Abstract
Muslim women who bear on the hijab are often viewed through a patriarchal binary lens: one of oppression and constrained-piety. This has led to the reduction of the Hijab, and within that, of the agent who chooses to wear it. In this paper, I argue how popular culture can be a powerful tool for Muslim women to reclaim the meaning of the Hijab. I analyze and contextualize Mona Haydar's Music Video "Wrap My Hijab" to show how she redefines the hijab to be one that is diverse and unique to the agent who bears it on. Overall, this paper will re-affirm the notion that Muslim Hijabi women are resisting the patriarchal narrative of the hijab in powerful and sexy formations.
Highlights
Haydar's music video embodies a multitude of messages that supports a universal notion of female empowerment
The rise of Islamophobia in the contemporary west offers a critical discussion on Orientalism
The author of this paper argues that Saudi Arabia's enormous wealth, influence, and the rise of the internet are all important factors to the spread of Wahhabi ideology in the West and throughout the Muslim world
Summary
The genre of rap in the music video works to amplify Haydar's overall message of female empowerment in regards to Muslim Hijabi women. Using Pinn's analysis of rap music and its implications on African American identities and black religion, Haydar's music can be classified as "progressive rap:" a lyrical form that addresses the socio-political construction of visible Muslim women in the West, and a critical discussion on Muslim religiosity Haydar's choice of rap music works to strengthen Haydar's resistance against oriental and patriarchal portrayals of Muslim women's bodies.
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