Happy Friday everyone! As promised, here’s a roundup just in time for the weekend. This week we’ve got gender and human rights wars at a barber shop (sounds like a joke. But it’s not), creeping hijab tourism, fabulous Muslim female mayors and a video with a trigger warning for violence against women.
See you next week after our jaunt to the States!
Enjoy!
UPDATED 1) He asks me why, I want hair like a guy. I’m hairy noon and night, hair that’s a fright. I’m hairy high and low, don’t ask me why, don’t know. It’s not a gender sham, just gimme the “businessman,” daaaarrrrliiin.
A local Muslim barber really didn’t know what he was getting into when Faith McGregor walked into his Toronto barber shop and asked for a men’s haircut. The “businessman” — short on the sides, tapered, and a trim on the top. According to the TorStar:
Shop co-owner Omar Mahrouk told her his Muslim faith prohibits him from touching a woman who is not a member of his family. All the other barbers said the same thing.
*giantfacepalm*
So, feeling like a second class citizen (and rightly so), Faith filed a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
“For me it was just a haircut and started out about me being a woman. Now we’re talking about religion versus gender versus human rights and businesses in Ontario,” said McGregor.
Look. I get it. I pay $70 for a haircut (when I get one… once every other baby) AND pay a surcharge for having my hair cut behind a screen. Because, you know, hairdressers are out to make money off the untapped Muslim hair surplus. But if this isn’t about getting a $10 haircut to challenge gender inequality in the hair industry, a salon can do a “businessman” too.
Barber shops are for men, generally.
Salons are for everyone.
And THAT is what should have been conveyed to Faith. NOT, “Islam prevents me from touching unfamiliar women.” Balderdash. (see comments below) The Prophet and the Companions went to women to have lice removed from their hair — even if you don’t want to. It shouldn’t have to be a gender issue or a violation of religious freedom — but an issue about barber shops lacking the “skill set” necessary to handle the ferocious locks adorning a woman’s crown. That’s right. Rowr.
Fun fact: Salons are not allowed to do facial hair. Apparently it takes away from business of Barbers. As do quartets.
2) Students in California and Florida have taken the Hijab Challenge this week in an attempt to really and truly discover what it’s like to be Muslim. Because we all wear hijab. And we’re all women. And we only live in America. On the sunny, southern coasts.
CBS covered (haha, that never gets old) the Take the Hijab Challenge at California State University San Bernardino, which organizers say was to help their fellow students to:
“Walk in our shoes for a little bit to see what we go through.”
While I’m not a big fan of this type of outreach, the news segment shows the effort it took to hijabify over 100 women on campus, with lots of good intentions — and bright shining scarves to shed a little light on some of the negative and hostile reactions Muslims receive for existing. Just a litte taste — without the requirements to pray, fast, pay zakat, begging your non-Muslim family for acceptance, awkward matrimonial convos with Aunties, racism, mosque vandalism, or any of the fun religious cultural baggage the rest of us deal with.
But for a more personal account of what it really means to wear hijab for a day, check out the rections from students at Florida Gulf Coast University:
For my Hijab challenge I decided to tie my scarf in a “waterfall” style, completely covering my hair and neck. During the week of the experiment, I alternated between a pink Hijab and a purple Hijab. Before I knew it, I had begun accessorizing.
Creeping sharia’ at its finest.
Yes there are misconceptions about Muslims. Yes more needs to be done to address growing Islamophobia — but we should really sell tickets if we’re going to open up hijab to this kind of tourism.
3) After months of research, training and fundraising, the Women’s Resource Centre in the GTA launched what is believed to be Canada’s first helpline specifically for Muslim women, says the TorStar. The Resource Centre launched the helpline after Muslim women started calling simply to talk to someone — now they’ll also receive emotional support, peer counseling and referrals.
In its first few weeks, the helpline has already received dozens of calls from women across the GTA, with concerns ranging from marriage and relationships to information on shelters and food banks, and in a few cases, abuse.
The helpline operates 7 to 9 p.m. Monday to Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday. The hotline number is 888-315-6472 (NISA).
Also, this weekend ICNA is holding it’s first women’s conference, Reshaping Our Future. If you’re in the Mississauga area, do check it out and don’t miss hearing some amazing female experts.
4) Meet Amra Babić. Single mother of three boys. Moonlights as a superhero. And the new mayor of Visoko, Bosnia. Oh, did I mention that she wears hijab and is probably the “only hijab-wearing mayor in Europe”?
Even though her constituents don’t care what she wears on her head, the media is sure to make sure her hijab is headlined. As Babić says in a recent interview:
The victory shows that one “woman is not, and will not allow [herself] to be discriminated because of her dress or commitment to freedom of expression of belonging to one nation, religion and tradition. I hope that Europe will figure out they are positive values.”
“Of course women deserve equal treatment. Women make up more than half of the population, hence the same number of human resources. We must learn to give a chance to the best, most capable, most worthy. Regardless of their gender or what they wear.”
Here’s to her strong political success!
5) Finally, one video alone won’t put an end to honour killings. But it sure sends a powerful message. You can read all about the inspiration for Da Arabian MCs’ If I could Go Back in Time at UNWomen. And if you need a translation, please turn on the English closed captioning on this YouTube video. If you’re sensitive to violence against women, don’t watch.
wood turtle 
November 16, 2012 at 6:22 am
Asalamu Alaykom,
I have previously brought a Civil Rights case in the U.S. when I was fired for wearing a hijab. The barber was CORRECT when he stated that his faith prohibited him. Islam indeed does prohibit him doing two things: touching a woman and making a woman’s hair the style of a man’s. There is no “face palm” needed. If we simply discuss “skill set” prohibitions or dislikes then we are often told that we have to comply. However, when we discuss our FAITH prohibiting an action then the U.S. goverment will back us up.
