Day 10- the final count down.

http://jadedressler.wordpress.com/2010/05/10/suddenly-feminique-mystique/

Day 10

Well this experience has been truly amazing- i've learn't and experienced a lot more than i normally would of- in conclusion to im going to discuss shortly a few of our Module 4 theories in terms of "Burkatopia", this project.

Beginning with Howson, A. 2004- The Body in Consumer Culture: the body in society. The body image is generally understood as a mental image of ones self- or how one thinks they appear to others. In our consumer society we are constantly filtering information, whether it be a colour, how someone walks, talks or even looks. Society is no longer about fitting in, as the 60's were, no longer are u condemned for being unique- if anything people and society thrive on the "uniqueness" of individuals- we strive to be lone soldiers, who appose the old regeem of 'groupedness' and still we find ourselves therefore boobie trapped into out own category: namely "she's" ALTERNATIVE or DIFFERENT. Ones body image is the key to society: an instrumental manner, a status and tick box for social acceptability- this view is based on the popular physiognomic assumptions that the body, especially the face, is a reflection of the self: that a person’s inner character or personality will shine through the outer appearance. So where does this leave Burkatopia- well seeing that they have been stripped of any 'typical' opportunities for physical uniqueness they can not be seen as part of our ever demanding society, or can they?

Being in a Burka is your own form of uniqueness- maybe not in the far and middle east, or turkey etc but her in Sunny South Africa in the glorious Western world people still take a double look. Although they are not abiding to the typical rules of a body image- as there's is somewhat of a lack of body image- the fact that they are covered head to toe is a for of empowerment whether they like it or not not only are the being unique they are down right disallowing your gaze- the Burka is a harsh order of "You may not look here!" "You may not make up your own mind about who or what i am- with your western ways."

The next theme i will comment on it that of O'shaughnessy, M & Stadler, J. 2007. Feminism, Post-feminism and Ideologies of Femininity.
"Earlier feminism was not a simple, unified set of ideas. It was a variety of evolving positions that, despite shaping the overall objective of developing womens live's for the better, differed on how this was to be achieved." (O'shaughnessy, M & Stadler, J. 2007)

Feminism has had an enormous impact on society. Initially it fought for women's social, legal, political and economic rights,and attempted to understand the construction of Femininity and the status of women. The movement altered both female and males perspectives and impacted society largely as a whole. Feminism and the Muslim religion have been on contradictory and the same sides for years- we have the Feminists that believe that the Burka and its traditions is quiet simply women slavery, that it strips them of all there rights- protests among Feminists to ban the burka are currently happening however the Burka is also seen as the most extreme form of eradicating the 'Male Gaze' by extreme feminists: as you will see in the clip below. The feminists movemenet seems to be torn in terms of the Burka it's self and just to make it more complicated- Muslim women constantly protest PRO- BURKA.




This project has been a great experience i feel my conclusion is not as important as my entire concept of this project- the fact is that no matter your status, image, religion or outlook if you do not have respect for another beings space, outlook, image and beliefs than how dare you call yourself a 'human being'- for in being part of this glorious world you must be a 'being' who is human- not all will be explained always- so take your own initiative and explore something unknown before you condemn it to hell, or heaven.

I hope you have enjoyed my blog.
Alex x

Day 9

Day 9

Today was a day that i woke up and felt completely 'mal' as they say- the "burkaness" really got to me today and i acted out more than i have his whole process. I always seem to go a little mad when ive been doing something for too long or if im extremely tired- as most of my fellow viscom students will know all to well. Below is a clip of this exact thing- my manic burka madness.

I posted my video on youtube hope fully ill get some comments.

I begin my blog with another contradictory passage from a blog i found: the authors name is Katie Hawkes a university intellect posting on"The Huffington post".

"If I may interject again, let me point out what the burqa truthfully represents: respect. Many Muslim women wear the burqa because they respect their bodies to such a degree that they do not wish to flaunt it to the world. How sad is it that society screams "oppressive and wrong" at this, while plastering billboards and media with pornographic depictions that shriek "liberating and right."

I admit that corrupted dictators and governments have tainted society's view of traditional Islam with their extremist attitudes and, yes, oppression of women. But surely it is a logical fallacy to brand a religious practice as 100-percent erroneous because it has been warped at the hands of fanatics. Perhaps we are the ones with a warped idea of what is truly beautiful.

If we ever tried to put a ban on immodesty, the world might simply implode. Heaven forbid free expression that dictates reverence and respect for a woman's body by covering it rather than revealing it.

Forgive me, but something about this doesn't sit well with me."

So if I may: France, how dare you?" (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/katie-hawkes/the-burqa-ban-another-mis_b_754555.html)

Articles like this do make me smile and think wow this world does have some good non opinionated people in it, however when i stumble upon youtube clips like the one below and i realize there is no way we are going to move forward in this world, or live together in any form of peace without RESPECT! The creator's of the clip definitely took time, money and energy in producing this mockery- imagine if they had actually spent the time doing something productive for the human race instead of creating this!

It disgusts me that people can make such a mockery of someone else's beliefs for there own "chuckley" benefit- this is a clear example of what a truly SELFISH western world we live in- it saddens my deeply.

Day 8

Day 8

Below is one of the 47 videos posted on Youtube by a man called patcondell- he speaks predominately about issues surrounding Islams in Britain. His tone is a lot more direct and harsh than my previous video clips but listen carefully to his point of view and them read the sections below.

