A Choice Is Not A Choice If Punishment Is Waiting Outside It
I am not here to mock any woman who wears a burqa, hijab, dupatta, ghunghat, purdah, or anything else that makes her feel safe, beautiful, spiritual, private, dignified, or simply comfortable. I only ask that you read the entire piece before forming a judgment, because this conversation deserves more than instant outrage.
But I am also not going to dilute my point so much that it becomes meaningless.
I do believe burqa and purdah are oppressive.
Not because every woman who wears them is weak.
Not because every woman who defends them is anti-feminist.
Not because faith means nothing.
Not because I think freedom has only one dress code and it is apparently shorts from H&M.
But because any practice that is taught to women as modesty, enforced through shame, defended through fear, and punished when refused cannot be honestly called a free choice.
That is the part we keep avoiding.
The problem is not the fabric.
The problem is the punishment waiting for the woman who removes it.
