Monday, May 20, 2013

How to Think like an Anthropologist: The Pitfalls of Ethnocentrism and the Advantages of Cultural Relativism

This post is specifically written for SS 3310 students, but it is open to all blog readers.

As anthropology is the study of humans from both a cultural and biological perspective, anthropologists are confronted with different human groups and their cultures, many of which are completely different from his/her own.  Confrontations with any thing new and different, particularly cultures, can evoke a variety of reactions: shock, awe, amazement, fear, joy, excitement, and judgement.  These reactions are typical and normalThey can reinforce our personal pride in our own cultural heritage, which is a positive thing, but these reactions can also be quite negative if they generate feelings of superiority and discrimination against other cultures.  This type of reaction, known as ethnocentrism (the tendency to view one's own culture as best and to judge the behavior and beliefs of culturally different people by one's own standards, Gezon & Kottak, 2012), is one that anthropologists must continually battle when producing value free and objective research of human groups.

To assist with objectivity in anthropological research, anthropologists must strive to be culturally relativistic, which means that they must take the position that the values and standards of cultures differ and deserve respect (Gezon & Kottak, 2012).  This perspective allows anthropologists, and any individuals who subscribe to this point of view, the ability to judge each culture on its own merits.  This point of view is integral to the study of anthropology as it recognizes that there is no universally recognized morality and there is no single superior culture any where in the world.   

Reaching a culturally relativistic point of view is not easy and one that must be continually worked toward on a daily basis and through multiple confrontations with cultures that are vastly different from our own.  But the benefits of being more culturally relativistic are great.  In today's post, we are going to look at one situation and discuss how it is typically viewed from an ethnocentric perspective and how utilizing the cultural relativistic perspective assists in understanding the cultural practice, culture, and people.

What are your thoughts and/or reactions to the image below?
This woman is wearing a hijab, which is a veil that Muslim women who have reached the age of puberty wear while in the company of nonmale relatives.  It is meant to be a symbol of modesty, which is stressed in the Qur'an.  The wearing of a hijab is not required and is not worn by all Muslim women, but it is popularly worn by many Muslim women, particularly Eastern European and Middle Eastern women, as part of their cultural standards.

There are a lot of negative reactions out there in regards to women who opt to wear the hijab.  Some Western countries and areas have deemed it illegal for women to wear the hijab.  I had an old roommate once loudly exclaim in a store at a woman who wore a hijab, "Why do you let men control you like this by wearing that gross thing over your head?!"  In general, many non-Muslims cannot understand why Muslim women wear the hijab as it's seen a symbol of submissiveness and subjugation of women to men by Westerners, which is an ethnocentric reaction based on our Western values

So why exactly do Muslim women wear the hijab?  Because it is a symbol of modesty, and in their culture, it is important that women be modest in lifestyle and appearance.  Part of that modesty is that women be covered up, including their hair, so as not to be looked at in a lustful manner by men.  One way to look at it is to think about the message conveyed in this political cartoon:

    
As a woman, I can attest to the fact that no matter what I wear (be it a turtle neck and a business suit or a skirt and top), I will usually get at least one man addressing me by not looking me in the eye but leering at my chest, hips, or butt.  It's incredibly unnerving and disrespectful, in my opinion.  And I can understand why Muslim women would opt to wear the hijabBut the point was driven home for me after I had a conversation with an elderly Canadian woman who had just converted to Islam and started wearing the hijab 6 months previous to our conversation.  I asked her why she opted to wear the hijab, particularly since she grew up during the 1960s & 1970s and the "Feminist Revolution" and was enculturated in Canadian/Western cultural norms and values.  She had the following to say:  

"For the first time in my life I finally feel like I am a human being when I talk to a man.  When I wear the hijab, men are forced to look me in the eye, not direct the conversation toward my breasts.  I have never felt that level of respect in my life, and I have been on this earth for over 50 years!"   

