By Paris Fashion Week recently made headlines after seeing models wore headscarves on the catwalk.
There are nearly 30 million Muslims living in Western societies, and ironically, we still need representation so that we can get our legitimate freedom to wear what we want without being assaulted, arrested, or forced to undress.
We’re living in a world where freedom has become impeccable if it means you’d show more skin than you’d cover, and despicable if you choose to cover more skin than you’d show.
Because of this, we asked Muslims what they thought of France’s fashion show, and here are the answers that helped us identify where we stand as a community.
France Is Islamophobic
The majority of Muslims told us that this show is part of France’s Islamophobic practices — which serve as an act of claiming headscarves from Muslims to tweak in a way they find as passing for “Eurocentric.”
The way I see it, France’s leaders have definitely lost it, but the thing is that some of the citizens don’t even seem to care about it; they are just sitting by and not taking action when their fellow citizens are being attacked like this. As from what I see, politicians are only after money and power, and they would do anything and everything for it, so it’s of no doubt that soon enough, they’ll be creating stupid laws once again.
— @asia2sn
We need to spread this to the point where France has a bad reputation.
— @manal_fatima06
France literally does everything it can to make Muslims non-existent, I’m ashamed.
— @violettealrd
— @its_umarb0
— @with_lovezahraa
— @prescillia.deldesierto
Hypocrisy and Double Standards
As much as we’d say that it’s obviously hypocritical to witness headscarves being celebrated as an aesthetic addition to fashion shows in the same country that oppresses regular people who wear them, we shouldn’t forget how intersectionality plays a major role in the whole situation.
Because at the end of the day, if you still pass within the beauty standards imposed by the mainstream, you’re safe(r). In other words, if you don’t look like a spoiled Western girl with money in your bank account for a gazillion dollar designer scarf or 10, you’re definitely a threat.
It’s disgustingly hypocritical. Forcing women not to cover is equally as sexualizing as it is to force them to cover. And most Muslim women CHOOSE to don their hijabs.
— @sir_tatt
It’s not fair Muslim women have to remove their hijab before going to school while they are modeling with it.
— @djoumana_ghr
They’re small-minded; think it’s OK to wear headscarves for a fashion walk, but NOT OK for Muslims.
— @bae3syia
— @areebarehman_98
You are absolutely right. That’s a double standard at play, and racism.
— @mantyollanen
“Isn’t this a Muslim Model There?”
The issue is not as simple as framing it around one model in particular. Yes, representation matters, but when will that representation ever help us outside all these catwalk shows?
— @Nvzela
The Show Isn’t Related to Islam
Other Muslims told us that headscarves in this catwalk show had nothing to do with the Islamic hijab.
— @t.ocln19
— @ab_.ira
— @baraa_rd
We can’t help but think of how Afghan women are still being shamed and/or viewed as oppressed just because they wear a burqa; it’s instantly assumed that every woman clad in one is wearing it because of the Taliban and terrorism. Similarly, we can’t help but think about the rest of our sisters who get their hijabs pulled off against their wills during their day-to-day lives.
We’re living in a world where freedom has become impeccable if it means you’d show more skin than you’d cover, and despicable if you choose to cover more skin than you’d show.
The whole entire world knows so well that Muslim women aren’t inventing the wheel by putting a piece of fabric on their heads as a religious and/or spiritual practice. And, as ridiculous as it might seem to point out the obvious that nuns do cover their hair for the sake of their religion, we’re literally left with no other choice than to call out entire populations for their hypocrisy — or stupidity, whichever comes first.
Our freedom to cover doesn’t restrict their freedoms to uncover. And yet, here they are suffocating us with that freedom of theirs and imposing it on literally everyone else without their consent.
The reason why this outfit of Ugbad Abdi’s is being uploaded is that she already shows enough skin that would satisfy their empty brains because, at the end of the day, we all know that a headscarf, a cap, a beanie, a hoodie, and even a helmet are all head coverings. And, any head covering isn’t that of a big deal.
And to be fair and square, such people admire modest wear that shows you do have dignity and self-respect, like royal outfits, for example.
This takes us to the real question is: should we even take such people seriously — the same people that would applaud a royalty for their modest wear and shame the pop culture of spreading nudity — when they shame any other modest wear that doesn’t fit into their standards of aesthetics and ask them to undress instead?
In 2018, France enacted the first face-covering ban in the world and arrested two niqabi women at the Paris protest. And in 2019, the Netherlands introduced its Burqa ban.
But then, why are Cardi B and Kim Kardashian praised as fashion icons for covering their face? Is it because their outfits still look super expensive and “luxurious” in some type of way? Or is it because they look like some walking works of art with their amazing curves that you still can recognize?
Our freedom to cover doesn’t restrict their freedoms to uncover. And yet, here they are suffocating us with that freedom of theirs and imposing it on literally everyone else without their consent. And since that needs to end, don’t hesitate to call this sort of people out.
If this real stalemate truly matters to you as much as it matters to us, what’s your stance?