Posted by Nabil Echchaibi on Thursday, January 22, 2009
As one of the most prominent signs of Islam, the veil has been the subject of a heated debate both among Muslims and non-Muslims-some of it quite valuable and much of it just inflammatory and ignorant. But we rarely hear from the women who wear it themselves. Much has been said on their behalf about their religious conviction or their lack of voice. Some young Muslim male singershave dedicated songs to them. Yet, we don't know much about their experiences living with the veil, particularly in non-Muslim settings. The Hijabi Monologues reveal these voices in a captivating way. Inspired by the critically-acclaimed Vagina Monologues, the Hijabi Monologues is an excellent account of the day-to-day experiences of Muslim women -veiled and non-veiled- in the United States. Voice of America did a pieceon them in 2007.
I was born and raised in Morocco. My research focuses on the intersections between Islam, Arab popular culture and the media. I'm currently an assistant professor in the School of Journalism at the University of Colorado-Boulder.