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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Am I being unreasonable to confront this woman?

581 replies

justanuthermanicmumsday · 19/09/2013 01:33

for those of you who don't know I wear a face veil usually a patterned scarf to avoid sticking out so much lol. point is I expect the odd comments maybe groans as I work past in my honour of course.

But two times now this senior lady I'd say in her 60s or more unprovoked loudly made comments at me. The first time she said" why are you wearing that" I was walking past with my twin buggy to supermarket, I thght she was incredibly rude. Had she said excuse me and proceeded to ask me a question in a normal tone I wouldn't have been miffed. Still I kept my cool said religious reasons as I walked away. I didn't want a conversation I don't see why I should explain when she was so rude.

yet today I see her again shouting across the road at me this time." No need to wear that take it off". Today I would say she looked aggressive or perhaps it was my eyes deceiving me. My toddler was with me she looked distressed said" mummy whys that lady shouting". I said "she's prob ill like your gran never mind her."

Should I confront her if this happens again? I'm not an aggressive person quite a walkover and not much confidence but I think it can't be ignored its like harassment.

I dread to think ill pass her again if I pop out she's always on the same route as me, yet why should I dread her.

Granted she doesn't like my dress neither does my brother, I'm not harming her in anyway. one sibling said I shouldn't confront her in case she goes to the police. But that's insane what reason would she have to go to the police i would simply tell her to get off my case. How would she like it if I told her to change her dress for something more acceptable to me. She's not the fashion police or the law.

Please remember this is not a conversation on whether you approve of my dress rather this woman's behaviour

OP posts:
wannaBe · 19/09/2013 13:21

"How did my local Asda become full of veil wearers in just a few years?" presumably it had something to do with muslims coming over here from countries where they were oppressed, you know, countries like Iraq which we invaded, to a country where they suddenly had freedom to ... you know, ... wear what they want.

candycoatedwaterdrops · 19/09/2013 13:23

"would you hold your daughter down to be circumcised?" is a vile comparison and says a lot about the person saying it. Ugh, some people are nasty human beings!

Fecklessdizzy · 19/09/2013 13:23

Hmm ??? MurderofGoths is a pun on the collective noun for a group of crows ( who are a bit black and raggedy - you know, like Goths ... ) not an instruction to go forth and do in the first Sisters Of Mercy fancier you come across. Sheesh.

AdventureTed · 19/09/2013 13:26

Fecklessdizzy - I'm well aware of that! But goths are a protected subculture that you are not afraid to be humorous about.

ifyourehoppyandyouknowit · 19/09/2013 13:28

I don't like the idea of a veil on the grounds that I find it anti feminist and oppressive HOWEVER that may not be the experience of the woman and if wearing it is a free choice, then it would seem foolish of me to be offended by it. I'm offended by the idea of women being pressured, coerced or even forced to wear veils and head scarves/modest dress, but I don't have any information on how often that is actually the case? And I doubt the person shouting abuse in the street is doing it from a position of feminist theory?

Fecklessdizzy · 19/09/2013 13:31

Being a Goth and mother of Goths I'm totally allowed to take the piss! And actually, when you put like that, Murderofburkas works rather well ... Grin

PeppiNephrine · 19/09/2013 13:32

nuns are forced to cover their heads by their religion. Why aren't any of you protesting about that or shouting at nuns in the street for their extreme behaviour?
Is because they are usually old, white and christian, and no-one has told you to be afraid of them?

YouTheCat · 19/09/2013 13:33

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heartisaspade · 19/09/2013 13:36

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Beeyump · 19/09/2013 13:39

That argument doesn't really hold up Peppi

AdventureTed · 19/09/2013 13:40

Fecklessdizzy - no it doesn't! It's dehumanising because you can't see their faces and would be describing them purely as though they are objects!

ifyourehoppyandyouknowit · 19/09/2013 13:42

I think because being a nun is a choice, you aren't born into it/don't have it forced on you? For some women there may be no choice in wearing a veil or a headscarf, and I object to that, but anecdotally (from my friends/colleagues/MN) it doesn't seem to be the case as often as I previously thought. As I said, no info on that. It's odd; the basic idea of women having to cover themselves to be modest I find uncomfortable, but the actual lived experience for the women I know seems to be that it's their choice and part of their relationship with Allah and their families/husbands. I feel like a lot of the anti-veil stuff is coming from either a place of xenophobia (and racism) or from a possibly good place of wanting women to have free choice and equality, and it's hard to have a rational discussion about it without being accused of racism because the most vocal are always the idiots with nothing to constructive to say.

PeppiNephrine · 19/09/2013 13:42

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YouTheCat · 19/09/2013 13:44

Exactly.

None of anyone's business.

Hopalong, not so long ago, plenty of girls were forced to become nuns.

DioneTheDiabolist · 19/09/2013 13:44

Adventureted, seriously?Shock. Is that the level of argument now? Slagging off poster's NNs? I used to be a goth. I have seen SoM and The Cult in concert. I do not see the issue with MurderofGoth's name. If she were posting promoting hatred of goths, that would be different, but in the years that I have been here I have never seen her do anything of the kind.

BoozyBear · 19/09/2013 13:46

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ILetHimKeep20Quid · 19/09/2013 13:47

So veils were forced by the Taliban?

Fecklessdizzy · 19/09/2013 13:48

Ted Nope, it's a little joke about a group term for black-clad individuals.

YouTheCat · 19/09/2013 13:48

I think people are so bothered because it's 'different' and therefore 'bad' in their eyes because they are ignorant.

ifyourehoppyandyouknowit · 19/09/2013 13:48

Do you think many women now are forced into being nuns?

ILetHimKeep20Quid · 19/09/2013 13:49

So if looking into someone's eyes forces intimacy doesn't that kind of defeat the object? Or miss the point?

YouTheCat · 19/09/2013 13:51

Nope.

But I don't think that many women are forced to wear veils either.

Beeyump · 19/09/2013 13:51

Tbh, in a public place I believe that people should be able to see each others faces. I feel intimidated by people wearing hoodies, balaclavas etc.

AdventureTed · 19/09/2013 13:52

Dione and Cat - I know what a murder of crows is and I know that Murder of Goths nickname is meant to be humorous.

My post was not meant as a personal attack - it was to highlight that we are allowed to be humorous about some protected subcultures more than others. Goths are protected - look it up and don't be so quick to judge.

maddening · 19/09/2013 13:52

I would have your phone ready to record a video next time - film her shouting at you and calmly tell her any further incidents will be reported to the police for racism.