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Iziz
There are cases in the middle east where this is a serious issues.In countries that are trying to find the balance between the tradition and modernity or secular and sacred. I believe that there was a case in Iran where a woman scientist who was a professor at a university refused to uncover her hair. She was laid off by the school for failing to comply to their rules and regulations. And this was in a country that had Islamic roots!
The association of woman's covering or attire with oppression is biblical and goes back to when Eve forced or seduced Adam to eat the apple whence their eyes opened and they became aware of their nakedness. The symbolism of the fig leaves that they supposedly used to cover themselves is very sexual in my opinion because they have lots of tiny seeds indication of fertility. WE can go on about the fruits and the garden of Eden and the serpent etc...The fact is that a woman's attire does not immediately or necessarily protect her from sexual violence. In fact, girls between the ages of 0-16 experience the most rapes, incest,sexual violence than any other group of females. Women are spared because they present more of a threat and may fight back.This does not mean that girls don't fight back but they are more likely to have these experiences because as a group they are less powerful in terms of social variablese,e.g.; they have less money, (except for the olsen twins and Raven Simone and others like them who remain in the minority) they are not yet professionals (except for the few girl doctors under 16 or 18 etc...)
I feel more comfortable with my headwrap and skirts or wrap around. They make me feel more female in a world where gender is constantly challenged by surgery and cross dressing. I feel that femme females are a rare breed because androgeny is the accepted norm for successul females. You have to show that you can wear the pants which literally makes you a male. it's sick in my view.
This is a great discussion.
Blessings.
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