Yes, this is an extremely articulate, well read man who has a certain pan-ash about him- he is direct, persuasive and far from sensitive towards his topic. But lets take it back to something simple- The Westerners voice- who are we to tell a culture and religion that supposedly has been around longer than the Bible that its 'our way or the high way?' who are we to dictate so strongly that the way we walk, talk, act and dress is right- staying away from all the connotations and denotations of the burka and its religion, simply assuming that the way of the Westerner is superior and right is a bit worrying for me.

Im not saying that i'm pro Burka, far from it- but here we are telling a foreign world that they are wrong, that a women must be independent, be a real women, stand up for yourself, look at MTV and E! entertainment that's what 'equality' looks like that's what it feels like to be independent, to be free! However the moment a women wear's a skirt a little to short, or drinks a little too much, or sings a drunk song a little too loud, speaks out a little too much, or is a little too opinionated-she is immediately labeled as either a Slut, Feminist, lesbian, over achiever or just a little to driven and butch for my, a mans, liking. So i ask again, how do we- the Western world who have obviously got it all so "right" justify our judgment on a culture we really know nothing about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlkxlzTZc48

Day 7

Day 7


Feminism continued....

Although i have felt comfortable in my burka these fast few days- my circumstances are completley different to those of the traditional Islamsic women-i feel rather embarrassed pracing around in my Burka, reading, driving, talking, laughing, drinking and still assuming that im expierencing the full 'throttle' of life in a burka. Being veiled and obedient does not save a Muslim girl or woman from being incested, battered, stalked, gang-raped, or maritally raped nor does it stop her husband from taking multiple wives and girlfriends or from frequenting brothels. A fully “covered” girl-child, anywhere between the ages of 10-15, may still be forced into an arranged marriage, perhaps with her first cousin, perhaps with a man old enough to be her grandfather, and she is not allowed to leave him, not even if he beats her black and blue every single day.

Day 6

Day 6

Watch this youtube blogger clip- its bloody amazing- she is CRAZY AWESOME!
In watching this clip at first im totally excited by the velocity and passion of this women- she is beautiful, confidant and 'ballzee' as they say- but much of her 'panash' is her personality and character- which personally I LOVE!!!!!! 100%.

Her attack on the femisnist culture led me to a view articles on feminists view of Burkas:

"Women in burkas are really feminist ninja warriors. Rather than allow themselves to be gawked at by male strangers, they choose to defeat the “male gaze” by hiding from it in plain view.
But don’t you worry: Beneath that chador, abaya, burqa, or veil, there is a sexy courtesan wearing “Victoria Secret, elegant fashion, and skin care lotion,” just waiting for her husband to come home for a night of wild and sensuous marital lovemaking.

Obviously, these are not my ideas. I am quoting from a piece by Naomi Wolf that appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald a few days ago. The fact that Mrs Wolf, a self confessed Feminist, can attach her name with such obviously miss lead ideas- disgusts me. Most Muslim girls and women are not given a choice about wearing the chador, burqa, abaya, niqab, jilbab, or hijab (headscarf), and those who resist are beaten, threatened with death, arrested, caned or lashed, jailed, or honor murdered by their own families. Is Wolfe thoroughly unfamiliar with the news coming out of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan on these very subjects? Has she forgotten the tragic, fiery deaths of those schoolgirls in Saudi Arabia who, in trying to flee their burning schoolhouse, were improperly veiled and who were beaten back by the all-powerful Saudi Morality Police?

Most Muslim girls and women are impoverished and wear rags, not expensive Western clothing beneath their coverings. Only the pampered, super-controlled, often isolated, and uber-materialistic daughters of wealth, mainly in the Gulf states, but also among the ruling classes in the Islamic world, match Wolf’s portrait of well kept courtesan-wives.

more to follow in tomorrows post.

Day 5

Day 5 part 2.

Some Burkini pics:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-463887/Now-schools-told-let-Muslim-girls-wear-head-toe-burkinis-swimming-lessons.html

Day 5

Day 5

Today I was invited to the beach and BAM! I realised I couldn’t go- well I could but id have to swim and “tan” in my full Burka, which was not quiet my idea of the latest fashion for summer. So I opted for a nice movie instead. Sun, oh sun how I miss u…. now that summer has finally arrived, all my winter dreams of long sunny days snoozing on the beach have come true- well that was until this CRITICAL PROJECT.

Muslim women who wear headdresses such as the hijab and full length burkas are required to even swim with them on. No mans eye shall touch their skin and neither will the sun. An alarming number of Muslim women who wear headdresses such as the hijab, which covers the head, neck and shoulders, and the burka, which covers everything except the eyes, are suffering from bone deficiencies due to lack of vitamin D. Most of the body's vitamin D, which helps calcium absorption and prevents the bone disorder rickets, is obtained through sunlight acting on the skin. Only a very small amount comes from food.

This is a serious issue, I love the sun more than anything else so how would I feel never feeling its rays, my whole adult life- if that’s not bad enough some Muslin women’s teeth are falling out whole- from such a lack of Vitamin D. Ekkk!

AH-ha! With a little research the solution popped up- the BURKINI!!!! A tailor Aheda Zanetti has designed what has been dubbed the ''Burkini'' ... a Burka swimsuit.

Check out this amazing link for a shot 1min video on the creation of the Burkini.

http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoChannel=2602&videoId=363http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoChannel=2602&videoId=363