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Been thinking
Feb. 19th, 2011 09:12 amSo this article, which lots of people are passing around struck a chord with me that wasn't a good one. I know this author-- I've read her writings before. She's a white Canadian woman who converted and married a dark Muslim man. I think that, because the post is on Womanist Musings, people assume she's a WoC.
She says this: I have never, ever, seen a black hijab model, a fat hijab model, or a hijab model with a disability. Ever.
And I call her on it asking where she could possibly be looking. I see Black hijab models ALL THE TIME.
Maysaa:
Hijabs and Co.
Capsters
All of these images I've seen in the last, idk, week? And they're fairly representative of the hijab retailers that use live models (most don't, most use mannequins). I'm not sure of the scene in Canada, but all of these retailers are England or Indonesian... I think. And it isn't to say "Oh, there is perfect and equal representation of dark skinned sisters (who, globally, outnumber lighter skinned sisters and white sisters )" but the idea that someone hasn't ever seen a Black hijab model? Ever? Really?
This is Nzinga Knight-- an American fashion designer.
To her credit, she responded with this: Salaams Akila -- thanks for this reminder. A quick search for hijab images/models show that the majority of models are indeed light skinned -- but you are right in pointing out that hijab blogs tend to showcase women indiscriminately. Perhaps it's my own privilege showing that I forgot to acknowledge (for example) Arab or Indonesian fashion houses who use Arab and Indonesian models on the runway. It would be an interesting study to see if the issues of preferring thinner, whiter models in the North American/European scene also affects Muslim fashion designers.
I mean, how prevalent is it to photoshop a hijab model to make her thinner/lighter? *shrugs shoulders*
She's right about one thing, at least: It is her privilege.
She did a quick google search; however, I live every single day as a Black person so, frankly, a quick Google search isn't particularly thorough when compared with my experience (of 30 years) of not being represented anywhere.
I'm suggesting that I see a fairer (see what I did there?) representation of brown and dark skinned women in modest arenas than I do in mainstream American culture (although I'll acknowledge that the last time I wore hijab with any regularity was when I was 14 and I can't tell you what representation was like back then (I wore my mother's old African hijabs)). I immediately take notice when I see Black models or Asian models (modest or mainstream) in the same way that I make a beeline to another sister when I'm at a shop and go out of my way to smile at a Muslim family here in Seattle. I immediately take notice of women of color being portrayed in ads. Maybe if I lived in Kuala Lumpur I'd be less likely to, but as a minority I do take notice of these things. It shapes everything I do.
Will that masjid be welcoming? I can't give a definite answer by the number of darker skinned women coming out but I can certainly look at the board of trustees and take comfort in knowing there are Africans and African Americans there.
A Black Muslimah friend of mine sent me this link the other day when I was talking about marriage and some concerns, amongst others, that so many people are looking for women with "light complexions". She was telling me about her experience with online matrimonial sites and how, even though she'd be considered "dark skinned" (and to be fair, she might be considered darker skinned within the African American community) she got lots of interest and met her second husband that way. Her suggestion was to call people on the exclusion directly. "What do you mean you only want light skinned women?"
The author of the link sums it up well though:
The litmus test was marriage. I watched as my fair-skinned Latina friends were repeatedly asked for their hand in marriage. I watched as the White female converts were held in high esteem and absorbed into immigrant Muslim families (their babies will be so fair, mashallah!)
So yes, it is easy for a white woman to be oblivious to representation because she doesn't have to look for it. Her whiteness, although she may be loathe to acknowledge it, positively impacts her suitability to be a patron, a wife, a mother, a professional in communities of color. Colonialism, colorism, racism-- they're internalized and will be despite the Prophet's (saw) last words on the subject.
“All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action,”
She says this: I have never, ever, seen a black hijab model, a fat hijab model, or a hijab model with a disability. Ever.
And I call her on it asking where she could possibly be looking. I see Black hijab models ALL THE TIME.
Maysaa:
Hijabs and Co.
Capsters
All of these images I've seen in the last, idk, week? And they're fairly representative of the hijab retailers that use live models (most don't, most use mannequins). I'm not sure of the scene in Canada, but all of these retailers are England or Indonesian... I think. And it isn't to say "Oh, there is perfect and equal representation of dark skinned sisters (who, globally, outnumber lighter skinned sisters and white sisters )" but the idea that someone hasn't ever seen a Black hijab model? Ever? Really?
This is Nzinga Knight-- an American fashion designer.
To her credit, she responded with this: Salaams Akila -- thanks for this reminder. A quick search for hijab images/models show that the majority of models are indeed light skinned -- but you are right in pointing out that hijab blogs tend to showcase women indiscriminately. Perhaps it's my own privilege showing that I forgot to acknowledge (for example) Arab or Indonesian fashion houses who use Arab and Indonesian models on the runway. It would be an interesting study to see if the issues of preferring thinner, whiter models in the North American/European scene also affects Muslim fashion designers.
I mean, how prevalent is it to photoshop a hijab model to make her thinner/lighter? *shrugs shoulders*
She's right about one thing, at least: It is her privilege.
She did a quick google search; however, I live every single day as a Black person so, frankly, a quick Google search isn't particularly thorough when compared with my experience (of 30 years) of not being represented anywhere.
I'm suggesting that I see a fairer (see what I did there?) representation of brown and dark skinned women in modest arenas than I do in mainstream American culture (although I'll acknowledge that the last time I wore hijab with any regularity was when I was 14 and I can't tell you what representation was like back then (I wore my mother's old African hijabs)). I immediately take notice when I see Black models or Asian models (modest or mainstream) in the same way that I make a beeline to another sister when I'm at a shop and go out of my way to smile at a Muslim family here in Seattle. I immediately take notice of women of color being portrayed in ads. Maybe if I lived in Kuala Lumpur I'd be less likely to, but as a minority I do take notice of these things. It shapes everything I do.
Will that masjid be welcoming? I can't give a definite answer by the number of darker skinned women coming out but I can certainly look at the board of trustees and take comfort in knowing there are Africans and African Americans there.
A Black Muslimah friend of mine sent me this link the other day when I was talking about marriage and some concerns, amongst others, that so many people are looking for women with "light complexions". She was telling me about her experience with online matrimonial sites and how, even though she'd be considered "dark skinned" (and to be fair, she might be considered darker skinned within the African American community) she got lots of interest and met her second husband that way. Her suggestion was to call people on the exclusion directly. "What do you mean you only want light skinned women?"
The author of the link sums it up well though:
The litmus test was marriage. I watched as my fair-skinned Latina friends were repeatedly asked for their hand in marriage. I watched as the White female converts were held in high esteem and absorbed into immigrant Muslim families (their babies will be so fair, mashallah!)
So yes, it is easy for a white woman to be oblivious to representation because she doesn't have to look for it. Her whiteness, although she may be loathe to acknowledge it, positively impacts her suitability to be a patron, a wife, a mother, a professional in communities of color. Colonialism, colorism, racism-- they're internalized and will be despite the Prophet's (saw) last words on the subject.
“All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action,”
ETA:
Found these two images from a hijabi fashion show this morning when checking old posts from my Google Reader:
Just sayin'
Found these two images from a hijabi fashion show this morning when checking old posts from my Google Reader:
Just sayin'
