Muslim women spurn stereotype

Wearing a head scarf has not stopped Jamila Boutrid from doing what she wants to do - going swimming each morning dressed in her scarf and full-length robe.

Boutrid, a senior journalism major, said Muslim women are supposed to cover themselves in front of men they are not related to by blood, with the exception of their husbands.

People often misunderstand why many women choose to wear a veil, she said.

"They don't see it as an act of faith. They see it as oppression."

The Muslim Students Association is sponsoring Islamic Awareness Week this week to inform students about the religion. And today's theme, "Beyond the Veil," focuses on Muslim women.

In the Islamic culture, it is traditional for girls to start wearing a veil when they enter puberty.

But not all Muslim women choose to wear a hijab, or covering - and it is a choice, said freshman biology major Mona Masood.

"It has to be voluntary," she said. "We can't force our religion on anybody."

Nashua Oraby, a senior chemistry major, said she started wearing a veil when she was a senior in high school, although her mother was opposed to the idea at first.

Both the Quran and the words of the prophet Muhammad call for women to completely cover their bodies, except for their hands and face.

"I wouldn't be wearing this scarf if I didn't believe in it," Oraby said.

She said that although her veil draws attention, she wants people to know she is like other college students.

"I'm here to show you that I can be educated. ... I can be a wife, a mother."

And after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Oraby said she noticed more people staring at her.

"It's sad, but it's a natural reaction," she said.

Masood said that she saw some backlash toward Muslims after the attacks, but that she also saw encouragement.

"Of course, I don't think anyone overtly did it," she said. "More than any kind of hate we got from anybody, there was support."

Boutrid said that although many people on campus were sympathetic to her at the time, she still answers a lot of questions people have about Islam.

"Islam isn't just a religion. It's a complete way of life."

The Islamic religion provides advice on what to eat, where and when to pray, how to dress and whom to marry.

Muslim men can marry women within the faith, as well as Christians and Jews, but women can only marry Muslim men. Because Islam forbids dating, marriages are generally arranged.

But Boutrid said the marriages are not arranged in the sense that a woman does not have a say in who she marries.

Boutrid got married nine months ago and said she has known her husband since high school.

"I knew him quite well (when we got married)," she said.

Boutrid has also not felt limited by her decision to wear a scarf.

"It's the same thing with doing your hair," she said. "We fix it like girls go in the bathroom to fix their hair."

She has gotten used to explaining her way of life to curious people.

"I've never really gotten tired of answering questions. If I saw somebody different than me, I'd ask questions too."

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