By divorcing oneself from their own cultural values and putting oneself into the place of the other individual (in this case, the position of a Muslim woman), one can begin to understand why the hijab is a necessity in their wardrobe and a valued choice that they make on a daily basis as part of their culture that values women's modesty.  As well, Western men and women can learn something from this situation in regards to our (Western) cultural values, be it positive or negative.   

References:
  
Gezon, L and C Kottak.  2012.  Culture.  McGraw-Hill.  
 

56 comments:

Matthew Elliot said...

The hijab is also a powerful icon of post-9/11 resistance for many Muslim women.

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

Matt, do you have a link to any article or info on that? I only know info from conversations I've had with Muslim women, mostly converts or West Asian Muslim women, so I'd be interested to read about Arab, Eastern European, and other Muslim women. Thanks!

Unknown said...

It seems like many photos in western society show women wearing the hijab looking down, not smiling, looking sad or concerned. Then I realized that this lady might just be looking at her cell phone, so maybe it's just bias. :)

Anonymous said...

Well coming from a western culture, the hijab does remind me a lot of the grim reaper. Which is basically a sign of death. That would be enough to make anyone look down upon a women wearing what appears to be an adult size halloween costume. After reviewing this post and being exposed to the cultural relativistic approach toward other culture however, I can look at her and think she is very devout to her religion which I can respect. It is a big thing to be accepting of all religions in America, why would this be any different. Having the education to know the difference. Unfortunately kids cartoon make dark robes like that seem like the villain on a movie or TV show. Post 9/11 probably banked on the idea of that to rally people against Afghanistan and Iraq. Sure what happened that day was extremely sad and terrible, but were all of the innocent members of the muslim faith to blame? Hard to say. It's an extremely bias thing to assume.

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

"but were all of the innocent members of the muslim faith to blame? Hard to say."

That would be akin to blaming every single Christian in America for all the actions by the Westboro Baptist Church and the Ku Klux Klan, which bases a lot of its teaching and doctrines off of Christianity. I would not say that the majority of Christians are either, nor would I say that the majority of Christians condone either groups' behaviors. That "hard to say" is rather ethnocentric and hardly culturally relativistic.

Amanda Granger said...

I can not truly say if I have ever had the issue of men staring at parts of my body in public. Even when I used to purposely show it all off in my younger days. Yet, I can see why some Muslim women do. A lot of Muslim women (or women in general) are very beautiful and do have issues with men staring at other parts of them besides their faces. I can see after reading this that the Hijab can be a choice. Not all of the Muslim women are forced to wear them. I know that a lot of women in different countries are very modest and are afraid or offended when men look elsewhere, other than their eyes or face. That would upset me too. I do not think that most Muslim women, or women that convert to Muslim, are forced to wear this hijab, they choose to for their own personal feelings.

Jessie said...

When I was in the military, I chose to wear my uniform loose-fitting. Not unsafely so, but the shape of my body was essentially impossible to discern. The day-to-day uniform also covers the entire body except the face and hands, with the hair pulled tightly back in a nondescript bun. Similar to what your friend described, I felt a huge relief in presenting myself in this manner. There are strong feelings about females in the military and I could see prejudice or lack thereof bleeding through others' actions on a daily basis. However, I felt by wearing the uniform in a non-flattering way, I was typically judged based off my knowledge, professionalism, and physical prowess, just as a man is. In every other time in my life, I feel I am judged largely on my sexuality (i.e., how provocatively or fashion-forward I do or do not dress, how provocatively I do or do not act) and secondarily considered by more relevant aspects, such as knowledge of subject matter.

