Many pressured to don the veil, says professor
Published on: Monday, June 29, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: Muslim women in the country are being silently pressured to veil themselves due to the rise of religious conservatism.Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Centre for Research on Women and Gender Professor Datuk Rashidah Shuib said it has become a norm to be wearing a hijab and if a woman is not covered, she is not part of the norm."That is the climate at the moment and it is very difficult because many of us are afraid to speak up. During my time in the 70s, if you dug out the archives on Utusan Malaysia and The Star, you will see that the papers wrote articles against those wearing hijab, that it is not our culture.
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"By the time I came back from the United States in 1984, I became the odd one out because I was still in my skirt. There is a silent pressure because you look different from others."The language now has changed, the curriculum has changed. I don't think we ought to be silenced because the only voice that is strong right now is (that) certain voice, the others just keep silent," she said during a question and answer session at the Seminar on Gender: Roles and Development here.Rashidah was replying to a question from a young woman who said that women with hijab are protected from harassment on social media but those without, are usually ignored.Some women in the country also feel that they have to wear hijab because that is the only way they could be respected and considered for promotion at work.
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Rashidah appealed to parents and those in position of power to try and let the young people think for themselves."If not, they will become 'dungu' (stupid). I am sorry for our young people because they are in a difficult stage where it is very difficult for them to fight. But if you believe in what you believe, you have to fight," she said.
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In the context of gender equality, Rashidah said regardless of whether one wears a tudung or not, whether she wears a mini skirt or a jubah, it is what she believes in that matters most."Whether you believe that male and female are of equal worth within the society? Can they have equal access to resources? Can we dream of a family where both parents are the leaders? Can we imagine that kind of society and therefore from that kind of egalitarian relationship, derive a policy?"So it is not a household where I must listen to my husband. No. Sometimes, he must listen to me as well," she said.Another panellist at the seminar, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Associate Professor Madeline Berma said as a non-Muslim, she realised the extensive Arabisation of the Malays lately such as the popularity of the jubah among Muslim women to the more traditional baju kurung."I have nothing against it because as Rashidah said, it is a choice. But Malaysians are fantastic at imitating others. We have mee bandung, nasi hainam, so basically we are very good at that.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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