On Head Scarves

Here in France, the question of what a woman wears on her head (and sometimes I wonder if soon the facial hair worn by a man might not come under the same scrutiny) is no longer left up to the individual. I can't say whether a woman should or should not wear one, knowing that either way she is often not at liberty to decide. While on the one hand the govt. here forbids it in specific circumstances, there are others where she is obliged to wear her scarf by a male in her family. Should a woman not have the right to decide for herself?

The question is all the more puzzling when one takes into consideration the fact that many women now wear the hijaab out of choice. I have to say that for my part, I find the idea of not having to spend any time worrying about how my hair looks is very appealing. I often yearn to live in a society that didn't judge me on my looks - oh, but to wear a large black wrap that covered me head to foot while wearing pajamas underneath! Only that isn't at all what we're talking about, is it?

But more than cultural protest - or even a defiant expression of faith - the wearing of the scarf can be the manifestation of total male dominance, or - and this is the aspect I find intriguing - a means of defining oneself, a desperate way to assert one's identity.

Right now, I'm reading "SNOW" by the Nobel prize winning author Orhan Pamuk. the central "story" question of which revolves around head-scarf wearing girls who commit suicide, why they kill themselves: is it because they are forbidden to wear it in post Ataturk Turkey? Or do the other conditions in their lives provoke the desperate act? (I'm still reading, will I know when I reach the end?)

The thing is, I was told an anecdote recently about a young girl here, whose parents were staunchly secular in their way of life, who began wearing the hijaab of her own accord when she was about 14. In doing so she has brought a measure of ostracism upon herself, and is being treated for severe back-pain for which there is no evident cause. (I'm taking this - as her doctor does - as an expression of her inner suffering made physical.)

Discussing this with the doctor involved who suggested to her parents that to relieve the pain - as far as he was concerned, since it was to him a psychological problem - the best recourse was to take her to a therapist. But I'm not sure it can be "cured" so simply. In the current context, I wonder if the socio/cultural climate here is not what would need to be fixed instead.

At her age, the question of identity - not just who she is, but what group does she belong to - is the central question of her life. The doctor is convinced that by her choice of head wear, she is condemning herself to ostracism. But I wonder if such ostracism was not already in place. I am all too aware of the climate here, the attitude of the non-Muslim French towards those they consider to be immigrants, though they may have been here for several generations. The evidence of how the French ostracize their fellow citizens on the basis of their ethnic origins is everywhere. How can a young woman develop a modicum of self-respect except by distancing herself from those who would deem her unworthy of their respect - regardless of the scarf she wears. And what other choice does she have but assert her otherness in a way that allows her to become a part of something larger than herself, a group in which she can be included, and even be respected for wearing the scarf?

I imagine that as long as the portion of the French population who trace their origins to the Maghreb continue to be discriminated against, the wearing of the hijaab will be on the rise. From where I sit, it is a symbol of hope. The efforts to assimilate here have produced none of the intended - and much touted - effects. Rather than try to impose by rule of law that the scarf not be worn, maybe it's time to invest in trying to change the mindsets of those who continue to refuse them access to the very closed society that is mainstream France.

Exceptionally French Riots

Here we go with the riots again. French exceptionalism is going to allow the country to live its own Watts riots, which, considering the social climate here, are unavoidable.

Reading articles in the press both in France and in the U.S., there’s little mention of the ubiquity of racism here, except for Sarkozy’s response to the riots in 2005 of which this is now a re-enactment. Yet a major factor in the man’s election is that his response typified that of the average French man (person, really, but men speak their minds on the subject more readily than women, who tend to veil their views). Though I realise that racism is still rampant in the U.S., albeit cloaked under a blanched P.C. sheet, there are fewer qualms about expressing disdain here. Say what you will about how civilized the French are, they are filled with at least as much racism as resveratrol, and their resulting bile is probably as instrumental in their longevity as the much touted molecule found in red wine.

The result of this prejudice – beside having made for many a distasteful dinner topic – is that their are no jobs available to minorities (read Arabs and blacks) here. In an experiment designed to bring attention to the problem, C.V.s were sent out with or without names attached. With the ethnic sounding names, there was not a single call-back for an interview. (Interestingly enough the experiment was also done with visuals where results were similar for extremely unattractive and/or overweight people – not to mention the handicapped). Is it any wonder that social unrest is at an explosive level now?

What’s (not so) funny about the situation is that the guilty deny being racist. There’s no room for discussion because according to them, the problem just doesn’t exist. Never mind all the racial stereo-typifying, the slurs and the discrimination, for a majority of the French, it’s the unavoidable result of the nature of the people against whom discrimination is directed. I was too young during the events in the U.S., but I don’t see how change can be brought about here. The anti- discrimination laws already exist. It’s motivation that’s lacking, something that would bring about a change of mentality. I’ve heard my mother-in-law tell of her early years as an Italian immigrant here and how she suffered from prejudice. The hostility against the lowly Italian race has been purged for the most part now, but wouldn’t you know it, she and others like her are the most vociferous racists now. What new ethnic group could be invited here to displace the ones chosen to take the brunt now?