Hijab Perception
An interesting post by a sister here in the DC area on the public perception of those who wear the hijab.
Some of the findings she posted:
A woman who wears hijab is perceived as older; more likely to be married (by 34%); more likely to be a devoted wife (by 25%) and good mother (by 12%); less likely to be a college graduate (by 10%); more likely to be wealthy (by 16%); more likely to be a stay at home mom (by 31%); less likely to be lively, have a sense of humor, or look on the bright side; less likely to be the life of the party (by 20%); more likely to stick to a tight circle of people (by 19%); more beautiful (by 11%); more likely to keep to herself (by 11%); and more strict (by 20%) and rigid (by 10%) than the same woman who did not wear the headscarf.
One thing about the study that I found amazing was the perception of Socioeconomic Status. A woman that wears a headscarf is perceived to be wealthier than a woman that does not. Only 3% perceived the picture with the headscarf as being wealthy, while 21% perceived the same woman wearing a headscarf as being wealthy. Further 51% perceived the headscarf picture as being “comfortable but not rich” while 45% perceived the non-headscarf picture the same way. None perceived that the headscarf picture was without a family while 1% perceived that the picture without a headscarf may be without a family. This may be because the woman in hijab may be perceived as the “wife of a doctor”
Filed under: Changing World
Milady wears a hijab (called a tudung here), and it’s interesting for me to note which perceptions are accurate for her and which ones are not. For example, Milady has a Bachelor’s degree, so the “less likely to be a college graduate” obviously doesn’t apply for her. On the other hand, I do tend to think that women in tudungs tend to be more beautiful than those who don’t. Essentially, I see the tudung as a fashion accessory that make a woman more beautiful than a hair style can.
Salam alaikoum
I would guess results over here are similar. I know I definitely get treated like I am “poor” in hijab and even started an interview for my French residence permit where the man assumed I was illiterate, much less a college graduate.
I guess I drink the kool aid too though because I do think most women look better in hijab.
When I finished gymnasium, I use to hang out on my local library in the summer before starting my first semester. One day two librarians approached to me and asked me why I wore a headscarf because I seemed to be an intelligent woman. It was rather frightening experience. I thought they would going to take off my headscarf, and I never told them that I was accepted at uni or finished my exams. They knew nothing about me.
Nothing has changed either at uni. People think that I am a laboratory technician (which I have the greatest respect for! My best teacher at uni was a laboratory technician) or lost in the building.
I have also noticed among immigrant community that they also have prejudice against veiled female students.
To be honest, I enjoy my anonymity which I am very grateful to Allah(swt).
As salaam alaykum,
Considering the popular images of Muslim women in our media, it makes sense that people would assume the woman in the headscarf has less education. The idea is just so far from the reality of the American Muslim population, though.
This reminds me of the experience of close friend. She is– by the standards of her IQ tests–a genius. She’s a talented and accomplished musician who speaks three languages with degrees from some of America’s most prestigious universities. She once went to an employment agency and, even after reviewing her resume and seeing that she types 120 wpm (and speed-reads), they asked her if she could work a copy machine! The woman could build a copy-machine in her spare time and write the programming for the damned thing.
AS SALAAM ALAIKUM
AS A FATHER OF TEN BOYS AND FIVE GIRLS(ALL MUSLIM)
MAY ALLAH BLESS ALL MY STRONG SISTERS WHO WEAR
HIJAB WITH TRUE PRIDE AND DIGNITY. THIS POLL IS
NOTHING, COMPARED TO WHEN INSHALLAH ,YOU WILL
BE COUNTED AMONG THE WINNERS.
BismillaharRahmanirRahim
as-salaamu ‘alaikum Tariq. mashaAllah… good post.
-Saifuddin
ASA,
I think it would be interesting to see the results of a similar survey conducted among muslim respondents. It would be interesting to see how we “see” muslim sisters who wear hijab.
I guess I drink the kool aid too though because I do think most women look better in hijab.
I think that too, but does that make me a misogynist?
BismillaharRahmanirRahim
as-salaamu ‘alaikum. George Carty you wrote,
What the F***, why would you say something like that? Or is it a joke, if its a joke you should use
. Otherwise that was a pretty heedless thing to say. I’ve had foot in mouth disease a few times, so I know it when I see it.
-Saifuddin
HIJAB VERSUS BIKINI TO WIN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF WOMEN
Those are the people who have sold guidance for misguidance. Their trade has brought no profit; they are not guided.
