(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - In Vienna, the exhibition "Headscarf Experiments" is on display at the Erdbergstrasse Library. The designs of 25 young Muslim women show how creatively they deal with their headscarves.
The aim was to print slogans or key words to make this scarf a personal expression. The Association for the development of Feminist Educational and Teaching Models (IVY) hosted the grand opening of the exhibition in the library Erdbergstrasse Library in Vienna's third district.
Renate Tanzberger of IVY explained the origin of the project, "We were having been a lot of discussions about the headscarf, and then I realized I had not spoken to a single Muslim woman about it. This led to us holding the workshop "Headscarf Experiments" launched expressly so Muslim women would have the opportunity to present to the public the significance the headscarf holds for them."
The scarves are printed with slogans such as "Peace", "Do not panic, I'm Islamic", "Yes, this is a scarf around my head!" and "Austrian".
Dilek Yucel, one of the participants, was immediately willing to participate. Two designs, one with the title "My headscarf is mine" and another with the words "Values inside" were made by her. She explains how it came to these slogans. "The I chose the title of 'My headscarf is mine" because I decided of my own choice to wear a headscarf. I do not see it as a symbol. It is the clothing of Muslim women. With 'Values inside', I want to express that I do not want to submit to the dictates of fashion. I am concerned with the intrinsic values. "
Yucel has been wearing the headscarf since she was 19 years old. Previously, she had not dared to wear a headscarf.
"Many friends of mine who wore a headscarf, were discriminated against at school. At 19, I had a kind of self-discovery and realized that I wanted Islam to be my whole life. This includes implementing the dress code of Muslim women."
Even the physical design of Dilek Yucel's headscarves have significance. They are tailored for ease of use in leisure time activiities, especially sports.
"I can now use my self-created headscarf to make visible my opinion," she says.
In Austria, especially regarding Muslim immigrants, the public perception has been that female migrants have been simply as appendages of men, explains political scientist Leila Hadj-Abdou "Today is all about women. Above all, Muslim women as autonomous agents. The debates will focus here on the headscarf."
Furthermore, she describes what she calls the phenomenon of "illiberal liberalism" behind the debate on Muslim women's dress in Europe. This is where liberal values are exploited by right-wing groups in order to legitimize exclusion.
"This is what we observe in some cases from groups that have previously never before been interested in gender equality, such as right-wing populist groups and conservative parties,"said Hadj-Abdou.
The exhibition is open to the public free of charge during library opening times until 2 December.
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21 October 2011 - 20:30
News ID: 273469
In Vienna, the exhibition "Headscarf Experiments" is on display at the Erdbergstrasse Library. The designs of 25 young Muslim women show how creatively they deal with their headscarves.
