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Michelle Obama forgoes a headscarf and sparks some twitter user backlash
- Thread starter Kraftwerk
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triplestation
Member
She just felt like rocking it
Why's this such a big deal
Why's this such a big deal
Having just spent almost a month there, I beg to differ. Though as I said, they certainly seem a lot more progressive than in the middle east.
Indonesian pictures could have been taken when she was visiting a place of religious significance?
soul creator
Member
Why is she shitting on the beliefs of millions of people /s
It wouldn't be an underhanded (and IMO intentional) show of disrespect if she hadn't worn it in Indonesia.
I'm an Indonesian and a muslim, Indonesia is not a muslim country
the current president run on liberal-seculer agenda and beat the other candidate that run on conservative muslim platform
but yes, due to the recent world events, there are more and more people with Arabian extrimist views over here unlike 25 or so years ago when I was a kid
It would be a political statement either way.
Vermillion
Banned
Fair point. Were they?
Yes, but choosing to wear the headscarf would have brought much less controversy, yes? It would be a far weaker political statement, accepting the status quo.
LMAO I love it. Her body is there, but her mind wishes she was watching Netflix.
This is completely false.
no idea
wearing no headscarf at an airport or the King's residence shouldn't been an issue.
Care to provide a source from the Quran? axtually curious
I wouldn't consider it a muslim country either seeing as how it's a secular country with no official government affiliation with religion. It's not an Islamic theocracy. It's overwhelmingly Muslim in its population, but it's not a muslim country.
This is changing though. More and more, Islam is beginning to influence government and a lot of the citizens are holding more fundamental views, and a lot want things like sharia law to be officially implemented etc.
You think so? Had she worn the hijab and had this thread been made instead about that I could see this discussion going in a completely different direction. Hijabs and such are inherently controversial to us westerners being the universal symbol of oppression and all.
He can't. It boils down to interpretation and that interpretation is largely influenced by culture and politics.
PetriP-TNT
Member
From Wikipedia so this might be false but:
Sounds like a (absolutely fucking ridiculous) requirement to me
Yes Hijabs did not exist before Islam, headscarves just popped out of nowhere and took the world by storm. Islam is tied closely to middle eastern culture from way back but there is still a clear distinction between the two.
Here
Damn now I know how Maninthemirror feels lol. Anyways I'm out considering this is gonna turn into an argument of sematics.
I was raised by fairly conservative Muslim parents, born in Pakistan. Only boy with three older sisters and my sisters outside of a Mosque have never worn a Hijab in their life.
What controversy? A minority of insignificant Twitter opinions who have nothing else to do other than whine?
Vermillion
Banned
I agree with this, of course. The only thing I'm talking about here is wearing it one place versus another, instead of always or never wearing it.
Right, but we had no thread about her wearing the hijab in Indonesia. I think that the only reason we are taking notice is because of the decision not to wear it in one place when she showed no objections to wearing it in another.
Well, yes, but that's pretty much all controversy these days, yeah?
cyberheater
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She'll be president one day and then it's payback time.
I don't think she'll ever be president of Saudi Arabia
IDKAboutThat
Member
#BitchBitchBitchWhineWhineWhineSensitivityBleeuauuauuuughhhhh
FTFY Offended people.
But in all seriousness, it's nobody's decision but hers
FTFY Offended people.
But in all seriousness, it's nobody's decision but hers
Alx
Member
Not that it really matters, but isn't the person in the back a woman, who isn't wearing a veil either ?
Considering Michelle Obama's choice, it is definitely a breach of protocol if wearing a headscarf is imposed by law in Saudi Arabia. Certainly an intentional one too (I suppose they could have provided her an "emergency" scarf, like they can find you a tie in fancy restaurants), and I can't say I entirely disagree with her. It's intentionally disrespectful of the country and its law, in the end.
Parents have problems in some Gulf countries where the education ministry, the teachers' union and the students' union had all fallen under Islamist control. One mother described what happened when she moved her 11-year-old daughter to a new school: "After about three months she said: 'Mummy, I want to wear hijab'." The mother, thinking she was too young for hijab, asked her why. A teacher had said the girl's hair would be burnt on Judgment Day if she did not wear it.
This gives you a pretty good idea on why more and more girls in muslim and non-muslim countries are choosing to wear the veil. In the case of non-muslim countries, communitarianism is to blame.
Chuckie
Member
It is not a Muslim ONLY thing, but the 'modern' hijab certainly is. Why are there more and more hijabs in Indonesia when it certainly isn't traditional wear or part of Indonesian pre-muslim culture.
This is because of islam, not because of catholic nuns or hassidic women. Nothing wrong with that, but in this case indeed a muslim thing.
Also it being optional is your interpretation but not everyone's otherwise this wouldn't even be an issue.
Souldestroyer Reborn
Banned
Or y'know maybe she didn't feel like wearing one that day?
FlutterPuffs
Member
Um. Pretty sure it is. Official religion and everything.
Good on Michelle. As a Muslim, Saudi Arabia's toxic culture give our religion a bad name.
While I generally agree, these sorts of rules have a long cultural tradition and people are emotionally attached to the taboos they're accustomed to. Unfortunately, even incremental changes in acceptability take decades.
maquiladora
Member
Good for her. It's just fucking hair.
It's a diplomatic mission, she doesn't have the freedom she wants in dressing. Obama can't show of in baggy pants and turtleneck just because he feels like it. I can see how people could be confused by the first lady blatantly ignoring their culture, when she did respect it in another country.
Maybe she was in the mood to wear it in Indonesia but not Saudia Arabia. It's her choice, fuck tradition.
its not the official religion, its one of the 5 recognised religion along with Christian, Protestant, Budha and Hindu
also due to the above, people that don't practice one of the five religion will just put Islam on their ID card which inflate the % of Muslim here
NeloAnjelo
Member
I'm glad she didn't. Muslims living in the West can practice their religion freely, and in most places cover up. Yet people have to cover up when they go to their country? No way.
How about this? They should take thier head scarfs off in other countries out of respect...? Half of my family are musim and I tend to disagree with most of their views on matters such as this.
How about this? They should take thier head scarfs off in other countries out of respect...? Half of my family are musim and I tend to disagree with most of their views on matters such as this.
I agree. Even in the US its going to be a long time before we can walk around nude.
you can't walk around nude ? what a represive culture ...
We are so backwards in so many ways
Alx
Member
Their country, their rules...
Miles Quaritch
Member
Because she really doesn't give a-, does she?
Goddamn, the look of utter disdain on her face...
Normally you'd see someone in that position play nice and try to hide how much they loathe the person.
She's amazing. We need more of this.
Kind of conflicted about this. Though you can bet your ass that if I choose to visit a country then I will be doing my very best to follow their customs no matter what they are. I'm free to not go there but I'll do everything to not step on someone's foot just because I feel like their customs are stupid. Bad move, in my opinion.
Kenshin001
Member
She should have gone for a drive around Mecca while she was there.
It's not tradition to not wear muslim clothing. I may be incorrect, maybe George Washington declared one day "The whole nation is founded on the fact that we're not wear muslim clothing. So let us not wearing muslim clothing a custom!"
It's tradition by the fact that they don't wear it. And I'm not talking about just the U.S
Headscarfs aren't an exclusively muslim thing, but I don't think most other religions force it as strongly on women as muslims in general do, other than ultra-orthodox kind. Some catholic women might choose to wear one, but that's (somewhat) by choice, they haven't grown in an environment where the society at large pressures them to wear one.
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