Western Muslim Identity: Embracing your Niqab and your Citizenship
In recent years western perceptions of Islamic practices such as forced marriage, extremism, sexism, terrorism, and most recently, 'honour' killing, have riled up quite a bit of controversy in Western media critics. For example, one of the most recent topics that have surfaced as problematic has been the niqab. A niqab is a veil that Muslim women use to cover their faces in order to be seen as who they are and not what they look like. To some, the niqab represents the Muslim population exercising their right to follow their religion, some individuals believe it is a security issue, and to others it signifies the Muslim minorities failing to integrate with Western society. Although the niqab is perceived by the many to be a practice that is oppressive to women wearing the niqab, but the woman wearing the niqab may think differently. Not only do many perceive the niqab as oppressive without even asking the woman directly, the person practicing her right to wear niqab has her ow...