Politics
Religion
Social Issues
Religious Freedom
Feminism
Gender Issues
Social Justice
Identity Politics
Gender Studies
Political Activism
cultural identity
Political Discourse
Women rights
RJ Sayema or Arfa Khanum or other influential politically active Muslim women in India do not wear Hijab themselves but support school girls wearing it because - choice. Problem is they avoid the truth that "choice" is never free from religious/social conditioning.
Question is, is it fair for privileged Muslim women who enjoy the modern Western liberal way of life and advocate/support following religious dogmas, patriarchal traditions to the under-privileged rural Muslim women or even children in name of identity politics?
The larger question is, those who don't practice wearing Hijab/burqa themselves, should they have an opinion regarding it either for or against? Should they speak for the rest of the Muslim women? Who represents the Muslim women of India?
I have explored this question in a research paper recently and presented in a conference. Will get it published soon. The short answer is Indian Muslim women do not have any representator. Privileged Mus women we meet on Twitter don't represent larger community.
Update: People trying to find political connection in my views on hijab. I've been saying the same things on Twitter / Blog for 17 years. Long before the daily Hindu Muslim politics started and long before Cong joined social media. Just run a simple search and you'll see.
Yesterday the thread was made in connection to a RW handle raising the question about RJ Sayema and I thought that as much as i oppose the right wing Hindutva politics there was merit in his tweet and somebody from so called "my side" needs to speak up.
Regarding my politics, i am a classical liberal and second wave feminist. I am opposed to identity politics and extremist ideas of both Left and Right. I believe class and gender, patriarchy and poverty are still the only two factors oppressing women world over.
Loading suggestions...