Veiling in Women

Veiling in Women
Name
Institution
Veiling in Women
Introduction
One of the main problems that are facing women in India is the issue of a veil. The veil is associated with the oppression of women by the western culture (Amer, 2014). Wearing of veil has religious beliefs that are deeply rooted and most women wear it because of religious factors. The veil is clothing that is worn on the head while covering the face and it is linked to women (Badru & Sackey, 2013). The original intention of the veil was for the sacred objective, but gender segregation and socio-cultural function have changed with evolving time (Vakil, 2011). The practice of using the veil is ancient and it is a heated debate in the recent times. To the western world, the veil is just a piece of cloth that is worn by Islamic women and it is a symbol of oppression. It prevents the women from becoming modernized and embracing the things that are offered in the modern world as highlighted by Lapidus, (2012). 
The Muslim women contradict with this message because they view the veil in a different way. To them, the veil is an icon of empowerment and it represents freedom to them. In India, the women who do not use the veil are harassed sexually by young men. This makes it difficult for women to move freely without the veil because they are blamed for any sexual harassment that may occur to them. This paper describes veiling as a problem that affects women in the society, its cultural root and the social, economic and political factors that are related to it. In addition, it discusses the view of feminists from other countries concerning the issue.
Feminism and feminist thought
Vakil (2011) categorically states that feminism is a term that is used to describe the rights of women on the grounds of socio-economic equality in comparison to men. The feminist thought is a notion that women have the same rights as men and all genders should be treated equally. Feminists refer to both men and women although the term is usually associated with women. The term is based on the fact that although the body performs varied functions, biological constituent should not order the social, intellectual, rights and capabilities.
Feminism relies on the principle that all people have the same rights, freedom and prejudice should not be made based on ethnicity, skin color, race, gender, lifestyle, sexual orientation, culture or religion (Augis, 2012). Feminists are individuals who are interested in civil intellectuality and equal opportunities. Therefore, feminism is a field that believes everyone is entitled to the same liberties and civil rights regardless of their sex according to Badru & Sackey, (2013). Gender studies are an aspect of education that is involved with the movement of feminists as they deal with issues that cause inequality between different genders (Amer, 2014).
Historical Factors That Impact Veiling
Veiling is Islamic women is believed to trail back in history. The culture of using veils on women was borrowed from societies in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean individuals that were non-Arabic and this took place in the thirteenth century (Yoder & Kirsten, 2011). The veil was a cloth worn by women who were respectable in the community while some like prostitutes were not authorized to utilize it. The veil was a mark of status and class in the community (Augis, 2012). The practice of veiling was common among the roman, byzantine empires and Iranians who were in the pre-Islamic period. The veil is seen as a symbol of religion by most people but historically this is seen as being far away from that notion. The Islamic holy book, Quran does not stipulate that Islamic women should stay in seclusion or practice veiling. Therefore, the roots of veiling cannot be seen in the Quran.
Social, Economic and Political Factors That Are Related To Veiling in Women
The veil shows the culture that is shared by the Islamic women and therefore it can be termed as a symbol of unity (Lapidus, 2012). Most Islamic women view the veil as a way of life that shows their respect and obedience to their religion and Islamic culture that dictates that women should dress appropriately (Augis, 2012). The women who use the veil are considered to abide by Islamic religion as it is emphasized in the Islamic communities. They are also seen as respecting the desire of Allah as it is a way of avoiding seduction to men. In most parts of northern Africa, veiling is seen as a way of honoring the Islamic religion and culture (Vakil, 2011). This is the notion that is carried across even in countries where Islam is not practiced.
Most women who veil in India share this opinion, although most of them practice it because of their culture and not the religious background. Women have come up trying to champion for their rights in different countries. In most regions where Islamic religion is dominance, the women lack most privileges that are enjoyed by men. Women are not allowed to walk without veils especially when going to public places or attending public functions. Previously, the public world was dominated by men but veiling allowed women to be part of it. Veiling increased the safety of women in the twentieth century and they were allowed to undertake occupations that could only be done by men as highlighted by Badru & Sackey (2013). Going to the public without a veil meant that a woman was exposed to sexual harassment and they had no one to blame. Women who appeared in public without the veil was con...