Taking off the Hijab
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I am familiar with this ad, it's disgusting and insulting -- to both genders.
I was waiting for this picture to surface ;D
I am waiting for the metaphor of uncovered meat now. Or protected pearls and precious diamonds ... http//www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/frech/h055.gif
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The nightmare of sexual harassment in Egypt
by Dalia Ziada
24 November 2009 in Egypt, Sexual Harassment, WomenIt is the patriarchal mentality that holds women accountable for the mistakes of men.
Three years ago, a number of bloggers on their way back home after celebrating Eid el-Fitr in downtown Cairo, saw a group of men standing around Talaat Harb Street, harassing every woman passing by, including those wearing the full-veil, or niqab! The bloggers could not help but take photos of the shocking scene with their mobile phone cameras and published the incident online.
The shocking story was, then, picked up by different local and international media. Simultaneously, some women?s rights groups started calling for ending sexual harassment against women. Ordinary people, especially women, have been encouraged to speak more about their personal experiences with sexual harassment and are thinking of brilliant and creative ways to stop it.
Before this horrible incident in 2006, sexual harassment, either verbal or physical, was one of the biggest taboos in society and women did not dare to complain about it in public. Even the state-owned media kept telling illusionary statements about Egypt as ?the safest country in the world? in comparison to other countries in the West where rates of harassment and rape are very high.
However, in the closed female communities, girls schools for instance, women used to speak a lot about the harassment they suffer in public transportation, in the street and sometimes from their male relatives or friends of the family. Sometimes, the women shared ideas, secretly, with each other on how they could protect themselves against harassment. Some young women, especially university students, usually carry weapons, sprays, or small pins, in their handbags to use when necessary to stop the one harassment.
Sexual harassment in Egypt has two forms; verbal and physical. The verbal harassment is like when a boy tells a girl passing by that she is so beautiful or says a word that indicates that he has some sexual interest in her. This does not include direct interaction between the victim and the perpetrator. A girl is usually instructed to go away and never talk to the man harassing her. If she did, every one will look down at her as an impolite girl! Moreover, the boy will be encouraged to harass her more if she responds to him in any way.
?Men are like dull dogs in the street. When you pass by them, they might bark at you,? said Karima, a middle-class, well-educated mother of five girls. ?If you ignored them, they will not bark again. But if you responded to them, they will bite you. This is what I am telling my girls to do to ignore the boys harassing them and go on their way.?
Physical harassment is absolutely every type of physical action toward a woman. This might include touching a woman?s body in a way that offends her; i.e. without her permission. This usually happens in the stuffed public transportation vehicles and sometimes in the subway and workplace. Unfortunately, women in Egypt did not have the courage to speak about this sort of harassment until after the famous incident of Noha Roushdy.
Noha is a young girl who was physically harassed by a truck driver. Noha did not follow the mother?s advice of ?ignoring the dog barking at her.? Instead, she stopped him and took him to police station. Everyone blamed her for this, including the people who witnessed the incident with their own eyes and who know well that she was a victim. However, they were blaming her because she is a woman and she should not be so dare to fight with a man in the street, even if this man harassed her.
However, Noha won in the end the perpetrator was sentenced to three years in prison! The brave Noha encouraged other, ?weaker? women to take a stance and made men think hundreds of times before they approach a woman to harass, either physically or verbally. For sure, they do not want to spend years in jail for a pleasure that leads to no real sexual satisfaction.
The problem of sexual harassment in Egypt has to do with the general mentality of the society. Today?s Egypt is infected with two main diseases religious extremism and patriarchy. Unfortunately, the only victim for both is the woman, who is always burdened with keeping the ?honor? of the family.
The religious nature of the Egyptian people, which once was one of their best characteristics, turned into a catastrophe when it grew ? due to different political and economic influences ? into religious extremism. The woman under this extremist society is always viewed as a sexual object, created only to please the man and satisfy his physical needs. Extremists always fail to view women as real human beings who are 100 percent equal to men.
At the same time, this trend of extremism puts people under physical and psychological depression and encourages men to think all the time that whenever they interact with a woman they will lose control over their physical desires. For them, the woman is a devil that should not mingle with men unless covered from head to toe; wears no perfume; and preferably never goes out of her home in order not to tempt men and spread vice in society!
?Do not blame me, you should blame her. She encouraged me to harass her.? You will hear this sentence from most of the men practicing harassment. They usually justify their actions by saying that the woman they are harassing is not covered, or wearing hijab, or she wears makeup, etc. Blaming women for the mistakes of men.
For a man who embraces such foolish ideas and looks down at women as a sexual object who forces him to lose his strength in controlling his desires, sexual harassment of women is always viewed as a right, not a mistake.
