both are expendable in my opinion.

I know you are much more keen than the rest of the population-that’s why such dynamics are so obvious to you. But that is far from the case for not even the average joe, but also supposedly well-informed upper-crust American elite. Both groups have wondered why I don’t veil b/c they thought it was forced upon women. I even had one Columbia student say: “You are the first smart woman from that I region that I have ever met. I mean, the others are just so meek and hide behind a veil.”

And I wish you had a chance to peruse some of the writings by New York Private school students who I asked to share their perceptions on Arabs and Muslims for a workshop I did on stereotypes. What an eye opener!

As such, I have developed a strong cynicism about people’s knowledge of that area and the on-the-ground dynamics.

I spent a lot of time on and off in Turkish areas of Germany and can easily say that Turkish women in Germany wear the scarf A LOT less than they wear it in Turkey.

PC is just so full of cliches and stereotypes one does not know where to begin.

I was in Germany last a couple of years ago. I saw some Turkish women wearing it, but not many, far less than I saw in Turkey when I was there a few years ago.

But it isnt this simple. It depends in Turkey where you are at, in the cities or countryside.

In the West it is my experience that more often than not the men in Muslim families are AGAINST their women wearing the hijab.

Since 9/11 I have known six women who have put their hijab on, all of them did so against the wishes of the male members of their families. This includes Pakistanis, Palestinians and a Saudi.

BTW, the hijab is banned in Germany for some government jobs as well. In Turkey there is not a general ban on hijab, rather it cannot be worn in government buildings. So that means government workers and students cannot wear it when they are at school or at work.

I guess that, even as a westerner, these things seem painfully obvious to me (I have a hard time relating to my countrymen, sue me). That’s why, to me, it does matter that she’s from Ethiopia – not only does she not have the requirements of a pious Muslim, but she doesn’t have the societal pressure either (but I’m aware of Bahrain’s social dynamics – again, you’re right, westerners on the whole aren’t).

And yes, I also know about the interesting global Olympic dynamics (and am, in fact, writing an article on how globalized the Olympics have become in terms of competitors “playing for other teams” so to speak).

You know, I think I should spend some time in Kansas or something. It’s sad that I get the Middle East more than I do my own Midwest.

-Jillian

the concept is that veiling is more complicated than it is portrayed in the West. And-considering EVEN Maryum’s background, I would say the example illustrates my point. it is complicated and diverse. Most Westerners are unaware that MENA countries do have non-Muslim people and communities in their population.

NOn-Muslim women in Saudi Arabia and Iran have to cover their head. Such expectation or enforcement is not the case in other MENA countries. In the last post, commentators complained that Al-Ghasara was probably forced to don the veil. Showing that the two other women, even an ethiopian christian 1500 meter runner, is proof of the diverse relationship women in MENA

countries have with the veil. Is it a paradigmatic example? No. But a tangible and relevant example nonetheless

AND what does it matter where she is from? Michigan-born Kaman played for the German basketball team in the olympics and his only connection is his grandparents. The olympics are replete with stories like these of distant or non-existent connections of athletes to nations they represent.

Good concept, bad examples. At least one of Bahrain’s other female athletes is not Bahraini at all (and a Christian, no less). Bahrain just makes their adopted Olympians take Muslim names for appearance’s sake (as does Qatar).

Not that I care that Bahrain buys its athletes – after all, their gold medal came from a Moroccan who wouldn’t have competed had he stayed in his home country, as he was kicked off the team after an injury.

Jillian

She lives in Switzerland.

She is Ethiopian and was given Bahraini citizenship because they wanted her for their olympic team. Not making a value judgment here, lots of countries do that.

Anyone who watched track and field distance races at the Olympics could see that both Bahrain and Qatar had athletes (mostly men) on their teams who were clearly not Bahraini or Qatari by birth.

Having said that, I have no opinion as to whether or not these athletes choose to wear or not wear a veil. If they like it, great. If not, great.