take your rights away? Does covering your face suddenly hinder you from living any “western” life?

A Niqab is often confused with a burqa. While a niqab leaves the eyes open to be seen, and sometimes has another clothe that can cover the eyes as well. Niqab fashion does range in styles and colors; with the latter usually being black. Some niqabi women show their forehead, some leave a small slit for their eyes. While some women wear gloves and socks and others do not. Of course, by Western standards it’s all deeming, but it isn’t.  Niqabi women, especially those in Indonesia, where niqabs in various colors ranging in black to bright yellow. While black is the most common color, more women are choosing bright colors. Some even choose patterns. The dress ranges from being super loose to slightly loose dresses. Some women wear dresses and different style jackets to style it up. Don’t be fooled by a woman wearing a Niqab, often they are wearing trendy fashion under their clothes and wearing makeup.

Interestingly some women will wear the niqab with jeans and long sleeve shirts. Some wear hijabs wrapped in elaborate styles and wear the niqab along with it. Some women take their scarves and make face veils out of them. There are scarf pins and various jewelry that can be added. While the average niqabi does choose the always flattering black look, it isn’t the only thing out there. Perhaps if Westerners left it alone the Western Niqabi wearer would make the niqab more unique as women in Malaysia and Indonesia have done.

Westerners are afraid of the Niqab. They are scared what they cannot see. It is a long cultural tradition on Western thought that highly influences these feelings. Ranging from old nursery rhymes of see only eyes in the pitch black to bank robbers to ISIS. To Westerners to not see a person’s facial expressions often causes anxiety. Us westerners want to see that pearly white smile (after all that’s what the commercials say) , we want to see when your sad so we can help, or when your confused, or etc. It is a belief that covering the face means you might be evil or are hiding something, you’re not good. The thought that you as an individual have every right to watch me, to gaze me, and when that is taken what superiority do you have?

Are women stripped from their rights if they wear it though? Aren’t women in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afghanistan forced to wear it? Women in Saudi Arabia are forced to wear a hijab and loose abayas, depending on the city yes, they must wear a niqab. Women in Iran must wear modest clothing and hijabs. Women in Afghanistan in some Taliban regions are forced to wear burqas. Women from these countries often take the niqab or forced garb off when they travel, and some do not. While it is imperative that women in places that force veiling should have the right not to. It is often used as a justification to invade a land to force Western ways. When I say Western ways, I don’t mean things like books or tv shows, I mean creating Americanized education or churches that strip the children from their culture. Why open schools in English, when no one speaks English? Sure, there should be a class on English don’t get me wrong here. Why is it that schools target little girls but leave boys left behind? When these boys have no education, no jobs to go to, whom usually end up joining extremist groups because they lack work and education. While in Iran the struggle with covering their hair is not a struggle Americans or Westerners understand. Iranian women have loads more freedom than Saudi women, and Saudi women are not treated like Afghani women are. Iranian women do not share the same culture as Saudis, they don’t even practice the same kind of Islam. Historically they’ve been mostly separate. These women do not represent Niqabi women, so don’t use them as an excuse to be an ass. Use them as an excuse to make sure all women have rights.

Believe or not, some people enjoy wearing a hijab, niqab and a burqa. When a woman from a western country chooses a niqab, she chooses it on her free will. Feminism is the belief in the equality of all men and women. If a woman chooses to wear tattoos on her face she is not less of a woman. If a woman is trans and lesbian she is not less of a woman. Then why is it when a woman chooses to wear face veil she is not human? It also can be asked if a black woman chooses her natural hair then why is she less of a woman?  There are plenty of videos of women wear niqabs that skateboard, ski, ice skate, play pranks, are scientist, engineers, artist, and even singers. There are niqabis that are black to Asian to white. Wearing clothing doesn’t not prevent you from society, it is society that prevents you from living in it. Now there are women who do come families that pressure them into modest wear, that should be frowned upon. However, making it harder for these women to live in both society isn’t benefitting them.

It is oppressive to prevent women from choosing their own clothing choices. It is oppressive when a government decides what is correct for women to wear. Society will never grow if women’s bodies and life choices are controlled by a government. A hijab and a niqab are women’s issues that should be supported. If you support boobs out you should also support a women’s face covered. If a woman supports her face covered she should also support a women’s boobs out. Regardless if you want to wear that style or not. No women or man or they should ever be forced to wear something or not wear something. The problem with Western society is that it believes it is helping women when its doing the same thing oppressive regimes are doing to their women.