The struggle I am seeing with cultural relativism and ethnocentrism is this: morals are subjective, however with globalization, the stronger countries tend to gently (and not-so-gently) push their morals on others. This lends to one culture being pressured to change. Objectively, and with the cultural relativism mindset, this is wrong, as one culture as equal value as another. However, at this point, it is clear one country feels entitled to act on behalf of another in certain situations - see how America has taken sides in the Gulf war and in Iraq, and the UN assists in some African refugee/conflict situations. So, then, the issue of FGM is brought to the table. Is this something also inherently wrong that must be stopped? Is it appropriate to intervene, or crossing a line - something that must be allowed to continue, undisturbed? Who makes these decisions? Is it proper to allow stronger countries like America, or unified "persons", if you will, like the United Nations, to make judgment calls on weaker culture groups? Perhaps there is no right or wrong answer. I hope to receive more clarification, perspective, and food for thought in this course.
-Jessica Elms, TMCC Summer 2014, Second Term

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

You make some great points herein, Jessie. As for your questions about FGM, the abbreviation there and the term it stands for demonstrates judgement as FGM stands for "female genital mutilation". The term mutilation outright states a negative connotation to the practice. I prefer the neutral term clitoridectomy as it is factual and devoid of emotionally charged terms and opinions.

My personal feelings aside about the practice (which I am purposefully leaving out here), there is no clear cut answer in regards to this issue. There are anthropologists and other scholars who fall on both sides of the divide-those who feel it is a human rights issue and those who feel that it is a cultural practice that must be respected. I tried to make that point clear in the course because there really are no right or wrong answers when it comes to this issue because there is no true consensus.

Another example, the one I brought up in the video, may make the whole cultural relativism vs human rights issue more clear: Some cultures eat dog. Some cultures do not keep dogs as pets. Some cultures do keep them as pets but they are never permitted inside the house and they only eat scraps. Americans tend to value dogs, hence the saying, "Man's best friend" and a multimillion dollar industry dedicated to the care, maintenance, and "blinging out" of pets (e.g. dressing pets up in clothing or bedazzled collars, hair dye, barrettes, etc.). I have a dog that I love very much, but my friends from other cultures and even my parents think I spend too much on my dog and treat her like a person and not an animal. I purchase her high quality dog food, she's allowed on the furniture, my dog gets to stay inside when I'm not home, and occasionally I have been known to buy her a cute collar or Halloween costume. When I enter into my friends' or parents' homes, I am shocked at how they treat their dogs-low quality food or just table scraps, outside all the time, no access on the furniture, and rudimentary toys (aka sticks). I know other people who think that I'm not doing enough for my dog and who definitely think my family and friends are being abusive to the dogs. Neither my practices nor their practices are necessarily right. It is just a matter of opinion on how to treat an animal, and at the end of the day, all of the aforementioned animals are well taken care of (although the level of care does vary)-the dogs are fed, watered, and get exercised. So at the end of the day, I take a culturally relativistic approach with my family and friends because no actual harm is being done. Other people, however, don't because they have a higher standard of care for dogs. It's subjective, yes, but the key with cultural relativism is to recognize why actions are taking place and appreciating that there are and will always remain cultural differences.

Brian Ball said...

Wow! I had no idea that this was an optional item for Muslim women to wear, and also just learned that it is a way for them to project modesty. Learning this kind of just blew my mind, thank you! It makes perfect sense that by covering all of the womanly parts that women would be treated differently, not as objects, but as a human being, as men do have a tendency to have their eyes moving up and down women's bodies. But if the body is covered, it essentially forces them to look them in the face. It's pretty brilliant if you ask me, and I have a new-found appreciation for the hijab!

Veronica Chapman said...

I never realized that the head coverings were optional. I find it interesting that women should have to take the responsibility for mens behavior by dressing in a certain manner. I mean shouldn't men be taught or expected to respect women no matter how they are dressed.

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

A valid point about men's behavior that we'll be addressing when we discuss gender.

Anonymous said...

I knew that the hijab was optional from other classes I had taken in the past and I really respected that women opted to wear it! I have some girlfriends from Boise who have told me that they would get ridiculed for more revealing clothes like tank tops and strapless prom dresses because their school was mostly Mormon. It is weird to hear about it happening in America!
-Laura Redl

Unknown said...

