So last post I shared a bunch of images of some different items of clothing commonly associated with Muslim women, like the jilbab, abaya, hijab and niqab. What I didn’t show was the image that, due to extensive media coverage related to the conflict in Afghanistan, has become synonymous for many people with the Muslim woman. I’m talking about the burqa:
The burqa, most common in Afghanistan and Northwest Pakistan (close to the Afghan border), is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions to cover their bodies in public places. The burqa is usually understood to be the woman’s loose body-covering (Arabic: jilbāb), plus the head-covering (Arabic: ḥijāb, taking the most usual meaning), plus the face-veil (Arabic: niqāb). [Wikipedia]
So. When I first got my job as a grade 9 teacher at an Islamic private school, I was barraged by loads of questions, which I expected. And one of those questions, not unexpectedly, was: “do you have to wear a burqa?” Which, when you know what a burqa is, seems a little bit ridiculous. But I think for many people, the term burqa is interchangeable with any of the easily-recognizable head coverings many Muslim women wear. (Here’s an interesting source to help you differentiate between the different kinds of sartorial hijab, in case you’re interested.) So, really, what I took it to mean was, “do you have to cover your head?”
The answer, as I explained last week is, no. However, a more accurate answer would have been, “no. But…” As you know, I don’t have to cover my head, but I do wear the jilbab. Well, I guess I wasn’t entirely up front about the headscarf. Because I do have to cover my head when I’m in the Musallah, or prayer hall, during prayers. The students pray twice every day: a short morning prayer and a longer, 20 – 30-minute prayer session every afternoon. During the afternoon prayers, I am on supervision duty. I’m not required to take part in the prayers at all, but I am required to bring my students to, and into, the Musallah, and to remain until the prayers are over and then escort them back to their classroom. The non-Muslim teachers sit at the back of the Musallah, and we usually enjoy a little quiet chat while the students and Muslim teachers take part in the prayer.
But you know, I’ve changed that “no, but…” answer recently, because I’ve been on the receiving end of so many bad burqa jokes that it’s completely ceased being funny. You know how sometimes, when a person makes a statement and then laughs afterwards, you can tell that the comment wasn’t entirely in jest? Yeah, that kind of joke. So that’s fine, I got a few so-so jokes, and a few really in-bad-taste ones too. Like the one who asked if I have to teach suicide bombing classes. NOT. FUNNY. PEOPLE. And believe it or not, that’s not even the worst of it. I was frankly shocked by the reactions of many of the people I thought I knew. Some of the staff at one of the schools I used to work at last year burst out laughing when I told them where I was working. My doctor even stooped to telling me she was “not happy about it. Not happy at all”. This from a woman who is herself an immigrant and a member of a visible minority.
“You know,” she confided in me, “the Muslims try to convert people to their religion.”
“So do Christians,” I pointed out.
“It’s not the same,” she protested, “not the same at all.”
Well I’m here to tell you that I am routinely pestered and harassed by various denominations of Christians who under the guise of “witnessing” try to convert me. But I’ve never been asked by a Muslim to do anything other than respect their right to religious freedom. Which, not incidentally, is enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
So…basically: ARGH. It’s disheartening and frustrating to be on the receiving end of this kind of stereotyping and prejudice. It’s been a shock to me, honestly, and makes me appreciate so much more the kinds of obstacles all minorities and immigrants face in this supposedly multicultural “mosaic” that we call Canada.
Jeez, guys, I expected better, ya know?
you should watch morgan (martin?) spurlock’s 30 days and have all your nay-sayers do the same. a christian man had to live as a muslim for 30 days and was quite floored how “not terrorist” muslims are. i find christians way more frightening than muslims!
just remind those people who blew up that building in oklahoma….or japan for that matter.
i love the fact that you are writing this blog. it never fails to amaze me how much racism actually exists….under the surface. Only in certain circumstances, for example your current teaching job, do people’s views manifest themselves. And it’s scary. Education and awareness are huge factors in dispelling myths and combatting media stereotypes – thanks for this.
The fact that someone actually asked you if you were teaching “suicide bombing” is beyond offensive. For one thing, AS IF you would support anything of the sort and secondly and much more importantly, do we never learn? Look even over the last 100 years how many people have been murdered, stripped of their homes, their dignity and their rights due to prejudice and ignorance.
Good for you for setting the record straight and keeping an open mind. Maybe you can help educate some of these people to. Baby steps but definitely in the right direction.
Kath – this is all fascinating…..and yes, disheartening…but I’m not really surprised (which is sad in itself).
These post on your new position in the Islamic School are by far the most interesting things I have read on the internet in quite a while.
Thank you for the opportunity to learn more!
My reservations about Muslim “dress codes” for women tend to center around comfort and security. For me when I see women walking around Canada’s Wonderland covered from head to foot in 90 degree hot humid weather in a jilbab while the man escorting them is in shorts and a tee shirt I can not help but feel a sense of injustice. It is difficult for me to wrap my mind around the fact that this may actually be their choice. (I’m working on it.)
I have concerns when women cover their faces. Especially when they want to keep them covered when engaging in activities such as voting, using a bus pass, and getting through airport security. It may be an unfortunate fact in our times but security and fraud prevention does still require people to verify that the person voting, using a bus pass, or boarding a plane is the person who is suppose to be doing those particular activities. So I think simply removing or putting aside your face covering for a moment should not be an unreasonable request.
On a personal note, I really don’t like the face covering. It makes it hard for me to feel like I am able to communicate effectively with the party whose face is covered. I can not see them smile knowingly or raise an eyebrow or use the other visual clues we use when we speak to other people. I really have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that someone would want to go through their day with their face covered! Physically it must be hot and sticky under there. It seems very oppressive to me. But I continue to try to keep and open mind. I am a work in progress… as most of us are.
Keep posting!
Wow Kath,
That sucks. It’s surprising too. You would think that people who went to university (teachers and doctors) would have been exposed to a wide variety of ideas, perspectives, religions, etc. I guess not. (I’m not saying that university educated people are more tolerant, just that I find it surprising and I’m disappointed because I see university as a way of broadening horizons and creating informed citizens – but I think they are turning into a cog machine).
The media portrayal of Muslims is very unfortunate. It doesn’t help that many Muslim states do not have equality between the sexes and religion is used to perpetuate it (just like Christians found a way to use faith to oppress women, so do some Muslims).
We should all expect better and not put up with racist, or “religiousist” (new word) jokes or put downs.