First Impressions, Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover

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The New Yorker, with 47 publications each year, often generates some debate. In July 2007, the literary magazine released its latest issue. The cover included the title, price, edition, and three differently dressed women sitting on a bench. The first woman’s face and body are covered, except for her eyes. The second, with long blonde hair, is wearing a halter top, short shorts, sunglasses, and flip flops. The third is wearing a tunic and veil. Our first impressions are often stereotypical, and we must look deeper than the cover. Immediately, different conclusions are drawn based on each woman’s appearance. Just from this magazine cover, we can assume different things about each individual: including her religion, self image, and family life.
The woman on the left is wearing a niqab, which is typically worn by observant Muslim women, so you automatically assume that she is Muslim and follows Islam. In the Muslim faith, this is a requirement for how to dress. When they are out in public, their whole body must be covered, except for their hands, face, and feet. The niqab is not always required, but women should still dress modestly. The woman on the right can also be identified due to her religious clothing. Her traditional religious habit is easily recognizable among Roman Catholics. The large crucifix dangling from her neck also gives us reason to believe that she is a nun. The habit is also not required, but nuns must dress modestly if they do not wear it. The woman sitting in the middle, however, shows no indication of a religious belief. Her racy clothing does not have a certain religion attached to it; perhaps she has no religion at all.
In addition to drawing conclusions regarding each woman’s religious beli...

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...onde” woman. Being very “different,” the women were easily identified and set apart from each other. Their religious views, self image and family life are all very different. At first glance, there does not seem to be very many similarities between the three women; however, they may be more alike than they are different. Each of the women may have different beliefs, and dress in agreement with their beliefs and culture. But like the majority of society, they just want acceptance and respect regardless of what they are wearing. As children, we were taught not to judge a book by its cover. As adults, we realize that it is easier said than done. Even though these women do not seem to have many surface traits in common, the underlying fact is that they are just three ordinary women trying to fit into a world where society thinks that they are completely different.

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