The Imaginary Veil & Belonging
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Hoodfar defines the Imaginary Veil as “an awkward black cloak that covers the whole body including the face, and is designed to prevent the women's mobility”. It demonstrates the ways in which western society conceptualizes the veil, and perpetuates the idea that muslim women are oppressed and constrained by their religion. Hoodfar further mentions the assumption that veil= ignorance = oppression, which forces muslim women to prove themselves as capable and not bound by the ways they express their religion. These perceptions contribute to beliefs that will never equate muslim women and western women and marginalize them in society.
The idea of the Imaginary Veil relates to ideas of belonging according to Zine. National identity does not guarantee belonging because it doesn't guarantee conformity. The veil becomes a symbol that contests and threatens western conformity by representing new or different ideas. It also symbolizes cultural barriers that muslim women face when integrating into western society because of the preconceived notions about the Imaginary Veil. Instances such as Aqsa's death, where the pushes narrative frames Islam as an oppressive religion, further perpetuates notions of the Imaginary Veil as a way to constrain muslim women to their religion and further ostracize them from society.
The Imaginary Veil and Aqas's death represent the ignorance and inability of the west to understand Islam and its practices. It reinforces cultural barriers and stereotypes that further alienate muslims from western society.