BM
http//bikyamasr.com/?p=6020
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I swear that Girls who they wear Hijab in my country are away from harassement and people respect them, and no one can talks to them just an necessity and they help them, in the other hand the Gilrs who they wear Jeans and fashions clothes, they got their parts of harrassement.
Better don't swear on it. I have been harassed in Morocco, so have others -- wearing hijab.
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I am familiar with this ad, it's disgusting and insulting -- to both genders.
I agree. I'm a man and I'm not a fly.
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Better don't swear on it. I have been harassed in Morocco, so have others -- wearing hijab.
I'm living in Morocco, and I'm a guy, so stop trying to know everything>>> maybe you weren't wearing the real Hijab .
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Dear HNF
You have 2 seperate ayats from the Quran but you still want more. Once again, read, digest and understand 3359 and 2431. If you cannot read or understand Arabic, then I'm sure the translation in whatever native language you speak will suffice.
Do I have first hand experience of harassment? Of course I do.
Like I said before, harassment is not the exclusive right of women. And yes, observing 'hijab' does reduce sexual harassment compared to non observance. Women have always been judged on their sexuality and beauty, just like men have been judged on their masculinity. Harassment occurs in every country of the world regardless of religion, but to state that observing 'hijab' does not minimize potential sexual harassment therefore do not observe it is a pure fallacy.
Whether you observe 'hijab' or not is not my concern. Every female that observes 'hijab' in my family experiences less sexual harassment then if they were to go out without as in line with the Quranic ayats. And this has been proven time and time again. The 'hijab' for them is part of their identity and way of life. They are recognized as Muslims from afar. They are lawyers, doctors and CEO's in their respective rights and feel comfortable, happy and choose to observe 'hijab'. Not some oppressed illiterate downtrodden females forced to cover up by family or peers as you may wish to think.
They command respect because of their intellect and not because of their sexuality!
Not only are we born, educated and raised in the West, we have traveled and lived to more countries right across the board than your average person and we don't feel ashamed of who we are!
Peace
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Dear HNF
You have 2 seperate ayats from the Quran but you still want more. Once again, read, digest and understand 3359 and 2431. If you cannot read or understand Arabic, then I'm sure the translation in whatever native language you speak will suffice.
Do I have first hand experience of harassment? Of course I do.
Like I said before, harassment is not the exclusive right of women. And yes, observing 'hijab' does reduce sexual harassment compared to non observance. Women have always been judged on their sexuality and beauty, just like men have been judged on their masculinity. Harassment occurs in every country of the world regardless of religion, but to state that observing 'hijab' does not minimize potential sexual harassment therefore do not observe it is a pure fallacy.
Whether you observe 'hijab' or not is not my concern. Every female that observes 'hijab' in my family experiences less sexual harassment then if they were to go out without. And this has been proven time and time again with. The 'hijab' for them is part of their identity and way of life. They are recognized as Muslims from afar. They are lawyers, doctors and CEO's in their respective rights and feel comfortable, happy and choose to observe 'hijab'. Not some oppressed illiterate downtrodden females forced to cover up by family or peers as you may wish to think.
They command respect because of their intellect and not because of their sexuality!
Not only are we born, educated and raised in the West, we have traveled and lived to more countries right across the board than your average person and we don't feel ashamed of who we are!
Peace
Firstly, please don't tell me what I think or insinuate without any evidence.
Secondly, I did not mean did you have experience with harassment. I mean do you have experience with harassment related to the female headscarf.
Thirdly, please read my last reply again. I refuse to continue arguing this point from now. Clearly you have your perspective and I have my first hand experience. Now let's quit going around in circles. Pointless.
Lastly, those two Ayaat do not tell me to cover my hair. Try again. In fact, I am not even looking for Ayaat, I am just looking for a simple word, hair.
I am not ashamed of who I am. I am not a scarf on my head. I won't allow my person to be reduced to that.
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You know, I love how this guy does all the work for us. Argue enough and he's sure to expose his insolence.
Yup. And he perfectly illustrates the particular mindset that was mentioned before and in the articles. http//www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/froehlich/d030.gif
Do I have first hand experience of harassment? Of course I do.
Then please share your experiences.
Do you know what it feels like to be leered at and talked to every time you leave your house?
Do you know what it feels like to never be able to walk in a relaxed manner and let your thoughts wander, because you constantly have to be aware of the men around you, because they will throw obscenitites at you, follow you around, or grope you.
Do you know what it feels like to be completely exhausted at the end of the day, not feeling able to just go to the store around the corner because you can't take any more remarks / stares / other forms of harassment?
Harassment occurs in every country of the world regardless of religion,
But to extremely varying degrees. And that was the point.
In my European country of origin I can go out on the street in whatever attire I wish, and, yes, I do wear tank tops and shortish skirts in summer. Yet I have never, ever experienced the kind of obtrusive and ubiquitous harassment that is an everyday occurance in Egypt.