This leads me to the hijab dress-up. It is only a piece of fabric in a social experiment for these girls. That’s OK if they understand it as such. That fabric has no religious connotation for them. If they were to be working a job and to be told to remove that fabric from their head, they would have to comply. Why? Because it wasn’t about faith for them. For me, when I was ridiculed for wearing my hijab after reverting in 2002 the judge admonished the business. It was my right under “Freedom of Religion”.
What I am sensing from your portrayl of these news items is that you are fed-up with the sidelines of Islam. There are many ways we are shown in the media which take us our of our core of peace. When this happens and we begin to react negatively it’s a good time to take a break. We need to center ourselves in The Truth and not get bogged down (or blogged down) but the strangeness that surrounds us.
Love and Light.
November 18, 2012 at 1:00 pm
My roundups are traditionally one part snark, two parts sarcasm and the rest hopes to highlight media reports that focus on stereotypes and media reports that highlight the best Muslims have to offer.
I think both parties are being sensitive.
It’s a secular barber and has to follow certain norms. Which includes accommodating all customers. They offered to cut her hair a month later — but that was too late for her and she went forward with a report to the human rights tribunal. She on the other hand could have gone to the unisex barber just up the street.
Making it a point of religion works when rights are being violated. Like your heartbreaking story (so glad the judge was on your side!!). But in this case, there were alternatives so that his rights of religion were upheld without her rights as a woman being denied.
I’m watching this story. I imagined the progressive media would have a field day to make fun of Islam. And am actually surprised its been presented so well thus far.
We’ll see in February when mediation begins.
Thanks for your comment!
November 16, 2012 at 3:08 pm
I am neither Muslim, Christian, nor Jewish, and I do not cover in any way. I’m actually Pagan, a range of beliefs that doesn’t typically include any dress specifications. Yet.. I’m always wondering if people think I do follow a faith with dress prescriptions, because I have very long hair that I generally wear up in a bun. I keep my hair long out of personal preference and out of a love of playing historical dress-up. Yes, I have been asked on occasion if I wear my hair long out because of my faith!
Not sure what my point is, if any…
Always love reading your posts. ❤
November 18, 2012 at 5:31 pm
Woodturtle, I loved your blog but I think you’re being a little condescending to the barber in a matter which is absolutely ridiculous and unfair to him. And I work in the human rights field.
He may think it is religiously ordained and you may not. Both have substantial evidence. “Balderdash” is an incredibly arrogant response. You shouldn’t ridicule his belief because you create a dichotomy of “good Muslim/ bad Muslim”. Also because casually insulting other people’s understandings is hardly a great way to put forward your own opinions.
Going to a hairdresser which is specifically for men, and then getting upset and creating a law suit when the man who has created a niche-male business won’t serve a woman because he is religio-culturally uncomfortable with doing so, and a similar service for women exists up the road, is such an incredibly first world privileged way to express feminist sentiment. Why not spend the money from the law suit to pay for women from low-socioeconomic regions access education? Why not donate it to a women’s shelter?
That’s the actual issue. Insulting the barber is kicking someone when they’re down.
November 18, 2012 at 7:10 pm
Amna, thank you for explaining the situation so succinctly. I understand your arguments and you know, you’ve properly chastised me. You’re absolutely right.
I haven’t been sensitive to the barber’s religious beliefs — and probably because I used to think like him and stand by these beliefs to the point of personal public exclusion. I’m currently reacting strongly against these beliefs … Kind of floating spiritually and trying to find my grounding again. But that’s no excuse to be condescending to the beliefs of others. As for the client, I’ve said previously that I don’t agree with what she did either.
Thanks for your comment. Blogging is not without ups and downs or without its moments of opportunity to learn from others. It’s what I value so much in the online community. I’ll consider this as one of my moments of FAIL and be more cognicent not to repeat this error.
I will be more careful to recognize and understand the religious beliefs of others in the future.
Which is something that I normally and consistently do. So I wonder if I reacted so strongly to his argument because he is male and supporting a belief that has caused me so much personal grief and something that I’ve heard used for decades as further justification to keep women out of public spaces and positions of authority.
Guess that’s something I have to work on and discover for myself.
November 19, 2012 at 4:27 am
Woodturtle, what a beautiful, humble, polite reply to my post, which upon reread, shows my own arrogance far more than proving yours. Mashallah.
Also how wrong of me to only ever comment to criticise you, when in truth I check your blog every day because I love your reflections and your style of writing. I should comment on every post thanking you for provoking my thoughts.
Forgive my rudeness sister.
Assalaamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatu.
November 19, 2012 at 5:14 pm
Salaams Amna,
There’s nothing to forgive — I was the one being rude and it got the better of me. I’m really glad you gave me the wake up call I needed!
It makes me happy to hear that you enjoy the blog and I hope you will continue visiting!
Take care.
November 24, 2012 at 8:32 pm
From the photo, it doesn’t look as if Faith McGregor has “ferocious locks,” From the article and the photo, it seems she chose a barbershop because she wanted a haircut that is within a barber’s skillset,
As for Ms. McGregor having other options, indeed, just as a hijabi who experiences workplace discrimination also has other options. Perhaps the law should flense itself of protected classes and permit public establishments to discriminate as they wish?