3 responses so far ↓

• 1 xJane // Nov 27, 2007 at 1:45 pm

  Reminds me (again) of my former muslim coworker (former coworker, not former muslim) whose daughter loves both ballet and swimming for competition. She will only allow her to perform/compete before an audience of only women once she reaches menarche.

  The writer on the other side of that link brought up an interesting point, though: female teams who wish to compete in Iran also need to wear “those funny clothes”* & few are willing to do so. This isolates Iranian teams, but I suppose participating could seem like being complicit in the “funny” practices. It might be interesting to, say, at the Olympics, dress like the Iranians in solidarity: in a place that doesn’t make it seem like they’re agreeing with the Sharia laws and in a forum that’s guaranteed media coverage.

  *I don’t know the proper term for a sports-burqa, but that’s what it looks like

• 2 emily // Oct 15, 2010 at 3:41 am

  First of all, what you are saying here is very insulting! youare insulting the whole concept of Hijab. You have no rights whatsoever to actually comment on the way they dress because appearently, you havn’t reach that maturity level. Burqa is the piece of cloth that covers your face! what the iranian V.ball team is wearing is nothing close to a ‘Burqa’! Can’t yu see the difference? They are just wearing their hijab and playing what they love to play. Do you have anything against that????

• 3 xJane // Oct 20, 2010 at 8:08 am

  emily—You’re right, I confused terms, I should have said “sports-hijab”. Although to my untrained eye, causing athletes to attempt to play in such restrictive garments is very similar to causing women to attempt to interact with their world from underneath portable tents. In each case, the religious demands trump practical considerations.

Leave a Comment