(Qur’an, 2: 16)
Imagine if you will a picture of a Muslim woman wearing Hijab
Beside it is a picture of an American beauty contestant, wearing nothing but a bikini.
One woman is totally hidden from the public; the other is totally exposed. These two extremes say a great deal about the clash of so-called “civilizations.”
The role of woman is at the heart of any culture. Apart from stealing Arab oil, the impending war in the Middle East is about stripping Arabs of their religion and culture, exchanging the Hijab for a bikini.
I am not an expert on the condition of Muslim women and recognize different schools of thought, But I am defending some of the values that the Hijab represents for me.
For me, the hijab represents a woman’s consecration to her husband and family. Only they see her.
It affirms the privacy, exclusivity and importance of the domestic sphere.
The Muslim woman’s focus is her home, the “nest” where her children are born and reared. She is the “home” maker, the taproot that helps sustains the spiritual life of the family, nurturing and training her children, providing refuge and support to her husband.
In contrast, the bikinied American beauty queen struts practically naked in front of millions on TV. A feminist, she belongs to herself. In practice, paradoxically, she is public property. She belongs to no one and everyone. She shops her body to the highest bidder. She is auctioning herself all of the time.
In America, the cultural measure of a woman’s value is her sex appeal. (As this asset depreciates quickly, she is neurotically obsessed with appearance and plagued by weight problems.)
As an adolescent, her role model is Britney Spears, a singer whose act approximates a strip tease. From Britney, she learns that she will be loved only if she gives sex. Thus, she learns to “hook up” rather than to demand patient courtship and true love. As a result, dozens of males know her before her husband does. She loses her innocence, which is a part of her charm. She becomes hardened and calculating. Unable to love, she is unfit to receive her husband’s seed.
Feminism teaches woman that feminine nature has resulted in “oppression” and that she should convert to male behavior instead. The result: a confused and aggressive woman with a large chip on her shoulder, unfit to become a wife or mother.
This, of course, is the goal of the social engineers at the NWO: undermine sexual identity and destroy the family, create social and personal dysfunction, and reduce population. (See http://www.inoohr.org/worldpopulationcontrolpromote.htm) In the “brave new world,” women are not supposed to be nest makers, or progenitors of the race. They are meant to be neutered autonomous creatures that indulge in sex for physical pleasure, not for love or procreation or to please ALLAH
Once at a press conference, Donald Rumsfeld said that Iranian women and youth were restive under the rule of the Mullahs. He implied that the US would soon liberate them. To Britney Spears? To low-rise “see-my-thong” pants? To the mutual masturbation that passes for sexuality in America?
Parenthood is the pinnacle of human development. It is the stage when we finally graduate from childish self-indulgence and become role models creating and nurturing new life. The New World Order does not want us to reach this level of maturity. Pornography is the replacement for marriage. We are to remain stunted: single, sex-starved and self-obsessed.
We are not meant to have a permanent “private” life. We are to remain lonely and isolated, dependent on consumer products for our identity, in a state of perpetual courtship.
This is especially destructive for a woman. Her sexual attraction is a function of her fertility. As fertility declines, so does her sex appeal. If a woman devotes her prime years to becoming “independent,” she is not likely to find a permanent mate.
Her long-term personal fulfillment and happiness lies in making marriage and family her first priority.
Feminism is another cruel New World Order hoax that has debauched American women and despoiled Western civilization.
It has ruined millions of lives and represents a lethal threat to Islam.
They appear to be saying that they want the democracy, industry and science of the developed world, but what they are really saying is that they want the corrupted culture and the social decadence of the developed world without any of the religious morality or other social positives. When they speak of a government respectful of human rights and freedoms, or of high levels of science and technology, it is only pretence. What they really want to establish is a society in which free sex and adultery are common practice, where drug use is legalized and supported by the state, where the family institution is abolished and where mutual respect is destroyed.
Here’s why…
ASA,
I can’t say I’m suprised by the results. As a woman who wears hijab, I’m fully aware of people’s perceptions of me (evidenced by the way they respond to me). From the “you speak English so well” to the “wow, you actually CONVERTED to the religion” etc. I can’t tell you the amount of times people have expressed surprise at my educational level, my presence in the courtroom, or my activism. It’s rough sometimes but Allah is judger of all affairs…