Religious Symbolism
I am aware that many people who wear a head covering do so with the conviction that what they are doing is from a specific religious mandate. I know of Christian head coverers who believe that the head covering is a sign for Christian women only. Probably there are Jews and Muslims who feel similarly. Yet in none of the main three Abrahamic faiths, as they are referred to, can you find specific requirements for women to cover their heads - all are inferred from the context. As a Christian head coverer, I do believe that I should cover my head, as per 1 Corinthians 11. But it is not as clear a teaching as Jesus' commands to love one another, or to do good to our enemies. Jewish women cover by example of women in Torah scripture who did so. And Muslim women cover their breast with their hijab as specifically required, but cover their head by necessary inference of Quranic verse.

I still believe that covering a woman's head is a good, natural, feminine, modest, respectful and even "religious" thing to do. But we must make a distinction between doing what we feel is "right" and appropriate for us to do, and merely wearing some form of religious symbol without even knowing why, or just because it will mark us a different. If all faiths followed a more conservative and less worldly set of guidelines, we would all have modest head covering women, and we most certainly would not be marked as different by religious symbols on our heads. Unless they look different, of course. But even less specific than the inferences to cover our female heads is the description of the covering with which to do so. Well, except for Sikhs. But that's another story.

Here's the article that spurred these thoughts, from the Mauritius Times.

Lest we forget...
Remember: Wear a Head Scarf Day is on November 13, 2006.

Religion? Society? Practicality? Morality? Where is the bottom line?
Topic: Muslim HC
Why is it always the Muslim head covering reported on in this blog? Because in the whole world of google searches, almost every time the term head covering or veil is mentioned, it's about the Muslims. Are they more pious? Or is it really just a political statement made to irk the Western world, and have these (mostly) young women show them who's really going to take over the world? Well, keep reading.

There is at least one more Muslim group discouraging full face covering - the Muslim Canadian Congress - "as it is not an Islamic requirement and its use will only result in the further economic disempowerment of women." This article also states: "While acknowledging that women have the right to dress as they please, the MCC pointed out that the rights of the individual have to be balanced with the rights of society. It argued that wearing veils, whether as an expression of religious identity, or as a means of political defiance, is not in the best interest of Canada’s Muslim communities. Nor is it a requirement of the Islamic faith."

And yet on the other side of the coin, as reported by the Jerusalem Post, "British Muslim wins right to wear veil in court." (The Muslim woman lawyer who refused to remove her face veil when asked by the judge, who claimed he couldn't hear her speaking.) The head of the Assylum and Immigration Tribunal said Thursday that if a lawyer wishing to wear a veil "has the agreement of his or her client and can be heard reasonably clearly by all parties to the proceedings, then the representative should be allowed to do so."

For another perspective, read this American editorial. At least he mentions the Catholic and Amish head cover-ers. Muslim women's use of veil continues to rankle. Here's a portion: "Which is more provocative: to cover the body or display it? Those Muslim women who choose freely to cloak their bodies consider their practice to affirm feminine modesty, a reaction against Western women's cult of fashion, facelifts and physical attractiveness.

"To be sure, women in the West who are deeply religious also tend to dress plainly and to cover up. Consider nuns and Amish women - none of them slaves to fashion. Yet the practice of the veil continues to rankle the non-Muslim public.

"Nowadays, the wearing of the veil in public is seldom imposed by the girls' parents. The Economist has suggested that the veil is increasingly a political statement, particularly among young Muslim women, against the amount of flesh on display on television." Also, "because they dislike being ogled by men, and because a veil makes them feel safer."

Something for the Jews
Topic: Jewish HC
I would really rather find more information about the Jewish women's covering, but I will take what actually makes news somewhere. It seems that there will be a Jewish head covering day : National Yarmulke Day, on December 22. Kind of a solidarity day for Jews and non-Jews, male and female alike. The creator of the day is quoted as saying: "It all started when teachers waved the no hat policy for those Santa hats so I thought well then I want to wear a hat to. This year in New Paltz/The World Yarmilka day is December 22nd. The best part of this is Yarmulke are not considered Holy items like a Torah, and legally they can’t tell you to take it off."

And it's not about the Muslim faith this time.

I like the photo
Topic: Muslim HC
Mostly because I like the photo, I'm including today the article by the Christian Science Monitor called: "the great veil debate". It's a nice overview, with definitions, explanations and some internal links to various stories about Islamic veiling.

Latest news from Italy
At first it looks like another European country bowing to secularism, but then you realize: This is Italy. All they are seeking to do is keep faces from being covered, not get rid of religion or symbols of faith. Here's a quote I've been looking for, but never seem to see in the news:

"Until recently Italians have been reluctant to ban religious symbols, perhaps as religion and the crucifix are such a key part of Italian society.

"As for the headscarf, it has been commonplace for devout Roman Catholic women, especially in the south, to cover their heads when outdoors. "

So, it is not just Muslims who cover their heads, and has little to do with the heat of the sun. Isn't there anywhere that I can find more information on European women who wear head scarves?

Come Together
Wear a Headscarf or Turban Day
November 16, 2006

started by the Fremont, California, group: Foundation for Self Reliance

more information found at the website highlighted above

A Point of View
Topic: Muslim HC
Veils Make a Modest Statement - For Muslim women, coverings symbolize humility and pride

BY ROBIN FARMER, TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Nov 5, 2006

For Whittni Brown, wearing a hijab -- a veil covering her hair, neck and ears -- is part of her religious conviction as a Muslim woman.

"Hijab has had different symbolic and political manifestations over time, but in general, it is just the way we show our modesty and humility to The Creator," said Brown, a senior at Virginia Commonwealth University who chose Islam as her religion at 16.

Brown, 21, dismisses critics who say the veils are a rejection of Western values.

"This is ludicrous. Hijab to us is like the habit of a nun. And aren't nuns from the West? Do people see them as oppressed?" she asked. "Wearing the hijab has nothing to do with a conflict between East and West."

(Read the whole article at the above link.)

Who is Veiling?
Topic: Muslim HC
While this article is mainly about the idea of the Muslim head covering, I found a few intereseting thoughts in this blog called: "Veils and Questions". One good quote is as follows:

"For instance, I have often found myself thinking that women who wear make-up are in a sense, veiling themselves. In fact, the whole industry of women's fashion and self-adornment has become an extraordinary type of inverted veil -- fashionable, glamourous women spend what amounts to huge quantities time and effort obscuring their true appearance behind masks composed of cosmetics and clothing. How would it be if the mass of women living in cultures that require women to be perfectly groomed and coiffed at all times were to be forced to "remove the veil" of their glamour and appear unadorned to the gaze of the world? Would that be the same as asking Islamic women to remove the veils behind which they have grown up?"

Just a thought. Reminded me of the current ad campaign by the Dove company: Campaign for Real Beauty. Watch their video called "evolution". Just who is covering up?

Even in traditionally Muslim countries
Topic: Face Covering
I thought this was interesting: Now a Pakistani judge seems to side with the MP who wonders why full face covering is "necessary," in court of law by an attorney - when it is actually a detriment of sorts. Interested to see where this one goes...