Miss Kelly

Peek-a-Boo

These ladies are playing peek-a-boo with their fellow Americans.  They can see us, but we can't see them. Guess where these photographs were taken?

I realize that these women were unhappy that I took their photo, but if you dress like a bandit, don't be surprised that average Americans find that odd and worthy of a photo.  They no doubt consider me rude to take their photo, but I consider it rude to cover one's face in public. So I guess we're even.

In the U.S. and in all Western countries,  we don't cover our faces.  That's true for most cultures in the world.

More on Aqsa Murder and Hijab Controversy

A follow-up post on the honor killing of Aqsa Parvez in Toronto last week.  There's been controversy over whether this honor killing reflects Islam or not, and whether wearing hijab is really voluntary or not for young Muslim women.  I'm posting two pieces by Muslims on that subject, an article by Khalid Hasan in the Daily Times of Pakistan and an article by Tarek Fatah of the Canadian Muslim Congress. First, Hasan's article on the pressure for North American Muslims to wear hijab:

"Many Muslim families in North America are forcing their daughters to don the hijab against their will, which has led to tragic outcomes, the latest being the murder in a Toronto suburb of 16-year old Aqsa Parvez by her own father."

"According to a commentary by Natasha Fatah, broadcast by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Aqsa Parvez did not want to wear the hijab, 'the Middle Eastern head-covering that has become the most significant icon for Islam in the West, which is unfortunate, since 90 per cent of Muslim women in this country don’t wear one … This superficial measurement of ‘Muslim-ness’ has become so prevalent that a small but increasing number of families are pushing it on their daughters. Aqsa, a Pakistani-Canadian, was just one of the victims of this growing obsession. Now that Aqsa is dead, who will speak for her? Who will speak for the countless Muslim girls who lead double lives and who suffer in silence in their homes? Who will make sure they aren’t abused or killed? Most Islamist men and women say that a woman chooses to wear the hijab. But, all too often, that choice is taken away from young Muslim girls, and they are being told by their parents and their imams that if they don’t wear the hijab, they are no longer Muslim, even though the Quran, Islam’s holy book, does not say that a woman has to cover her hair.' ”

16-Year Old Woman Murdered by Father for Refusing Hijab

Ahhh, if I had a nickel for every time someone told me that Muslim women are never forced to wear hijab, they all voluntarily cover themselves that way.  Usually, it's the converts who are so adamant that there is no coercion.

Their assertion was tragically disproved a few days ago in the cosmopolitan, multicultural city of Toronto, Canada.  A young woman in Toronto - not some small village in Iran or Pakistan or Saudi Arabia - was murdered by her father for not wearing hijab.  And her brother apparently helped the father.

"A Canadian teenager who was said to have clashed with her father about whether she should wear a traditional Muslim head scarf died of injuries late on Monday, and her father told police he had killed her."

"Aqsa Parvez, 16, was found without a pulse in her home in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga earlier on Monday. She was resuscitated by paramedics, treated at two hospitals, and later succumbed to her injuries, police said on Tuesday."

"Her father, 57-year-old Muhammad Parvez, has been charged with murder and was remanded back into custody after his first court appearance early on Tuesday."

"...The victim's brother, Waqas Parvez, 26, was arrested and charged with obstructing police."

Aqsa used to wear hijab, but she recently decided not to continue:

"A classmate at Applewood Heights secondary school said Tuesday Aqsa had worn her hijab, the traditional Muslim head scarf, in a variety of ways. Then in September, she started to go bare-headed -- a decision which apparently grated on some members of her family."

A friend recalled Aqsa's fear about being seen without a headscarf:

"Krista Garbutt remembers walking down the street with Ms. Parvez earlier this year, when the two of them spotted Ms. Parvez's brother walking toward them. Panicking, the teenager quickly fumbled for her head scarf, trying to put it on. 'There were times when we'd be walking down the street and she'd see her brother and she wouldn't be wearing her hijab and she'd have to put it on,' Ms. Garbutt said. 'She said, ‘He'll kill me, he'll kill me.' I said, ‘He's not going to kill you,' but she said, ‘Yeah, he will.' And nobody believed it.' "

Very horrible ending for anyone, but especially a young person. Who can imagine a father strangling his own daughter?  Say a prayer for Aqsa's soul. May she rest in peace. 

Riddle Me This -Where are These Photos From? Hijab 1

Hello Readers, can you tell me where these photos came from?  I'll take almost anything for an answer, including what nationality the women are, or what website the photos are posted on.  There's a sumptuous dinner for two in the Boston area for the person with the "most correct" answers.  Answers must be posted in the comments below by COB, Thursday, August 23.  This is the first in a five-part series on hijab, something which has become controversial around the world and even here in Boston. 

But first, what do you know about these photos? Where are they from? 

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