FEM 2109 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Under One Sky, Hijab, Arab Culture
20 Aug 2016
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FEM2109
February 1st 2016
Under One Sky: Arab Women in North America Talk About the Hijab
documentary
-veil is not just religious, it is culturally complex and situated within a myriad of
multidimensional reasons for wearing one
-no image is more complex, ambivalent or used than the hijab
-women from their own culture are not seen fit to lead prayers, Western people see them as
being terrorists or oppressed
-contrary to Western beliefs, there is no one image of Muslim hijab-wearing women
-growing up in the Middle East, there is an aversion to the hijab by Muslim women because
they knew exactly what it meant for them as women
-when they came to Canada, it became a symbol of identity and fighting racist society
-problematic because the only way they can challenge colonialism is by oppressing
themselves?
-have to defend women who wear the veil
-bombarded with images of fragmented women (legs, arms, lips, etc on ads)
-Muslim women are dressed modestly for many different reasons
-they are not asexual, they wear lipstick, etc
-when Western women see Muslim women they project images of chastity on them which is
wrong
-it is not anybody’s right to unveil them
-let them have freedom to make their own choices
-when one culture is assumed to be neutral, there is a problem
-the West is a culture, just as developing countries have cultures
-imperialism is when the West tries to tell the world that they are the standard and
everything else is ethnic
-the West is as ethnic as Arab culture
-the hijab allows women to “shake up the equation”
-the desire to unveil is a question of power
-is a desire for sexual power within a geopolitical context
-harems and veiled women are always linked to unveiling/rescuing which means
possession
-Western pop culture about the Middle East is majorly influences by gender and sex
-Western culture did not allow naked figures in the media (heavily influenced by religion)
-the Orient/Muslim women then became a pretext for exposing their bodies (because this
law did not apply to them)
-men were presented as rapists and “ethnic” women as veiled victims of assault
-is an illusion of patriarchy
-idealization of Western society as a place where women can explore their sexual selves
-notions of civilized Europe and uncivilized Arabia
-they were certain all women were oppressed (in the Middle East because they were veiled
and in Africa because they were dressed in tribal wear)
-anyone who fell from the corseted Victorian model, were found inferior and oppressed
-European males were colonizing abroad at the same time of the beginning of the women’s
movement
-the female body is reduced into a target
-West perceived Muslim women who aren’t wearing the hijab as belly dancers
-“in what context can I dance?” at home? alone in the mirror?
-romanticization of culture
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Under one sky: arab women in north america talk about the hijab documentary. Veil is not just religious, it is culturally complex and situated within a myriad of multidimensional reasons for wearing one. No image is more complex, ambivalent or used than the hijab. Women from their own culture are not seen t to lead prayers, western people see them as being terrorists or oppressed. Contrary to western beliefs, there is no one image of muslim hijab-wearing women. Growing up in the middle east, there is an aversion to the hijab by muslim women because they knew exactly what it meant for them as women. When they came to canada, it became a symbol of identity and ghting racist society. Have to defend women who wear the veil. Bombarded with images of fragmented women (legs, arms, lips, etc on ads) Muslim women are dressed modestly for many different reasons. They are not asexual, they wear lipstick, etc.
