The role of the burqa is to make the wearer as unobtrusive as possible. Usually rendered in heavy, thick black fabric (or other, dull colors) the burqa, encasing the entire body and face, allows the ‘pious’ woman to move about the public sphere without her body being observed by the perpetually sex-horny men who inhabit the streets, the grocers, and anywhere else a conservative Muslim woman may go. The burqa is not supposed to attract the wearer unwanted attention and scrutiny.
It’s a tad ironic, then, that the burqa has (in the Western world) long been a subject of extreme public opinion and focus. The burqa has again been a hot topic in the news of late, this time in the world of media, pop culture and television. A look at Lady Gaga and Burqa Avenger:
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga in a burqa. Sourced from HuffingtonPost live.
In case you weren’t following, the ground-breaking Lady Gaga (one of my favorite feminists/icons!) is on a burqa fashion kick. Not only has she been stepping out in numerous voluminous, drapey face-covering ensembles, she has apparently also recorded a song that is called “Aurah,” although some have argued that it is in fact called “Burqa.” It is hard to tell which has been attracting more heat: her crazy-cool ensembles that turn our traditional concept of the burqa on its head (hot-pink transparent burqas? Love it!) or the sexually charged lyrics of this leaked track.
Huff Post held a live panel with several female writers, Muslims and intellectuals regarding La Gaga’s latest antics. Two particular quotes stood out to me which reflect the general sentiments of those commenting on the singer’s choice of dress.
“And what she’s essentially saying is, ‘I’m going to use this conversation about power and sex and sexuality and women of color and kind of just use that ironically so I can sell some CDs, and that’s the thing that’s offensive to me,” said Patheos blogger Hind Makki.
Lady Gaga in a burqa…and raccoon tails. Sourced from bokra.net
Lady Gaga may be going where no Western performer has gone before by making such a bold reference to Islamic culture, but using religion to shock and provoke is nothing new: she’s already made countless references and riffs on Christianity, and let’s not forget Madonna’s infamous church commentaries. What I like about Gaga is that she freaking commits to whatever she does, just like Madonna before her.
I don’t think there is anything ironic about “Aurah,” (see lyrics below) nor do I think Lady Gaga is doing her shtick in an ironic or demeaning way. Sure, women who wear burqas dont wear them in transparent fabrics or with racoon tails hanging off of them, but she’s Lady Gaga, for Christ sake. She’s a pop star of epic proportions. Did we all really think she was going to bust out the typical dowdy burqa? (Um, no). I don’t think her styling necessarily detracts from the message she’s trying to get across. I think she’s even saying look, modesty can be attractive! It can be pretty! There’s different people out there. I mean, either we’re critiquing her and other pop stars from wearing no clothes or now we’re critiquing her for wearing too many clothes!
The ‘women of color’ comment is a generalized remark that doesn’t take in the scope of Islam and the burqa. Did Hind Makki forget that non-Arab people do convert to Islam? Like white, middle-class, rural Americans? That conversation continued with the following quote:
”You don’t have the black experience, you don’t know what it’s like to be African American in society, but you’re going to cover your face in black paint and wear your cap turned backwards and your pants down low and make fun of this entire culture, and you don’t live it.” -Keziah S. Ridgeway
Ms. Ridgeway, who also goes by the handle Philly Hijabis Killing It, again echoes Hind Makki’s comment above by underlining the cultural drive and essentially depriving Christian/White women of trying to share or explore the experiences of non-white/minority women. She’s again denying that a White woman-any woman!-can become a Muslim and possibly wear the burqa. I don’t think that Gaga is trying to make fun of Islam at all, and I must point out that not all Muslimahs live the “burqa life” either, yet sometimes they like to spoof and cover their face but, I am assuming Ms. Ridgeway, would say that that’s okay. Even though the burqa is equated with Islam, Muslims are not the only people who wear them (certain Jewsish sects, for example). Burqas were not invented by the Muslims, so there is no monopoly over who gets to wear them.
Some key lyrics of the controversial song:
“I’m not a wandering slave/I’m a woman of choice”
The song starts with these words, and I absolutely love them. What’s not to love of them? She’s saying that not all women, especially women who cover up, are forced to do so; that they’re not all obedient slaves to their men. Muslim or not, it’s pretty hard to argue against this verse.
