Religious garments define Muslim women

By Jonathan Jay Gibian

A U.S. study suggests what some perceive as oppressive is perceived as liberating for many second-generation American Muslim women.

At issue was the hijab -- a scarf that covers the head, hair, neck and ears -- a religious symbol that visibly separates young Muslim American women from their contemporary peers. But many who wear it say the covering is a boundary that's helping them carve out their own place in the Western world, yet it also bridges them with their family's traditions and values.

The findings are from a paper by Rhys Williams, professor of sociology at the University of Cincinnati, and Gira Vashi, a research assistant at the University of Illinois.

"There are multiple meanings to the hijab as a religious and social symbol; it often serves well those who wear it," said the researchers. "It provides a clear identity marker at a life-course transitional time, and it provides culturally legitimate space for young women who are formulating new Muslim American identities and lives."

The findings were presented during the weekend in Montreal at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association. The paper will appear in the Journal of Society and Religion next spring.