Kampen om slöjan - slöjan i kampen

Abstract

In this article it is argued that the Islamic modern veil is a debated garment not only in the contemporary West but in the Middle East as well. The female veil has been used around the Mediterranean and in the Middle East since antiquity. The Quran is not very specific as to what women should cover and interpretations vary greatly from place to place, and from one century to another. The veil is often a sign of social and economic prestige. At the same time the female veil is also a symbol of patriarchal ideas about the difference between men and women. Women's bodies are commonly felt, by men, to threaten their self-control. Hence women need to cover their bodies to avoid chaos in society. For almost a hundred years political issues have been debated through debating female dress. The veil has symbolised a lack of progress in the Middle East, as well as symbolised cultural authenticity. Very often women have not been part of these debates. But today women who re-veil very often do this as a conscious statement. Veiling or reveiling may well be a political statement against oppressive state agencies, or a statement against family bonds. By wearing a veil women in some countries can, for example, Iiberate themselves from the clutches of their families. The modern Islamic dress can hence give women freedom of choice and movement within culturally sanctioned boundaries.