Headgear worn by Muslim women

[dsaxelby]

This topic about the Burqa started from posts in the "Do you want to be on "The Committee"? topic, which I have now split into here.

Deciding if your children are mature enough is a parental decision. You as an individual, if first time here, would not know about the problems teenagers without their parents in escort, would face. But you would soon find out the next day at breakfast. That's when you/they decide not to bring/come again until your over sixty.

My 8 year old adores, Luxor, she has since she was 7 now going on 9. So much to do and see, is devastated if she has to stay behind. My 22yearold loves the heat, the history and visits as often as she can. My 17 yr old loathes the heat, the men, and the any hassle.

Perhaps we are use to ignoring comments, saying no thank you and moving on, we are not intimidated by annoying men, and quickly they leave us alone, if we get any hassle at all! perhaps it is our ages? attitude? already being labelled by an ex? but saying children will not enjoy Luxor, then look to your child, what stimulates it in your normal life! But we usually stay together (we like spending time together, exploring, experiencing).

We are all coming in Feb and will don the full Burka, just to experience it. (suspect me being the little one at 5'8 we will stick out but hey ho).

[Glyphdoctor]

I've never seen a burqa in Egypt. So why would you wear one?

[LovelyLadyLux]

I have to agree with Glyph on this one - burquas are not worn in Egypt so WHY would you want to wear one?

[dsaxelby]

Muslim Abaya/Jilbab Dress/Islamic Hijab Clothing Burka ..... You know what I meant

[DJKeefy]

I've never seen a burqa in Egypt. So why would you wear one?

I have to agree with Glyph on this one - burquas are not worn in Egypt

Though It's not widespread in Egypt, I have seen a few (on very rare occasions) in Luxor and Hurghada that was wearing what I would have classed as a burqa, though it was not the traditional blue with a grill, the ones I saw was wearing something similar in black with a see through black material that covered the eyes (definitely not a niqab)

[HEPZIBAH]

I've never seen a burqa in Egypt. So why would you wear one?

Not a common sight but I did see a couple of women wearing them in Luxor earlier in the year. Of course they could have been tourists, but like me they were not in the most obvious of tourist areas.

[Bombay]

I see them often these days infact nearly everyday and much more than I remember seeing them in the past. Sorry thats the Niqab, but I have seen the Burqa not so often but also more than in the past.

[HEPZIBAH]

I see them often these days infact nearly everyday and much more than I remember seeing them in the past. Sorry thats the Niqab, but I have seen the Burqa not so often but also more than in the past.

Yes, I've definitely noticed more women in Luxor wearing the Niqab the last couple of years.

[LovelyLadyLux]

My distinction between niquab, hijab and burqua is that the first two are by and large the choice of the person to wear them. Not saying individual husbands and families might not insist but by and large it is the woman's option and choice to put on either a niquab or hijab.

The Burqua - the big blue bag with front grill was FORCED on women to wear by fanatical unreasonable religious political zealots whose sole purpose it oppression. There is no choice involved in wearing a burqua thus there is a HUGE difference IMO between Burqua and hijab & niquab. They're not all just casual same/same.

[dsaxelby]

I see them often these days infact nearly everyday and much more than I remember seeing them in the past. Sorry thats the Niqab, but I have seen the Burqa not so often but also more than in the past.

Yes, I've definitely noticed more women in Luxor wearing the Niqab the last couple of years.

Someone said the Niqab was associated with the MB.

[LovelyLadyLux]

The MB kinda favour Sharia which really isn't big on women's rights.

[DJKeefy]

The Burqua - the big blue bag with front grill was FORCED on women to wear by fanatical unreasonable religious political zealots whose sole purpose it oppression. There is no choice involved in wearing a burqua thus there is a HUGE difference IMO between Burqua and hijab & niquab. They're not all just casual same/same.

My post was answering your post (quoted below)

burquas are not worn in Egypt

Regardless of if they are forced on the women or not, it's clear that a few women do wear (or have to wear them) in Egypt, making your statement (and Glyph's) incorrect

[LovelyLadyLux]

In this world there are signs and symbols that convey meaning. Some positive, some negative. Clothing designed to be worn as uniforms particularly carries meaning giving the wearer special status etc. Some clothing designs imparts a positive message. Other clothing design and symbols i.e. swastika carry negatives.

