How I Came To Love The Veil Essay

A trending issue making an appearance throughout the world today is social, political, and religious conformity. All over the globe, more and more are feeling pressured to amend their beliefs and values in order to assimilate to current conditions in their own countries. This occurrence, however, is one most find offensive and unnecessary. In many areas, veils worn by women of the Muslim faith are being criticized and even resulting in job losses across the board. While some argue that such women wear the headdress solely to separate themselves from western society; it is clear that this is an outrageous and faulty accusation. Wearing the hijab or niqab is a religious happening that should be recognized and accepted by the public, not bombarded

This is not a practice of disengagement, rather, it is simply an extension of a religious custom written out in the Qu’ran. Women falling victim to such bigotry are crying out saying that the veils are liberating and empowering. In an article featured in the Washington Post, “How I Came to Love the Veil” by Yvonne Ridley, it features a practicing Muslim woman’s reasoning behind wearing a headscarf as allowing her to be judged by others exclusively on her character and intelligence in lieu of her physical attributes. Additionally, veils provide those who wear them with a sense of comfort and identity. At just 15, Sarah Hekmati who wears the hijab asserts that the purpose behind it is the reason she, as well as many other, partake in bearing it. “ ‘I really liked the purpose behind the hijab - a woman covering herself so that a man should know her for her mind, not her body.’ “ (Blake). So, It is incredibly inappropriate to assume that Muslim women wear head coverings simply to separate themselves from the majority, when an increasing amount are clearly stepping up to speak against such exaggerated and distorted