Every female that observes 'hijab' in my family experiences less sexual harassment then if they were to go out without. And this has been proven time and time again. The 'hijab' for them is part of their identity and way of life. They are recognized as Muslims from afar. They are lawyers, doctors and CEO's in their respective rights and feel comfortable, happy and choose to observe 'hijab'. Not some oppressed illiterate downtrodden females forced to cover up by family or peers as you may wish to think.
Well, good for them. However, I don't really see what this has to do with the subject.
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You know, I love how this guy does all the work for us. Argue enough and he's sure to expose his insolence. Thank you, yet again you have proved me right
whatever . you don't want hijab, fine take it off >> why do you ask people ? I think if you don't believe in it, don't do it, is that too hard for you because verses are clear , take it or leave it .
one more thing I don't care of any opinion or description that might any person here attributes it to me.
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whatever . you don't want hijab, fine take it off >> why do you ask people ?
Because this is not an easy matter for some women. As you would know if you had read and understood the first pages of this thread.
If you don't have anything constructive or a beneficial experience to add to an issue that obviously is none of your concern or business anyway, why don't you just stay out of the discussion? Really ... silly remarks like "well, fine, take it off, why do you ask" are of no use.
nope
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whatever . you don't want hijab, fine take it off >> why do you ask people ? I think if you don't believe in it, don't do it, is that too hard for you because verses are clear , take it or leave it .
What are you even on about? Please read the Original Post. I have every right to ask people to share their experiences on a PUBLIC FORUM. If you don't like it, you can go somewhere else. I can ask whatever I want within the rules of the forum and according to the Mods, this is a perfectly valid thread. I don't need you or anyone else for that matter telling me what I should and should not post. I can ask people for their experiences, it isn't a crime. Again, read the original post.
Oh and to your verses are clear part? Really? Why in 300+ posts have we still not found the verse in question? Perhaps because it does not exist )
Please just admit, no verse in the Quran instructs the woman to cover the hair on the head directly. Either you admit or you don't but it won't change the content of the book of Allah (swt) )
Because this is not an easy matter for some women. As you would know if you had read and understood the first pages of this thread.
Quite.
one more thing I don't care of any opinion or description that might any person here attributes it to me.
You said it yourself and your statement spoke for itself. I just chose to point it out for those who might have missed it. You gave a perfect example of the mentality we have been discussing so thanks )
Peace
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Because this is not an easy matter for some women. As you would know if you had read and understood the first pages of this thread.
If you don't have anything constructive or a beneficial experience to add to an issue that obviously is none of your concern or business anyway, why don't you just stay out of the discussion? Really ... silly remarks like "well, fine, take it off, why do you ask" are of no use.
nopeaha I stay out of the discussion, why do you defend a member when I saidd to him stay out of discussion ? it is valid for you and not for me, well I'll not stay out . this is called hypocrite.
and for the thread >>>>the verses of wearing Hijab is clear and understood very well, but I think you want something that goes with your desires .
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and for the thread >>>>the verses of wearing Hijab is clear and understood very well, but I think you want something that goes with your desires .
Isn't it ironic how we're said to be following our own desires when you cannot bring the verse, you can only bring an 'understanding'. Is it us going with our desires or is it people pretending?
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Dear Leyna
The majority of men are thinking about groping or following you around whenever or wherever you go out. This is the reality. Accept it. Whether it's Egypt or Europe is besides the point. What I'm showing you is that comparing everything to Egypt and blaming the 'Hijab' and kissing Europe's ass is b@@@@@@t.
Women in my circles observe 'hijab' utilsing the Quran, just like you and your circle do not observe 'hijab' utilising the Quran in your defense.
And as far as your last comment is concerned (Well, good for them. However, I don't really see what this has to do with the subject.) , once again I am showing you that they choose not to take off the 'hijab' and observe it, but are in much more powerful positions than most of you here and has everything to do with the subject at hand.
The subject that you should be questioning and it's relevance is Egypt.
Peace
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Oh and to your verses are clear part? Really? Why in 300+ posts have we still not found the verse in question? Perhaps because it does not exist )
why? its' because of you , you don't want to understand neither in your hand to understand .
Please just admit, no verse in the Quran instructs the woman to cover the hair on the head directly. Either you admit or you don't but it won't change the content of the book of Allah (swt) )
Hahahaha, this wasn't a surprise for me, I know you want things go with what you want and what your desires want.
the verses are talking about Hijab, deal with it as soon as possible or you'll die choking yourself by it.
You said it yourself and your statement spoke for itself. I just chose to point it out for those who might have missed it. You gave a perfect example of the mentality we have been discussing so thanks )
Peaceoh, yeah right >>> what about your mentality ? praying without hijab, going oustide without hijab, a free christian woman, this is your mentality , it is not Islam.