gened1087_blog

This creative piece is inspired by the week ten theme of Islamic reform and revival. Islam for women has primarily been associated with wearing the Hijab by the West. My collage features the different types of Hijab and how they range in how much of a woman’s body they cover. In Islamic reform and revival, the Hijab has also played an important role as places like Turkey move back and forth between being progressive and conservative. My collage contains images of the different types of Hijabs. We see the lady in the bikini, which is a reflection of when Turkey is progressive and when Turkey is becoming more conservative. In this sense, the Hijab for the West has come to serve as a litmus test for the majority of Muslim notions of how Western they are. In Weber’s reading, a Catt Jacobs questions the wearing of the Hijab ” She wanted to know if there is a movement for its removal”(Weber, pp 135). She suggests that feminism in the Islamic world needs to address veiling. Although she advocates for women’s equality, she falls into the Western trap of disregarding the cultural and religious significance of veiling to Muslim women. Also referencing another piece of reading in the class, ” Sultana’s Dream,” there is the idea that the cause of gender inequality is men choosing to prevent women from accessing the same liberty. Religion is not the reason for inequality. Understanding this difference will help eliminate the bias against Islam that was found in western feminist movements.