“My veil is the protection for the gorgeousness of my face”
Admittedly, women who wear the veil are wearing it because of their belief that their bodies should only be seen by their families, women and God, not because their faces are so gorgeous. But wait! One of the ancient reasons for the burqa, after all, is because men would be easily tempted by an attractive woman. Gaga’s got a point.
“Do you wanna see me naked, lover?/Do you wanna see peak under the covers/Do you wanna see the girl who lives behind the aurah?”
This is the main chorus of “Aurah.” Doubtless that many unmarried women who wear burqas have secret lovers, but the whole point in this discourse is that there is more to burqas and veils than just oppression and sexless women. Sure, it might be a little “raunchy” for conservative, practicing Muslims, but please: sex exists in every culture. Furthermore, the song mainly references the ‘aurah,’ and, symbolically speaking, this aurah could in fact be a burqa, or it could be a simple hijab, or just volumous clothes or maybe even an actual modest attitude (the best cloak of all!) She never uses the word Islam. Maybe it’s because I am not a Muslim, but I honestly don’t see what the fuss is: if anything, she is supporting women’s right to wear a burqa.
In short, saying that the burqa shouldn’t be sexualized or that Islam is about modesty buries the fact that practicing Muslims are also human beings who have, well, carnal needs. Critics of “Aurah” are basically denying Muslim women sex lives and sexual urges. Sure, there may be some women who do don a drab burqa when they leave the house, but when they return home they likely look and act like anyone else. Underneath their covers they are, in fact, ordinary human beings.
Burqa Avenger
The Burqa Avenger, sourced from Emirates247.com
The Muslim world is also cashing in on the controversial nature of the burqa, albeit in a much more modest and, most would certainly say, empowering way. The first-ever Pakistani cartoon has aired on Television, featuring a female protagonist named Jiya who is a school teacher by day and a super-heroine by night, defending girls’ right to read and attend school and fighting evil (and of course male) villians who are opposed to female education.
The concept of the show is absolutely lovely and so important in this day and age when schoolgirls like Malala Yousufzai get shot for wanting to learn. The cartoon itself visually looks adorable, and it promotes education and girl power, my two favorite things (and, I argue, the two most important issues that many areas of the world don’t address but are so easily solvable, technically speaking).
However, I disagree with two aspects of the show. Firstly, the title: ‘Burqa Avenger’ makes it sound like our heroine is avenging burqas, not girls and female education. Yes, she’s certainly an ‘avenger,’ but why add the ‘burqa’ adjective in there? She may wear a burqa as part of her ass-kicking costume, but it is not the center piece of the show. Once again, we’re commenting on the woman’s clothing choice.
In most superhero comics, the heros usually cover their face to avoid being detected. Thus it is understandable that Jiya cloaks herself from head to toe when she’s defeating the Taliban. However, forcing her to don a burqa when she makes her moves only underscores the fact that, in order to get the job done, Muslim women often have to sacrifice personal appearance in order to be taken seriously. In order to soften the blow to Pakistan’s SWAT Taliban-oh, we’ve got a girl character kicking your ass!-the creators have, one could argue, bowed to super-conservative views and dressed her in black to deflect criticism.
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Whether you’re for or against hot-pink burqas and ninjabi heroines, one thing is for certain: the burqa-and all the baggage that go along with it-has captured our attention again.
S-L-M
Sources:
1. colorlines.com Muslim women speak out against lady Gaga’s ‘Burqa’ Fetish
2. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/23/lady-gaga-burqa_n_3805394.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009 23 August 2013. ‘Muslim women Speak on Lady Gaga’s Song ‘Burqa’ and its Portrayal of their Culture (Video)
3. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57595554/meet-pakistans-new-wonder-woman-burka-avenger/ July 25th, 2013. The Associated Press.
4. http://www.emirates247.com/entertainment/burka-avenger-pakistan-s-first-ever-woman-superhero-2013-07-28-1.515701 July 28, 2013. Emirates 24/7.