It is interesting to choose an Islamic women for your study on cultural relativistic issues. Any one can learn a new way of life if they practiced this everyday, sadly this is not the case. It is a wonder why we as a people do not have a better understanding of other cultures norms. A better understanding would open up worlds of information, however when religion gets mixed in it becomes difficult at best to control ones actions. A brighter future is upon us if we take more time to understand differences rather than chastise those differences .

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

Robert, I believe you may misunderstand the example of Muslim women and the hijab, which is common based on how Islam is poorly represented in our society. The hijab/niqab is only required by law in two countries. Elsewhere it is a choice. Yes, there is a strong cultural norm that strongly encourages women to wear it, but that is no different in our country/culture that strongly encourages Judeo-Christian values, or for people to always be clothed, or to never question authority, etc. Cultural norms are strong in every culture, but when those norms do not encourage what one deems as strange behavior one rarely questions it.

Unknown said...

I was basically mentioning the cultural relativistic way of life not the hijab in the statement above "Any one can learn a new way of life if they practiced this everyday, sadly this is not the case" I should have been more clear on the subject. 'This' In the above statement refers to the cultural relativistic view. Again I apologize for the misunderstanding

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

Thanks for clarifying. We will discuss the hijab more in class today, and I welcome your feedback in said discussion. :)

Amand Dworshak said...

To me, I believe that if we had a better understanding of other peoples' customs and beliefs that we would have a better understanding of things before we judged them based upon the type of clothing they wear. I believe as a sign of respect to people that we should follow the customs of the country or state that they are visiting. I also did not know that the Hijab was optional and not a requirement. It was very interesting to read the statement of someone who had converted to Islam. I can see what she meant how it was nice to have a conversation with out the eyes wandering.

Anonymous said...

It seems to me that the reaction of the Catholic turned Muslim woman wearing the covering is based on her cultural upbringing. It seems she was probably raised in a culture where staring at a body part is not challenged. My point is, the relatively new "campaign" by woman demanding men be held accountable for the way they behave rather than putting the responsibility on women to dress a certain way is a radical way of thinking. Woman can dress however they want. If they choose to be covered and modest, great. If they want to be naked people will stare but the expectation needs to be that men are respectful of women, however they dress. Cultural relativism is perfect for realizing the woman should wear whatever they want but if women are held responsible for the behavior of men, that's where the problem lies. In places where women can't drive and get murdered when they are raped, it seems we are talking about two different things to claim it is a choice to cover their bodies. A person questioning why a woman would let a man control what she wears may not necessarily be referring to one man but a culture in which men make the rules and always have. If they have choice and want that I think everyone would support that!

Paige Stevenson

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

Interesting response, Paige, but as you said yourself there are two broad issues being discussed here. In the context of this blog posting I discuss the wearing of the hijab by Muslim women, but I do not discuss that similar ideas about modest dress are also associated with Muslim men. They are required to wear long sleeves, long pants, and occasionally a hat to cover their hair. Their dress, however, is not polarized as a negative thing because it does not seem odd or different as compared to American (and most Western) norms. Because of American cultural values about women's rights to wear and do as they please many American/Western individuals see the hijab as a symbol of oppression and it is not. In fact, only two countries in the world make it mandatory by law for women to wear the hijab, and these countries are Saudi Arabia and Iran. These are also two countries that have been at odds with the American government, which may be part of the reason for the disdain and misunderstanding of the hijab.

The hijab in and of itself, however, is not a symbol of oppression but a symbol of modesty, dedication to one's religion, and has recently become a symbol of pride in one's culture. It is often difficult for people to divorce the hijab from being viewed as a symbol of oppression because despite it being associated and worn by Muslim women across the globe (US, Canada, Eastern Europe, Asia, and several African countries) it is polarized as being a tool of "the enemy to oppress women" and therefore it is seen as a terrible thing. With the exception of two countries it is important to remember that this garment is a choice and one that individuals who opt to don it feel very prideful in wearing.

Anonymous said...

