Online Custom «Why Muslim Women Wear Burkas» Essay Sample

In the contemporary United States, controversies surrounding Muslim women and their burkas are not breaking news. Burkashave always led to endless debates, not only in the Islamic world but also in countries like Franceand Australia. Whilst others state that it is a form of oppression of women, others say it is a cultural and religious aspect that has to be preserved.

In a rather offensive speech during his tour of New Hampshire, celebrity tycoon and GOP presidential candidate, Donald Trump, stated that women who wore burkas “don’t have to put on makeup.” Responding to a rising issue of women’s freedom, he ironically refutes the idea saying that Muslim women like it that way, as they look beautiful that way. He says that Muslim women should not be deterred from wearing the burkas and hijabs since they have been wearing them for thousands of years. His mockery does not end there. In his imagination with regards to how it would be like had he been a woman wearing a burka, he jokingly says, “I’d be like, ‘I’m ready, darling, let’s go!”

Contrary to this misleading claim, women and girls are more than often forced to adorn the burka or hijab. In a research conducted by the University of Michigan, the majority of people who were in agreement with Trump were from Turkey and Tunisia. They all agreed that a woman should dress as she desires. But still in countries where women have the freedom of choosing their attire, social pressure and threat of violence force women to wear more extensive clothing than they really prefer.

In response to the question about freedom, Raheel Raza, the president of the Council for Muslims Facing Tomorrow, had a story to tell. He stated that forcing women to don the burka isolates and dehumanizes them. It also violates their rights and leaves them lusting after men, since men cannot observe them. Of similar opinion is Maria Lazreg, who has extensively studied women’s issues in the Middle East. She says that burkas and hijabs not only confine a woman to her world but also signal the loss of feminity.

The burkas are associated with health hazards. Several studies have established Vitamin D deficiencies in women who always wear them, predisposing them to rickets and other bone diseases, which are becoming a rare occurrence in the modern world. Most women also experienced migraines and breathing difficulties owing to the burkas. As a result, more and more Muslim women are abandoning them for the less invasive hijab.

This critique of anti-Muslim sentiments invited a lot of havoc, especially among the Muslims and the media at large. Trump’s unmistakable fashion sense and bigotry earned him a lot of disrespect, especially amongst the womenfolk. As reported by PRNewser, Muslims across the country reacted to his outburst stating that he (Trump) needed to seek local guide to Muslim women burkas.

In response to the media concerning his utterance, Trump had no regrets. He emphasized that his statement was based on facts and not fiction. He insisted that Muslim women should not be liberated from wearing burkas, since after all it is a sign of belongingness to the Muslim society.

It is worth noting however, that whether it is a hijab or a burka, it has nothing to do with makeup. It is in line with what the Quran explicitly teaches Muslims to do - “cover and be modest”. For some women, it is a symbol of allegiance to Allah and family. Yet for others, it is for feminist reasons. Whichever way, we need to avoid making fallacious judgements towards the observed phenomena. We rather need to focus on the innate reasons behind the same.