The Nuances of Islamic Customs
Since her visit to Saudi Arabia last week, Michelle Obama and her outfit of choice have been both critically and sympathetically highlighted in the lens of Western media. Some initial critics claimed that Obama’s choice to not veil herself with the headscarf—which is normal, enforced protocol for all Saudi women within the Kingdom—disrespected the customs of the country, while other reporters considered it to be an iconic stance against what they considered to be an oppressive Saudi custom towards women.
“Acknowledging religious pluralism even within those who peacefully practice is perhaps the largest key to understanding Islam and further integrating it most seamlessly into Western societies.”
Later responses, however, finally acknowledged that the Western media’s primary reaction was blown out of proportion: Obama’s visit was not nearly as scrutinized within Saudi Arabia, and it is in fact normal custom for non-Saudi visiting politicians to forgo the headscarf and to instead simply dress respectfully—which Obama completely did.
The initial Western media responses to Obama’s lack of headscarf, however, should not simply be excused as a casual exaggeration or minor misunderstanding. The obsession with the attire of her visit points to a fundamental flaw in the way Western media still views, illustrates and reinforces the ideas of ultra conservative Islam as the only Islam.
Black headscarves and full-body veils usually serve as the infamous poster children for female oppression within Islamic countries. But the Western obsession with the headscarf as the root of “Islamic oppression” and the possible notion that Obama choosing to go into Saudi unveiled is a fight for women’s rights were beyond largely misled.
The fact that, before any U.S./Saudi diplomacy or policies were brought to public attention, Obama was criticized for her wardrobe, is a sad reflection of how our media values and prioritizes news coverage, even in politics. Obama, like everyone else in the room, was dressed respectably and modestly and was simply there to pay her respects for the late King. Shouldn’t that be what matters? Many are quick to criticize Muslim countries for policing women’s wardrobes, but this incident is clearly Obama being treated, judged and discussed for her clothes by Western reporters.
Though some Muslim women wear the headscarf by choice, there are countries and societies that do enforce it. Even in such cases of requisite, however, the headscarf is just one symptom of ingrained misogyny that plagues such Islamic societies. It is not the problem itself but rather an indicator of larger cultural issues. The Islamic ideal of modesty is supposed to be rooted in the notion that all people should discuss and value ideas and thoughts over anyone’s physical appearances—regardless of his/her/their gender—but the sexist manner in which modesty has been fashioned and institutionalized in such countries today has warranted just the opposite effect. These issues and discrepancies are not dictated by the Qur’an but rather by skewed cultural norms that have evolved oppressively.
The hijab should by no means be viewed as an international symbol of oppression; but, in order to diagnose and tackle the problems of fundamental Islam, it must be considered in nuance. While there are women who say that the headscarf alleviates them from daily physical judgment, there are also societies, countries and leaders that use the headscarf as one of multiple tools to isolate women from power, education and social access. In such scenarios, women’s rights must be recognized as a fight for more than just physical expression of one’s body—but rather for social and intellectual expression, too.
From the Western perspective, women in Muslim countries are abstractly pitied for their inability to wear skirts or let their hair down in public. But it’s essential to see this constraint as a potential additional factor to other forms of disempowerment and not just an isolated inconvenience to one's wardrobe.
Saudi Arabia is far from the ideal society for women's rights, but it has come a long way, especially thanks to the late King (whose passing, in fact, invoked the Obamas' visit). There are still clear disadvantages from which women suffer in the Kingdom—they are subject to the constant guardianship of their male relatives; they can’t drive; they are paid far less than their male counterparts. Yet then again, that last bit also applies to women here in the U.S.
That the hijab is so nuanced and that the Western media failed to recognize these differences only illustrates the lack of understanding that Islam, too, is nuanced. Over the course of four years at Exeter, many people over time have wondered and questioned to me “how religious” I am, usually noting that I, a Muslim woman, don't wear a headscarf. These questions, I am sure, do not originate in a place of malice or prejudice, but likely in genuine curiosity because it is true that Islam is often not portrayed by the general media as a faith with middle ground. According to such construction, there are simply the extreme adherents who physically display faith loudly and then the non-adherents.
These types of questions, however, are beyond important because they channel to conversations concerning the larger effects of Islam both within and beyond this country. There are positive effects that indicate peaceful coexistence of religions and ideals, but we also live in a world today where Islamic radicals are sadly on the rise. And it is seriously critical that extremism is understood as just that—extreme. Very extreme, in fact, far past the point of sacrilegious.
Even the miniscule percent of extreme radicalists aside, it is equally important to acknowledge the pluralism in thoughts and diversity in ideals within a religion that includes 1.6 billion adherents (about 23 percent of the world's population).
I will underscore that the headscarf—like Islam, like all religions, like all ideals—must be considered in nuance. It is not an automatic red flag for oppression, much like it is inherently not a waving flag for liberation. The Western media's falter with Obama’s attire only highlights a fundamental lack of understanding that ruthlessly fuels the misconceptions of Islam in Western nations like America. This falter is not benign, nor is it one that anyone should ignore, however, because it is a serious and still growing concern for all Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Islam is, like all things, complicated. It serves as a guide for many toward a peaceful way of life, but it has also been exploited and hijacked as a political tool or means for terror.
Acknowledging religious pluralism even within those who peacefully practice is perhaps the largest key to understanding Islam and further integrating it most seamlessly into Western societies. There always exists a range. The headscarf may indicate religiousness, but it cannot, and should not, be considered the only measure for faith or identity. It serves well for some women, yet it has also led to grave, serious concerns for others on an institutional, societal level. To quote Nicholas Kristof in his New York Times column published on January 7, 2015, “Some read the Qur’an and blow up girls’ schools, but more read the Qur’an and build girls’ schools.” ♥