So, to kickstart the blog and conversation, I chose to dive right into the controversial and sometimes misunderstood concept of the burqa. Honestly, I might not have a great deal of expertise on the subject & maybe Wajid can shed some light, but anyhow, the reason I chose to talk about it is the impending French vote on banning visual aids of religious orientation (which also includes a ban on Sikh pagdi's).
Considering how the west perceive the burqa as a metaphor for imprisonment this article was liberating (http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/02/04/france.burqa.ban/index.html?hpt=C2). Granted it is purely an individuals opinion (as opposed to a consensus) but then again this blog is about the meeting of personal opinions.
On doing some basic research, I find that Oumkheyr's statement - in the first line of the article, is false (Wajid - correct me if i'm wrong). The Quran simply "urges men and women to dress and behave modestly in society". Never does it state the burqa as a religious dress.
The burqa was the attire of the dessert people in the gulf - long before islam came into existence. Its purpose was to sheild the eyes and skin from the sun and sand. In that case shouldn't clothing be subjective to location as the purpose of the attire is lost in some other parts of the world. Over the centuries the dress has become synonymous with a religion as opposed to a location.
Considering that most people perceive the fair skin as a vital ingredient in idealistic beauty, I wouldn't be surprised if people wear it to avoid tanning. I see women in Chennai wearing elbow length gloves and scarves at the peak of the south Indian summer. go figure.
Anyways, getting back to the issue of religious tolerance and cultural relativity. If I were to dare to compare I would equate a burqa (in the east) to high heeled shoes(in the west). Both of which can be interpreted as tools of society. From what i hear burqas are suffocating and high heels are painful (really, i havent tried either). They are both worn by women to find social acceptance and a majority of the men think girls in either, directly or indirectly make them more attractive.
Anyways, I'm looking forward to reading the comments about this. It would be awesome to get a girls point of view - maybe a stiletto-wearing conservative muslim? Anyways, lets hope for freedom of expression, religion and fashion.