The political cartoon really gave me a good and clear understanding of the hijab controversy. Women can be controlled by men in either way if it is putting on more clothes or less. Just because we believe that our culture is right and we do what we want while Muslim women are being oppressed by men is ethnocentric in a way because we are judging for ourselves what is right and wrong in their customs that we may not even have so much knowledge or experience of.

Unknown said...

Ceremonial garments have been used throughout history to show status and in this case modesty. even in our culture for a time being showing ankle skin at the beach was akin to turning the red light on over the bed. My how we have changed! However i would not suggest going out in the snow to swim. When looking at the various garments that cultures wear we often wonder why in the world would you wear that? However when learning what it represents we can better understand how a culture views themselves. Why do certain garments enact such feelings of hostility? In the case of the KKK it is what the cloths represent. In others there should be no reason to hate because they are different, but that is human nature and it needs to change.

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

You said it yourself-each culture has its own reasons for what happens and what specific symbols mean and represent.

Amber Mang said...

It's interesting on why our culture likes to judge others so drastically based on their appearances. The hijab, I see, is like a specific coat that a man would like a woman to wear out in public, hiding her low cut t-shirt. Or, more drastically, when someone is in an abusive relationship (men or women) and forced to wear specific clothing because they are not "allowed" to wear anything else. For example, families who participate in polygamy essentially wear clothing that covers their chest, up to their necks. There are many other cultures and religions that practice clothing styles in place of respect, but I believe one of the many reasons why we are so concentrated on Muslim practices is because of the political agenda that our country is partaking in. Sadly, our country tends to single out one religion/culture, creating the idea and belief to most citizens that that particular culture is not a positive one.

Unknown said...

i really think that's pretty cool but at the same time its not because Muslim women have to be covered up and not get to wear what they want and show off. like in today's society we have girls showing have of there booty and its okay but we see them as immature and wrong , as for the Muslim women we see them with more respect.

Skywacker said...

When I got to this weeks assignment and saw the word “ethnocentrism” I had no idea what it meant. When I learned it’s meaning (to view ones own culture as the best and judge others by one’s own standards) my first thought was that it is in our nature to do just that. I can understand how anthropologists need to work on being “culturally relativistic” and objective in their studies of cultures that differ from their own. In my line of work I deal with people from different backgrounds, cultures, histories and beliefs multiple times a day, and while I am trained to make an immediate judgment on the situation, I am also trained to keep an open mind as I learn more of what is going on and make objective decisions based on those findings and not just my immediate opinion. As I continued to read the post and about the hijab and why a great many Muslim women choose to wear one, it reinforced my belief that just as an anthropologist needs to stay objective in their field, we in our everyday lives need to stay “culturally relativistic” as we meet and interact with different people, not judging them based on our beliefs and culture, but open to learning about theirs and why they are important to them. Sky D.

Unknown said...

This blog was very informational and interesting! I have read a blog similar to this one before for one of my classes I have taken before this class. We tend to judge people based off of their looks before we get to know them. After 9/11, our judgement towards those who wear Hijab's is very harsh an judgmental. Most of us think they wear them because they are apart of a terrorist group, when in reality it is apart of their culture and identity.

Unknown said...

While most Muslim countries and the Quran itself do not require a veil some counties such as Saudi Arabia require a veil at the penalty of beatings or even death.

Unknown said...

This is a great article because so many people are still so prejudice towards women who wear the hijab. A great friend and coworker of mine wears the hijab at my work, and quite often if I hear about a horrible customer experience, it's in regards to the hijab. Some people even see her as a threat. This view is hurtful and just plain wrong.

Anonymous said...

I wish more people would take the time to learn the meaning of the hijab. When I first learned about the hijab, I was taught it was forced on these women. I viewed it this way for many years until I worked with a women who converted. She explained to me that it was a sign of respect for herself and her husband. She said only her husband should have the right to see her without it on. My whole perspective of the hijab changed after my conversation with her. I think if more people were willing to learn about other cultures and beliefs the would be a lot more tolerance in the world.

Samantha Bond
Anth 101 Sec 3002

Unknown said...

