Post: 04/14/2012
Conversation on facebook following a post with a man missing a leg. My first real experience with uneducated, mininformed person with preconceived notions. This is a police officer no less working near thee largest Middles Eastern community in the United States noless.
Me: "The bionic person is becomming a reality."
Former coworker: "Are you still wearing that "hajib"?"
Me: "Yup and no plans of taking it off"
Former coworker: "are you muslim?"
Me: "I'm still me regardless if I am or not."
Former coworker: "Strange"
Me: "not at all"
Former coworker: "Its a symbol of a culture where woman have no rights. where its ok to to persecute woman for going to school or driving. where woman are to cover up but the men can do anything they want. Its also a symbol of a culture that is responsible for the soldier having no leg."
*My response on the same date. (Keep in mind he called me strange before the above statement.)*
Me: "No its not, first and foremost, I cover myself because I have that freedom of choice and I am not being forced to nor am I oppressed. The religion I chose to follow makes no difference. I spent nearly 6 months researching this and talking to people and taking classes. It is in no way a sign of oppression for women of the Middle East let alone any other country that is a HUGE misconception. If people took more time to research it they would know it is not a sign of oppression. Second, we are in America not in the Middle East, two totally different worlds, or maybe not so different at all. We may have more freedoms as women but it has not been all that long that we have had such freedoms. It has only been since the 1920’s that we have been voting and only since the 1970’s that women have truly been allowed to work the streets as officer like that of men and only since the 1980’s since domestic violence laws were enacted and the 1990’s that VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) was enacted to protect women. So the Middle East is a bit behind. We can only pray they catch up, in fact, they are fighting for the right to drive and it was only last year that Manal al-Sharif (was totally a fan of her FB page last year and supported her along with women all over the world) was arrested for driving in Saudi Arabia taking a stance. They are currently fighting for their rights. In fact, still today women are still fighting in America to keep their rights to make decisions for their own bodies like having an abortion. Here in America we have what is called FREEDOM OF RELIGION. So trust me when I tell you that Muslim women cover themselves by choice. And then you have some Muslim women who chose not to cover; some from the same family. Women wear the hijab and cover themselves as their dedication to God and it’s what is in the BIBLE and Qur'an. Dressing modestly is a good thing and I find it funny that people accept a woman who chooses to dress with her ass and tits hanging out and that is normal and ok but a woman who cho0ses to wear a hijab is oppressed. SMH…..It’s all a matter of how and if a woman in America choses to cover themselves. Up until the late 70's Catholic women had to wear a veil into church. Amish, some sects of Baptist, Mormons and many Christian women dress modestly and cover themselves. Is it a sign of oppression when we see a nun wearing a hijab? NO! I am NOT oppressed and I do it by choice and I love it. I have both a bible and a Qur’an at home along with books on Buddhist, Judaism and Hinduism. I also have a world religions book and I have spoken to many people of different religions and watching many documentaries before I came to this decision for myself. Strange is a perception one holds when something they perceive is outside of their comfort zone or understanding."
*sn* I am learning to deal with people that feel like this in a more pleasant, short, sweet and to the point kind of way.
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