Someone said "let's not just talk about TRA's all the time." Can we finally talk about this? Or are we still too afraid of this, too?

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[–][deleted]  (7 children)

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    [–]Anna_Nym 13 insightful - 1 fun13 insightful - 0 fun14 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    One thing that I would like to see Western feminists do more is platform Muslim and ex-Muslim feminists. There are movements like the White Wednesday movement that deserve far more press. There is eloquent writing and moving art about the experience of hijab. But I feel like instead there's a weird silencing, as though letting Muslim or ex-Muslim feminists speak about their personal negative experiences with cultural practices linked to Islam is promoting Islamophobia. I see that with Ayaan Hirsi Ali as well.

    I agree that banning is not a good path. Women need freedom to navigate the constraints of cultural demands as best they can.

    [–]sisterinsomnia 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    Change coming solely from outside does not work, and because humans are tribal, I believe, attacking someone else's tribe isn't going to work, either. But I think it is possible to approach some of the issues by looking at the aspects of comfort and health in, say, young girls' clothing. Some traditional clothing makes it impossible for a girl to join other children in playing, and such clothing is not appropriate for school. But neither is deeply sexualized clothing on a young girl.

    [–]vitunrotta[S] 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    ask yourself, am I criticizing the hijab because I genuinely want to help women who are forced to wear it or because it is foreign to me so it seems worse than how women are treated in Western cultures

    I have written a lengthy reply above, which explains my motivations better regarding this. I'll say this though: I am certainly not criticizing hijab because "it is foreign to me" (that makes it sound like I am racist?!) - I criticize it for its inherent oppressive, misogynist nature and because I have lived through the experience of a religious movement forcing a certain garment on women.

    [–]peakitypeaked 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    I am criticising the hijab as an atheist in a Muslim country so it is not foreign to me. Bringing up "what about Western cultures" is such a lazy way to discredit people who are bringing up very valid issues and criticisms. You can acknowledge that Western cultures are problematic while also looking at the huge Muslim female population around the world who are oppressed and pressured to cover themselves, even at preschools.