Sometimes, I have difficulties in explaining to, otherwise honest feminists, that yes, wearing a very red lipstick is more than a policy of making my body/face pleasant, but equally a sign of genuine feminist attitude against and not favorable to the patriarchy.
Hijab and Red Lipstick by Yousra Imran is not an easy read about girls wearing hijab and playing with the rules set by their male guardians - father and brothers and other male relatives. Actually, it has to do with hijab too, but it´s more than that and it´s the merit of the writer to bring up the complexity of the women religiosity in Islam.
Sara is born in a British-Egyptian family. Her mother is a convert to Islam, her father a practicant Muslim of Egyptian origin. Together with her sister and two brothers, she is moving from NW London to the Emirates where her father was offered better professional and financial opportunities. In practical terms, for Sara and her family, it means a stricter control and a more religious pressure to conform, as his father was following a strict Wahhabi-oriented version of Islam.
She is trapped in a world of extreme violence and abuse - physical and verbal, from her father, brothers and random guys she is dating. Rape, constant hiting on behalf of her father, verbal abuse from her brothers and father, Sara is living a double life, when she has to lie when she wants to go out on a party and where meeting a man is a family affair.
In this world there are double standards operating, when it comes to girls and boys: ´A young man can clean up his act and become a good Muslim and find a wife, even if he messes around for a bit. But if a young Arab woman gets caugh dating, her reputation will be ruined forever´.
When Sara will be raped by a man who apparently belongs to the royal family his parents are reacting in a completely awkward and non-emotional way. They don´t offer any emotional support and are not even trying to defend her, as in fact she may be the cause of what happened to her...
However, guys can be trapped as well in abusive parental relationships and they are too under the pressure of following the rules their parents, especially their fathers, do request them to obey. However, there is not happening because there is an universal religious obligation but because in many cases, there is a mixture of tradition AND religion that distracts and detour the everyday religious practice. In the end, after many misadventures and hardships, Sara will find herself and reconcile with her religious and feminine identity: ´I´m not a better Muslim woman because of my hijab and I´m no worse of a Muslim woman because of it. I´ll continue to wear my hijab with red lipstick. I´m finally free´.
Although I´ve find some parts of the book unbearable - because of the situations presented - I enjoyed the book which I´ve read in one long sitting. There is so much to learn about different manifestations of Muslim identities and I am glad there are so many diverse voices that are telling interesting stories lately.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
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