Veiled Intentions: Don T Judge A Muslim Girl

Ever pass by Muslim woman in a hijab at the mall or park and think how oppressive and restraining her culture must be? Maysan Haydar, a New York social worker who practices the Muslim tradition of veiling, believes otherwise. In her article, “Veiled Intentions: Don’t Judge a Muslim Girl by Her Covering,” Haydar highlights on her experiences as a Muslim living in an American culture, where showing more skin is the “norm.” Haydar speaks specifically to a crowd who unconsciously makes assumptions about certain Muslim practices, in hopes of sharing the truth behind them. Haydar suggests that, contrary to popular belief, not all Muslim women cover themselves strictly as an “oppressive” religious practice, but that some women, like herself, find

the practice of veiling to be extremely freeing.
Haydar opens her article by sharing verses from two different chapters in the Quran, the Muslim sacred book, in hopes of giving the readers a chance to read an actual Muslim document, maybe for the first time.

She goes on to explain that covering her hair wasn’t initially motivated by “a desire to be different, to honor tradition, or to make a political statement” (413). Haydar wanted to wear a hijab at the age of twelve, because that meant she could get the board game Girl Talk. Now, at the age of twenty-five, Haydar admits that her reasoning for choosing to veil was shallow and contrasting to what veiling was really supposed to represent.

Furthermore, Haydar expresses that she has been able to embrace the modesty in veiling and that it allows her to be seen as a whole person. She addresses the fact that “many Americans see veiling as an oppressive tool forced on Muslim women by the men in our culture” (414). Yet, Haydar informs the readers that veiling isn’t specific to the Islam culture and is also a choice for many women. She even points out that many other religions promote and advocate for modesty in

clothing.
Next, Haydar shares a personal experience where she encountered two women on a bus who clearly believed her hijab and another women’s jilbab, were far from freeing.

In regards to this situation, Haydar argues, “To my eyes her idea of freedom involved a complicated hairstyle, loads of makeup and jeans she probably had to sew herself into. If anything, I would find that ensemble more caging, more oppressive, and more painful than clothes that would allow me to walk in front of construction sites confidently, with minimal risk of harassment” (414). In other words, Haydar believes that modern American style can be considered more oppressive than a cloak or cloth that covers just about everything but your face.

In addition, Haydar explains her background and the culture of her parents. She tells us that they only practiced what they believed and that her mother supported the belief that covering got rid of judgement. Haydar says, “Covering removes that first level of being judged, of being assessed based on my measurements, and it absolves me of the need or desire to be wanted solely for my looks” (415). She backs up this thinking by telling the reader of her dating experiences and how she knew that she was being liked for who she was beyond her body

(415).
Haydar loved to shock people. She writes, “If someone overheard me talking about my interests, which included karate and skateboarding, I grew to enjoy their disbelief and shock.” In other words, she liked proving peoples’ stereotypes wrong. She even later writes that people may assume or create another stereotype that Muslim women don’t feel connected to their bodies, because they don’t display them. But, Haydar believes that Muslim women actually regard their bodies in more value when under their veils (416). Haydar moves on to talk about the judgment she receives due to all of the stereotypes after September 11th. She asserts that these stereotypes and western priorities are “out of line” (416). She says “it’s utopic and ridiculous to assert that looks don’t matter and that by veiling I’m avoiding the messiness” (417). This statement is ironic because she isn’t exactly avoiding messiness. Haydar confesses that incorrect assumptions still prevail and people fear that she may harm them, solely due to her cultural covering.
In conclusion, Haydar hopes to inform her readers that she veils because it is freeing to her, and not because she is forced by her cultural background. To many people’s surprise, she even marries a Catholic man and celebrates Christmas. She uses many personal examples and experiences to make it clear that she covers her body to avoid the self-loathing, body hang-ups, and sexual harassment that Americans suffer from today (418). She ends her paper saying, “no one should suffer for what they look like or what they wear” (418). In other words, everyone should have the opportunity to cover up and experience the freedom from worrying about their appearance.