I did not know that the hijab was optional for these woman. As what Samantha Bond said, I thought they were forced to wear these hijabs. Very interesting to see how different woman here in the United States are and how woman there are.

Heidi Herrera Delgado
Anthro 101 Sec 3001

Anonymous said...

I was also unaware that it was optional for Muslim women to wear the hijab. I did know that the purpose of the hijab was to show modesty. It is interesting to me that knowing that it is their choice is important to know. Especially, when there are things that I do in my culture because it is the way things are done not because it was my choice. Something for me to work on.

Anonymous said...

do females have the option to not wear these veils when they hit the age of maturity? -Chyanne Reno

Anonymous said...

I believe everyone has their own reason for doing what they do, but I do not believe that the KKK or any other group of people have a good enough reason to harm someone just for the color of their skin or their beliefs.

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

Chyanne, as discussed in class, girls and women who elect to wear the hijab typically do it at the cultural age of maturity, and it is a voluntary decision that is not made lightly. Once the decision is made, much like a woman who decides to become a nun, it is typically not reversed unless the individual completely rejects the faith. The hijab (much like a habit) is not a fashion statement (although they can be considered quite fashionable). It is a symbol of one's commitment to her faith (Islam), so removal is not a decision made lightly, unless it is during appropriate times (e.g. going to bed, residing in one's home with family, or showering).

Dion Howard said...

This passage makes me look at how us men do objectify women on the daily basis. It is a beautiful thing to be able to get to know a women for what she has inside her heart instead of what her body looks like. It is also easy to realize the culture change, because we look at the hijab like its men controlling women. Muslims look at how our women the same way and it is really crazy to me.

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

Excellent points, Dion. :)

Anonymous said...

In the article I read that Muslim women wear hijabs to cover up everything including their hair because they don't want to be looked at in a lustful manner by men. Which is definitely understandable if you look at it from that perspective.

-Monique McAllister

Unknown said...

A hijab is for Muslim women and to be quite honest while I was growing up in my community I would always see it but never knew what they were. Of course until I got older. With being able to have this knowledge definitely gave me an insight on how things really are.

Kylene Jay said...

Growing up in the family I did, not being ethnocentric was a difficult habit to break, and I still catch myself (more often :( ) doing it; I try to be more culturally relativistic.

My thoughts to the picture: it's a lady. I am the type of person that likes to live life like, don't hurt me, and we're good! Wearing a hijab, mini skirt, tank top, burka, whatever one choses, is their choice. It is almost a sad society we live in that these issues must be addressed to regularly, more and more on the "news" everyday.

Mara Caudel said...

I think the comment made by the woman you talked to really puts this in perspective. It makes sense why they would want to wear a hijab. It does make men look you in the eyes.

Anonymous said...

At what age, in their culture, do they meet maturity?
I do like how your friend chooses wear the hijab to get more respect from men, because lots of times these days you will rarely have a man look you straight in your eyes for a whole conversation.
--Kimberly Wilbers

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

Age of maturity varies by culture. Islam is a faith, and as far as I know it does not dictate a specific age (unlike Judaism, which does). Ultimately then the culture a Muslim ascribes to would be followed regarding "age of maturity". :)

Apreshana Page said...

My thoughts on the woman wearing the hijab is nothing negative. I admire the respect these women have for themselves. New generations have little to no respect for themselves, I see a good number of young girls walking around with very little clothing on exploiting themselves. The Muslim women sticking to this belief is a good thing.

-apreshana page

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed reading this article, it gave me a better understanding for why woman wear the hijab. I am a type of person who does not judge what clothes another male or female is wearing because I know that it is how they represent themselves, but I never knew the true meaning or reasoning behind the hijab.

Sinclaire Baker said...

I personally never saw anything negative or weird about woman wearing the hijab i just knew it was a part of their culture and something that they choose to do. I love how they get negative looks on them for wearing this but they still continue to do so. It represents more than just a scarf being worn on their head and i really respect that.

Anonymous said...

