Veils

[Melissa]

Hey Carla,
Sounds like a great book. I took an Islam class at St. Mary's and wrote a l o n g report on why women wear veils - where as we see is as demeaning, women there see it as protecting...(well some).
Thanks for the link, I was looking for a good book to read this summer inbetween statistics and and reviewing my nursing.
Miss

[Amy]

I saw your post and I couldn't help but comment. I agree!! When I was in college, one of my (photography major) friends was privileged enough to do some work for a diversity day event featuring some refugees that came into this state. She was selected among only a few extremely talented photographers in the state to be showcased!! It was an honor for her and I wanted to be there for the big reveal ceremony. It was a wonderful evening with ethnic food and fellowship with the refugees and their families. I was overwhelmed with their stories, they changed and touched me to the core, specially a very popular Muslim family. I waited almost a half an hour to speak with them. The mother and her two daughters were amazing!!! Growing up I learned very little about the Muslim faith and the women therewith, but that men dominated the culture, forced the women to act like slaves, to wear veils covering their face and body so that no other man could look on "his property", and that my dad got really grumpy about any talk about Muslims or their faith (I love my father lots, but wish he wouldn't be soooooo hyper prejudice). I can't remember what country this family was from or what their names were, but I know that I grew as a person that day. They completely changed my opinion!!!!! The mother said how she WANTED the veil. She said she and her husband would never force her daughters (high school and college age) to wear it if they didn't want to, and they both happily wear them on their own merit . She said that sometimes you can feel someone sizing you up on your body type, what you wear and how beautiful you are, but when that is all covered, all that they can judge you on is what you can choose to expose to them (or not)- your mind. She was going back to college for a degree in physics (or something smart like that) and has an impressive 4.0 average. She wanted her girls to have the opportunities that she had. She wanted them to grow up, go to school, have a career and a family without the pressures of this world. She wanted men to fall in love them for their brains and their stunning looks. Despite (or perhaps in spite of) my father's feelings on Muslims, I found I had more in common with this woman than I could ever imagine. The main themes of her life are the same as mine.... FAITH, FAMILY, and EDUCATION!!! I am so glad I got the chance to met them because they have changed my life forever.