The blue burqua, for women, is a sign of oppression, inequality, brutality, subjugation, persecution, intolerance and on and on. Can't find much good to say about a burqua. It was never a fashion trend. It was political oppression that requires women to have to put this on and wear it. A burqua carries far different connotations than does any of the headgear worn by Muslim women.

The burqua is not native or traditional dress of Egyptian women. You might see the occasional or odd woman wearing one just like you might find the odd person (emphasis on ODD) wearing a swastika but it is NOT common in Egypt. I was reacting to Dsaxelby saying she was going to wear a garment that carries as strong a negative message as a swastika. Was trying to enlighten that saying one is going to wear a burqua is on par with one saying they're going to go to Germany and put on the Charlie Chaplain moustache and a swastika armband.........just saying......burquas represent some pretty negative juju.

[Dusak]

Well, I know its a Friday, and Fridays, for me, for some inexplicable reason, is the most confusing day of the week. But I was quick enough and alert enough to detect the tongue in cheek remark from dsaxelby's announcement of her coming families freaky fun fashion makeover Some of you really need to lighten up at times and discover humor. She may be a tad short of a six foot tall blonde, but she's not dumb.

[Dusak]

Well, I know its a Friday, and Fridays, for me, for some inexplicable reason, is the most confusing day of the week. But I was quick enough and alert enough to detect the tongue in cheek remark from dsaxelby's announcement of her coming families freaky fun fashion makeover Some of you really need to lighten up at times and discover humor. She may be a tad short of a six foot tall blonde, but she's not dumb.

[DJKeefy]

The burqua is not native or traditional dress of Egyptian women. You might see the occasional or odd woman wearing one just like you might find the odd person (emphasis on ODD) wearing a swastika but it is NOT common in Egypt.

But you said ""burquas are not worn in Egypt"" so you worded your original post wrong, the above quote is better: ""The burqua is not native or traditional dress of Egyptian women""

[LovelyLadyLux]

@ Keefy - yes I did so I guess I only score an A- or B+ on the post........my POINT was that burquas carry a negative association/negative stigma.

@ Dusak - I got the levity but my POINT was that burquas carry a negative association/negative stigma (as related to a marginalized group aka women and to educate, inform, advise Dsaxelby that saying you're gonna wear one out for FUN is kinda on par with joking about wearing a swastika or a KKK outfit). Wouldn't you want to know if you had spinach stuck to your front teeth? Or would the preference be to carry on without knowing?

[Glyphdoctor]

Burqa is not an Arabic word. It is Urdu. It is not used in Egypt. There might be things that you see women wearing that look like burqas worn elsewhere, but they are likely different in form and are called niqab, and that includes those that cover the eyes completely. Burqas generally don't cover completely but rather have a sort of grill-like opening where the eyes are. Personally, I have never seen anyone wearing anything that remotely looks like that here in Egypt.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Burqa ... tan_01.jpg

However, it may be that some don't notice the difference between face coverings, just like some people can't tell the difference between a Chinese, Japanese or Korean person, even though if you know them well you can immediately know what they are just by looking at their face.

[Glyphdoctor]

Niqab is popular with salafi women, not MB. MB tend to wear hijab, and most often a long style that goes down to their torso, over an abaya. Usually in some solid color.

Even though most women in Egypt cover their hair, you can't lump it all together. There are so many meanings of different styles and if you don't know what you are doing, it's better to not attempt to look local because you won't know what kind of local you are looking like. You might look like an MB, you might look like a prisoner, you might look like a maid, and you won't even realize the signals you are sending!

[dsaxelby]

I actually meant the Niqad LLL apologises. But we do intend (if we can afford it) of experiencing Luxor without the distraction of being Tourists. Will the women in Raghab's still push in front of me? Will prices drop as a willowy finger points at a piece of merchandize. What will we be charged on our first experience of a bus?

I was told that if I wore a headscarf everyone will respect me I would not be seen as a Tourist and they would not inflate prices.

My experience so far is I refuse to use a local shop for months now for charging £13 for a few items (I did get some biscuits that may have inflated the price). A local persons knows this and may have passed on the information. I went to one further up the road, at the till, he looked at me, for ages..... and then calculated 3 items at 10Le (impossible to divide) however as it was only a few pence more than Raghabs I accepted. (no headscarf).

We also fully intend to follow D around the town giggling insanely (Just for the hell of it) Or you could join us see life from the eyes of a 6ft Egyptian woman

Seriously though are you treated differently if you wear a headscarf?