behind the veil: western & muslim attitudes regarding muslim clothing and its role in creating...
TRANSCRIPT
Behind the Veil:
Western & Muslim attitudes regarding Muslim clothing and its role in creating gender inequity
Using all the visual cues you’ve learned from
American media, let’s play a game where you get to guess the religion of the
following women.
The image that many associate with typical Iranian dress is that of the full chador — where any appearance in public is under a shroud of black. Generally this means the woman is more traditional in her representation of proper hejab.
School girls are inevitably uniformed, frequently in lighter colors. This hood-like headcovering is called a maghnaeh. It has the advantage of not slipping — and of course, showing less hair than a scarf.
Scarves do slip (and all that evil hair shows), and you have to re-tie them. And
they slip again... and again.
Not long ago it was against the law to wear backpacks — too "western." Now they're everywhere... and there's no going back.
Iran is a mix of many cultures and ancient traditions.
Throughout the country — even in rural villages —
there is the ever-present head covering, but otherwise the clothing is as diverse as the
people.
Headscarves are required at the age of nine, and become an accepted part — more or less — of what females wear, as well as a suggestion of who they are. What it means to be a good Muslim woman is subtly debated with each woman's representation of proper hejab.
The veil is a “symbol” that stands for many things, including:
•Religious status
•Economic status
•Protection
•Privacy
•Honor
•Respectability
10 resolutions against discrimination are drafted at a women's conference in Tehran.
Tehran University allows women to enroll! Reza Shah Pahlavi forbids women to wear the veil, a western-influenced plan that backfires…. the
majority of Iranians are scandalized by immodesty and women stay home.
Ayatollah Khomeini, a Muslim religious leader, overthrows the Shah. Women, who strongly supported the revolution, are not rewarded for their efforts...the marriage age lowers, polygamy is legalized and abortions are banned.