Comment: The veil as tool of empowerment

The following statement can be found in Text 2, “The many faces behind the veil”:

“People say that the veil is a tool of oppression but I’ve found it a tool of empowerment. It gave me the freedom to be who I want to be.” (ll. 53-54)

In this section of the study guide, we have outlined some points for you to consider when commenting on this statement from the text:…

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Room for different views

Arifa Akbar admits that wearing a veil can mean different things for different women. She understands her sisters’ decisions of only wearing hijabs and she explains that different views can co-exist in the same culture or family:

My sisters all lead quite different lifestyle and you have to respect that. You can’t impose your…

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Empowerment

The feeling of empowerment given by the veil was mirrored in Arifa’s behavior towards her colleagues: “Once I had the veil on I found it easier to get involved in projects and socialise with my colleagues.” (ll. 35-36)

Arifa also felt empowered because the veil gave her the potential to stand up for what…