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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

in thinking about deciding to go about in a burkha? (veil)

88 replies

stitch · 07/09/2008 20:51

in the winter, i would be covered, so wouldnt get cold, no matter what.
in the summer, i would save a fortune on sun protection . facial cleansers, toners, exfoliators. need less moisturising cream as face woudlnt constantly be lambasted by the sun and wind. i would reduce my risk of skin cancer, and save the nhs a packet too. it would be good for the environment, as i would have to buy less heavily packaged skin creams etc...

OP posts:

ethanchristopher · 07/09/2008 21:40

i do love how everyone here is getting into spirit and building in new functions.

lets make a superburkha and flog it on mumsnet. we could make a fortune!

suggestions for built in features...

Twelvelegs · 07/09/2008 22:19

TBH it was the torment of my holiday watching women fully covered in the 35 degree heat watching their husbands and sons enjoy the pool.....
How about a see through Burka? Slutty and mysterious?

Idoubtit · 07/09/2008 22:23

Fucking stupid thread.

southeastastra · 07/09/2008 22:24

they are oppressive, you can't really argue for them in this century

TheCrackFox · 07/09/2008 22:39

I will wear one when men start wearing them.

Thomcat · 07/09/2008 22:41

Ummm is this thread entirely appropriate?
Thinking it might be in slightly poor taste tbh.

solidgoldbrass · 07/09/2008 23:58

There's no malice in this thread, so there's no need to worry. If you are very easily upset, why don;t you go and havea nice cup of tea somewhere and turn off the Interweb before you hurt yourself.

Original poster

stitch · 08/09/2008 06:48

well, it is meant to be a light hearted thread. and all the positives of the burkha do make it particularly appealing. i think i do draw the line at the ones suggested with an obscene picture on them. but tc, i am honestly thinking about takingit up, and for the reasons mentioned. not religious ones. it is actually a very practical garment.
as to those people who will judge you to be oppressed, ignore them. they are also the ones who judge you on your lack of fashion taste, bad hair and nails, crappy car, etc etc.

OP posts:

jalopy · 08/09/2008 06:50

Agree. In poor taste.

wehaveallbeenthere · 08/09/2008 07:14

I find this extremely amusing as I know (relatives) people that wear them daily. You would probably greet them and think they were greeting you back. They are really making funny faces at you while monitoring their mind reading machines from beneath the sheath...that is while taking a break from watching their soaps.

Twelvelegs · 08/09/2008 13:57

To be serious for a moment, a burka is a symbol of oppression and inequality. I find it laughable and ridiculous in this day and age, seeing women with veils accross the eyes and gloves on as well makes me quite angry, especially when on holiday in a hot country. I also find the wearing of it divisive for those women, they make themselves different and therefore unapproachable. In this country, like other practices accused of being born out of religious roots and not cultural (like female circumcision), I think it should be actively frowned upon.

DaphneMoon · 08/09/2008 14:03

I agree twelvelegs I cannot believe that in this day and age women are still expected to where this "get up". my DP recently came back for Saudi and he said it was awful how they are treated.

When I see them dressed like this in our local supermarket I just want to go up to them and tell them to get a life and stand up for themselves.

I realise how lucky I am to live in a society where most of the time women are treated equally.

DaphneMoon · 08/09/2008 14:04

I agree twelvelegs I cannot believe that in this day and age women are still expected to where this "get up". my DP recently came back for Saudi and he said it was awful how they are treated.

When I see them dressed like this in our local supermarket I just want to go up to them and tell them to get a life and stand up for themselves.

I realise how lucky I am to live in a society where most of the time women are treated equally.

DaphneMoon · 08/09/2008 14:04

Sorry didn't mean to post that twice

mumblechum · 08/09/2008 14:08

Same here, Daphne.

Countingthegreyhairs · 08/09/2008 14:09

If you go to the trouble of asking women who wear burkhas why they do so, some of them will explain to you that far from feeling oppressed by it, they actually find it a liberating experience (free from the sterotypical assumptions that people attach to appearance, free from superficial matters such as keeping up with latest fashions/styles, free from unwanted male attention, free to concentrate on more important things than clothes ....)

jamescagney · 08/09/2008 14:12

Don't find this funny. I suppose your next thread will insult Catholics? Or Jews?
Hilarious.

nailpolish · 08/09/2008 14:12

you feel sorry for these women then you slag them off ?

Litchick · 08/09/2008 14:19

I have a friend who wears it and trust me, she is not oppressed.
She feels it allows her to be judged entirely on her intelect and not on her looks.

Litchick · 08/09/2008 14:19

I have a friend who wears it and trust me, she is not oppressed.
She feels it allows her to be judged entirely on her intelect and not on her looks.

wehaveallbeenthere · 08/09/2008 14:20

Totally agree Counting, the women I am talking about have a choice. They live in America, I akin the choice of religious attire to the same choice others have to how they worship...or don't.
I'm not saying that in some countries it isn't opression. I'm just saying that for those that wear it where there is a choice it would be wrong to try to enforce your idea that they should conduct themselves how someone else sees fit.
As far as opression goes in so-called modernized countries, you can find examples of opression on women anyway. Male expectations have women going to extremes to compete against each other for all sorts of reasons...job advancement, male attention etc.

combustiblelemon · 08/09/2008 14:22

Countingthegreyhairs- yes it might be a liberating experience but probably not in a country where you can be arrested by religious police for not covering up. Also, Saudi has huge sales of designer clobber- don't assume that what's under the cloak is plain.

Jamescagney, it's not a religious issue it's a cultural one. Covering your hair and dressing modestly are required. Burkhas aren't.

NomDePlume · 08/09/2008 14:32

Are you not oppressing those who chose to wear the garment b ytelling them that they can't ?

Hmmm ?

Countingthegreyhairs · 08/09/2008 14:45

No, I agree, I KNOW what's under the cloak in majority of cases definitely isn't plain. And I'm not saying that denying women the right to vote or drive or to to be educated is a good thing either. Definitely not.

I'm just coming at the question from the point of view of respecting and understanding religious and cultural differences. Differences are never as frightening or threatening when seen from another person's perspective and the underlying reasons are understood.

Also, appearances can be deceptive. Did you see the BBC documentary recently in which a Muslim female reporter toured Middle Eastern countries? The Muslim women she met challenged quite a few of the stereotypical views held about them in the West. One woman she met for example was the very powerful head of a stock exchange and she was fully veiled.

Also, the views of modesty which you correctly describe, equally apply to Muslim men.

Countingthegreyhairs · 08/09/2008 14:46

Apologies for appalling grammar - rushing - off to do school run!!

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