Colleague wearing a keffiyeh

[Shamoo44]

Morning all. I’m trying to work through my feelings about a colleague that I have known for decades wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh everyday in the workplace. I am the only Jewish person in the company and am fully aware of my colleague’s views and the fact that they are very active in attending rallies etc. I respect anyone’s right to form a view, protest, wear whatever they want to etc. and we have a decent working relationship but for some reason the keffiyeh is really bothering me. How do you think you would feel? I am trying to process if I am being over sensitive. Thanks.

I do not think you are being over sensitive.

There is a difference between wearing clothing that reflects your religion (eg kippa, hijab) or culture (eg salwar kameez) and wearing clothing that reflects a political stance. A kefiyeh - particularly if never worn before, or by a non-Arab, definitely falls into the political category. Political clothing is generally inappropriate in a professional situation. I am openly Jewish at work and have a hijabi colleague. We have maintained such strict professional neutrality that neither of us even knows the other's opinion of the current situation. At our work there is a strict ban on clothing with any slogans, and I have not seen any rainbow lanyards or other political indicators, either.

YANBU to feel uncomfortable about your colleague. Is it something you feel you could raise with management? Does your work have a policy on political signposting?

Thank you both for your reassurance that I am not unreasonable in feeling this way. I imagine there will be a work policy that I could point to. Ridiculous that I have the eternal jewish doubt about raising an issue and not being seen to make a fuss, but I do find it extremely triggering and am uncomfortable in the office. Will think about talking to them directly about how it makes me respond and hope they respect my feelings. Thanks again.

I don't know...Are your feelings the point here? As far as work is concerned? If work has a blanket no politics policy, then that is clear. But if it's about how you feel, then he can just say that it's nothing to do with you it's just about how he feels. As BritishJews we're not responsible for the conflict, so why should we be discomforted by someone making a comment about it? Is it an actual threat to us?

I don't know. I hope a clearer, wiser MNer will come along to unpick this.

100% valid point, and maybe why I am conflicted. We have had a strong working relationship for 20 years and I like them, which is I would potentially talk to them first before approaching it as a management issue. I need to go back to whether there is or isn't a breach of policy. Another action may have breached our code of conduct too, so if I take feelings out of it and look at it purely from that perspective that is helpful.

It was Yasser Arafat's trademark wasn't it? He popularised it among rebels without a clue, like Che Guevara t-shirts and posters, or the hilariously ironic anarchy tea towel.
Overtly political symbols make me wary how easily led someone is. Do your Spidey senses tell you they're mostly harmless, and have they ever let you down? Your sensitivity is understandable in the current climate I'm sorry to say.
One of my younger colleagues also wore one for a bit, he's a nice chap & generally well meaning but it showed me that he and I should avoid certain topics for argument sake. If you are in a public facing role it's contentious to say the least and implies your political feelings trump everyone else's (some sort of nominative determinism in that name I think).

I am not Jewish but I don't like it. I don't agree with any political statements being made through clothing in the work place. Keep that to you personal life.

I was at a major conference and one of the young speakers on stage wore a kefiyeh whilst interviewing the major leaders in our field. I felt really strongly that they should not have let her on stage wearing that, (particularly given the nature of the event). Its not the time or the place. I'm 100% sure I would not have been allowed on stage wearing clothing or accessories prominently displaying the Israeli flag, or even the Star of David. And that's one of the key issues, isn't it? Its not that there is an allowance of anyone wearing clothing to demonstrate support for any political course, its only allowing certain causes to be displayed. And that is implicitly shaming, silencing and intimidating those with a different stance.