No Hijab, No Vacancy?
During an interview at a Kuwaiti government school, Asmath Choudhary, a middle-aged lady from Bangladesh who was trying for the position of a cleaner was very nervous. "It's my first time that I was going to attend any kind of interview. I have never been to school. I can't speak English or Arabic and don't understand both the languages. But, I wanted this job badly. I have three young school-going children". Arabic knowledge was crucial, especially since the post was in an Arabic school but the authorities were willing to overlook it on one condition; that she wears a hijab at work.
"I am a Muslim, but I never thought of covering my head until that day. But I don't mind wearing the hijab". Asmath has been working for a year-and-a-half, and wears the hijab as a part of her work uniform. No matter which part of the world you are from, if you have lived in Kuwait or the Middle East, you will be familiar with the hijab. Many have turned the hijab into a personal style statement and opt for designer ones which make them all the more chic.
Over the last few years, the hijab has been accepted all over the world though once upon a time, it was looked down upon and targeted in racial attacks. Many stories have been published in the past about women being denied jobs in some Western and European countries, only because they were 'hijabis' (a slang for a woman who wears a hijab). The latest story to make it to news was of American fashion brand, Abercombie & Fitch firing a Muslim clerk for wearing a hijab.
The employee later went on to win the case against the company in the federal court. If such stories are common in the West, what about the scenario in the Middle East? Is the hijab required to get a job in a Middle Eastern country? While many say no, there have been a few women who have been unfortunate victims of the 'No Hijab, No Vacancy' slogan, like Asmath.
While Asmath wears the hijab only at work, many believe that wearing a hijab would deny them a job in India. Mehwish Agha, a 22-year-old student at Bombay University wears the hijab when she is out with family but refrains from wearing it to college. "I have very few Muslim friends, so my friends circle or even my professors don't really understand the true meaning of hijab.
They consider it to be some strained Islamic belief. Though India is a friendly place and accepts all religions, India is still a Hindu-dominated country. I have had friends who were denied front desk jobs because they used to wear the hijab. They were instead offered back office jobs in the administrative departments that did not require communication with the clients." Mehwish also added that in India, only wearing a hijab is not acceptable. "In India, you either wear the entire abaya or you don't. Only wearing a hijab with other flashy clothes is considered to be degrading to Islam".
Every place has a different hijab story to tell. The hijab has also received a lot of media attention from Western and Eastern media over the last two decades. Today's media promotes women journalists, film-makers, celebrities and others to showcase their identity in front of the world. But what about the hijab? Should a woman appear on TV with her head covered? Would people like to see a modest Muslim woman in a profession which is constantly under the spotlight and at the helm of present affairs?
Sara Mussaffar, a Kuwait University media student, who wears the hijab, feels that it is high time that Kuwait, its Gulf neighbors and all other countries see the hijab and Muslim women in the media in a different light. "A teacher is good, a doctor is excellent but a news reporter? No way! God knows how many people will be staring at her – this is the common perception," she said. Undoubtedly, media is a large part of everyday life that can influence perceptions of women and their roles in society. "Media has portrayed Muslim women as overly clad, a victim or just ladies in long black veils who all look the same. To clear this stereotype, many TV news channels, in the middle east are encouraging hijabi women to explore the field of media. I guess it is time that hijabis make their presence felt in the world and show everyone that they are stronger than how they have been portrayed in the media all along".
Sara also believes that wearing a hijab doesn't define who you are or how devout a Muslim you are. "Being sacked from work because of the hijab is a loss for the company but being forcefully asked to wear one to get a job goes against your modesty and independence. Wearing a hijab should not hold you back in your job and hijabi women should stop keeping a low profile. It's high time that women start flaunting the hijab, take an individual stand and be portrayed differently."
By Farheen S Sayed
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