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Muslim Women Stereotypes
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Stereotyping is a major problem all over the world. People may be criticized and ridiculed due to their appearance or other factors. Among these people are Muslim women who receive much of this criticism and labeling or stereotyping. The Muslim population in general receives slack from the American public due to terrorist attacks in the past and anything else related to the people. Therefore it comes as no surprise that their women would get the same kind of criticism. Stereotyping doesn’t necessarily have to do with being prejudice or hating someone or something else. Stereotyping might be a result of ignorance on the part of the person not knowing anything about a culture and therefore follows “guidelines” that have been set by others who have placed those stereotypes. Muslim women receive much of this due to the fact that Americans and Muslims have been at war with each other for quite some time. A common stereotype among Americans today regarding Muslim Women is that Muslim women are oppressed because they have to cover themselves (Bajkhaif). Well, many cultures have to cover themselves and they are not looked down upon, nor do they have just the clothing aspect of their culture talked about the most. In fact, many Muslim women like to cover themselves up or wear veils that cover them. Some have said that, “they find refuge and freedom under the veil (Hogan).” The question we have to ask ourselves is what constitutes acceptable covering? Are people allowed to go out in public nude in American? The answer is no. Even in American culture today, everyone is required to cover themselves, or else there would be people walking around stark naked. Therefore they are required to cover up maybe to uphold an image or to simply not be offensive to the people around them. In no way shape or form does that constitute the labeling of an entire society or the stereotyping of an entire culture. So why should that be different for any other country or culture around the world? The Muslim culture just requires covering themselves in a different way. When Americans girls go out on public with a shirt on, no one looks at them “funny” in America. If you were to ask any American girls or women if they mind putting clothes on to go out in public, or covering themselves in general, the answer would be a unanimous “no” in this writer’s opinion. The same goes for women in the Middle East, if they are to step outside with a full head dress, or chador on, no one takes a second glance to make sure their eyes weren’t deceiving them. Muslim women believe in dressing modestly because they are told to do so in the Koran, the Islamic Holy Book. A women’s body is considered sacred and should only be viewed by her husband (Bajkhaif).
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