I knew that women wore the hijab for religious reasons, but I never quite knew why until I read the article and it broke it down more. I don't really care to judge people on what they wear or how they dress, I love people just the way they are. - Alexis Buford

Makayla Peterman said...

Wearing a hijab seems like a better way of life, personally. After reading this article, I have a newfound respect for the muslim community and their way of life. It seems much more peaceful and positive. Seeing women wearing hijabs never really made sense to me, but after reading this, it clearly makes sense. It is never a negative thing to dress to express yourself and your beliefs.

Chyann Taylor said...

I find the hijab to be liberating because it does force people to stare you in the eyes during a conversation. Its also crazy to see the difference in reactions of the two different cultures especially when it comes to what the women wear. The ignorance of both sides don't help the issue but gives it merit, however, once both sides become educated on each other customs it would be more embraced and welcomed for women to either be free the nipple or wearing hijabs.

Jasmine Busby said...

I always thought that head coverings were mandatory for most cultures that wear them. its nice to know that they are an option because i would be depressed wearing it everyday.
-jasmine busby

Justin Mitchell said...

I believe the comment that was mad about "letting men control what you wear" was very ignorant. I knew it was a religious thing when I first saw a woman in one.

Unknown said...

I worked with a nurse who wore her hijab everywhere outside of her home. I asked her a bunch of questions about it and she was willing to explain to me her perspective. It was nice to be able to ask with curiosity and her tell me without being offended. I learned a lot about her beliefs and why she chose to wear it, while another one of my friends, who was also Muslim chose not to. It's important to ask and to be educated. America is a melting pot for a reason. I love learning about cultures different from my own. There are so many lessons we can learn when we expand our views.

Anonymous said...

As a understanding that it is a choice whether or not to partake in the wearing of the Hijab for an act of modesty in the culture. Does it take away from the fact that identifying as a modest Muslim women? In my opinion it should not and practicing morals and values still comes into action anywhere along with the fact that as you were saying men will sexualize women no matter what they wear. Other cultures do not have a way of showing modesty or specific garments covering their body. This does not change the fact they do not need to be seen as an object or a 'cat-calling' waiting to happen. NO negative reaction should take place because of culture.
Qwynn Marquez

Unknown said...

Hey my name is Aleisha watts, and Reading this made me really inspired and brought so much more respect to their cultural values. I defiantly understand the feeling of being lusted over rather than respected. I don't think it's a male controlling thing, but I do feel like it has become so normal and temping that no matter what women wear that a male will wander to other parts of a women's body without realizing it's really offensive when you can't have a conversation without direct eye contact. I feel like wearing it is very self-honoring because you don't have to show off what you have for someone to notice you. I find it really offensive that people think just because a woman is covering herself is because of a man. I think it's something that should be looked more into so it can be understood better.

Anonymous said...

I enjoy all your posts about cultural relativism. I really enjoy how culturally relativistic point of views recognize there is no universally recognized standard of morality across the world.

Elaine christopher

Cheyenne Brown said...

Hello my name is Cheyenne Brown, before reading this blog I've read maybe a handful about Muslims and hijabs and this one I enjoyed a lot. I think this one has had details that I didn't know before. As for myself I thought hijabs were required, and not based around faith. I hate that there is any negativity to anyone for wanting to do or wear what they want, especially ones who are just respecting there religion. As to what you wrote about just wearing sweatpants and baggy clothes or just tighter clothing I feel like I'm judged by my appearance and or being starred at by men in a way that makes me uncomfortable. I like the cartoon where the two women were looking at each other making assumptions about the way they are dressed and how male dominance comes in to play.

Anonymous said...

It draws attention to the misconceptions and unfavorable attitudes that women who wear the hijab encounter, especially in Western cultures where it might be seen as a sign of subservience. It also covers different points of view on the hijab and the arguments over its legality in various nations. I gained knowledge about the range of perspectives on the hijab and the significance of appreciating cultural customs in their historical context.-Brooklyn Blair