To veil or not to veil?

I actually managed to find 2 minutes today to read a New York Times article. I've been sick, and frantic over work, and actually trying to have something resembling a social life. Hah hah. Last night I went to a lecture celebrating Naguib Mahfouz's Nobel Prize 20 years ago, and would you believe it? I met a princess. A real, honest-to-God princess, who for some reason seemed to think I was about 8 years old.

Anyway, it occurs to me that this article shows yet another example of people not minding their own business. Wearing the veil is a big debate in Turkey, to the point where young women in headscarves are not permitted to attend university.

Would I ever veil for religious reasons? No way. Passing over the religious bit, I view mandatory veiling as an impingement on the right of the individual to express themselves as they wish. But the flip side is this - I don't think anyone has the right to refuse the woman her choice to wear the headscarf.

As I understand it from my students, wearing the veil is supposed to be a choice. The moderate Muslims I've spoken to all agree on this, that expression of religion is supposed to be a thoughtful, deliberate choice made in fealty to God. According to these people, forcing young girls to wear the veil is as un-Muslim as prohibiting them from doing so.

What makes me nervous, though, is the much touted notion that these girls have chosen to do this. Pictures like this one (from NYT) make me uneasy, wondering about the depth of double-speak on this issue:


How can a child make an informed decision? Legally, ethically, or morally? This reminds me of a documentary I saw last year called Jesus Camp, following an upswelling of evangelical children's movements in the US. How can a child choose God? I guess I'm viewing this as an informed consent issue - which might be stretching a point.

I suppose I'm also reacting to Palin's recent anti-choice comments. It all comes down, I think, to the right of the individual to choose their own trajectory. I'm not advocating chaos, or mass murder, but I think I'd choose less interference every time.

Want to wear a head scarf? Fine, knock yourself out. As long as it's your choice, I couldn't care less what you do with your body. And I expect the same consideration in return.

Not that anyone's listening. Maybe if they could see the ridiculous head scarf arrangements I come up with, my choice would seem clearer. It was only recently that I figured out these women all use pins - which is how they manage to look so glamorous.

To my eyes, anyway. Most of the time.