I'm not one to rail against the burqa. The way I see it, if a Yanomame tribesperson isn't going to judge our own swaddled up and gender-unequal rules for modesty in fashion, I'm not going to judge the folks who consider a woman's hair to be the equivalent of an exposed naughty bit. I wouldn't mind a bit of quid pro quo; you get to cover the hair, but let us see the nipples, for instance—I think the logic of this stance is unassailable, and would pass muster with most fair-minded folks, from bodypainted biker chicks to Amish Farmers, to penis-sheath-sporting New Guineans.
Still, there's no denying that women in the more traditional muslim world have a different set of challenges than most of their socio-economic counterparts in western coountries. As Iranian president Ahmedinijad put it so eloquently the other day (while stating, for the record, that there are no homosexuals in Iran; so don't book that flight just yet, Senator Craig) women are so revered in Islam, that they are actually relieved from the stress and burden of having any legal rights whatsoever, since it would merely distract them from their primary function, which is, of course, baby making.
That's his twisted little take on it, of course, but it's not like he's alone in that attitude. You may be aware that many muslim countries employ some forrm of morals police to enforce the local decency standards, and they are not above administering public, on-the-spot whippings of women who they feel are not dressing or behaving modestly enough.
This is, if I may speak seriously for a moment, somewhat fucked up, yo.
But wait; you didn't think I was going to leave you in sadville, did you? In the tradition of Rosa Parks, Gandhi, Thoreau, and that incredible Chinese guy in front of the tanks in Tiananmen square, comes a very, very welcome story of two Saudi girls who, harassed by the local morals police, actually fought back and refused to be intimidated, yelling and pepper spraying them. They were arrested, of course, but were let go (after they apologized). Now, this being Saudi Arabia, where sticking a croquet wicket in the ground results in instant oil billionairitude, it may be they were rich enough or connected enough to get away with what the average woman cannot.
But that doesn't really matter. Fear only really works when people don't know what the consequences will be and can only imagine the worst. And something like this? Well, news travels. Shocking news travels shockingly fast. And, um, not to be sexist or anything, although I am, deeply, and fiercely proud of it, women talk to each other in ways that men don't. Women pass on news. Men don't. Yes, I realize I'm passing on this news right now, but I am an unusual specimen. As you may have realized by now.
At long last, a hairline crack in the dam? I hope so. I can't wait to see what the big secret is. Of course, after all this buildup, it will probably turn out they don't even have hair at all.
What a rip off.
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