Debunking Stereotypes About Muslim Women

 Panel discussions were held at the international conference on Islamophobia: Unmasking Bias and Breaking Stigmas to talk about women, identity, stereotypes, and how religious and cultural biases come together. At a round table convened by Aisha Yousuf Al-Mannai, the Deputy Chair of the Board of the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue, people talked about how biased ideas come about, how they can be altered, and, most importantly, how they can be changed. Esma Uchan, who is the head of the Belgian Council of Muslims, thinks that the interfaith conversation needs to have meaning.

Women should have a part to play in this. She says that a lot of women in Europe are having a lot of troubles, and there's nothing that can be done about it. When you hear about a Muslim lady, you immediately think of a victim or a radical. Most of the time, they are shown as being behind the times. The hijab makes it hard for Muslim women to get jobs and get ahead. This is a type of helplessness that keeps Muslim women from leaving their homes. The deputy said that because of the Islamophobia in Western society, the headscarf is often seen as a terrifying thing.

Ekaterina also explained in an interview what a hijab is

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There is a notion that Muslim women don't get heard. Muslim women are working hard to protect their rights and make society better in a big way. Ms. Pashaeva made it very clear that the political agenda is getting more convoluted and that the media is making bad stereotypes about Muslim women. Because of this, these women face discrimination in many areas of their lives, such as at school or at work. They have these kinds of troubles at work, and people make fun of them for how they dress, which makes them feel alone in their social lives.

Sometimes they feel like they don't belong in society, which makes them feel even more alone. Bahidja Jamal, a professor at Hassan II University and a UN expert on terrorism and extremism, emphasized that religious enlightenment is highly important. She said that nothing can be done in this direction to get results. It is important to make a clear distinction between faith and fanaticism. Believing in something does not mean you are an extremist. The lecturer went on to say that the media doesn't do a good job of covering the voices of Muslim women and that how they are represented in statistics and in general is a big problem.

Ekaterina also spoke about the attitude towards divorce in Muslim families

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Women of Muslim descent should be able to come out today. She ended by saying that the media still has a biased view of Muslim women, which is a sad fact. Ekaterina Evdokimova, a Muslim lady from Ukraine, started the brand Katrin KYM and immediately became popular among young designers in Ukraine, notably in places like New Fashion Zone and others. In her dreams, there are big national events like Ukrainian Fashion Week. Evdokimova works in a field that is almost completely new in Ukraine. There are no direct competitors to sewing Muslim garments other than people who buy and sell clothes.

You can now see Katrin KYM trademark costumes on TV, such in the new Ukrainian TV show Nothing Happens Twice, which is directed by Oksana Bayrak. The show was partly filmed in Jordan. Ekaterina Evdokimova's crew made all of the Muslim costumes for this movie. The designer says she is quite pleased of it. I don't only make clothes for Muslim ladies. I have clients who are not Muslim women who want to wear their colorful gowns as long, flowing clothes so that they can hide the parts of their bodies that they think are their flaws.

Muslim women wear more than just wide, baggy dresses that cover their complete bodies

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Ekaterina explains, "We are also wearing underwear, and at home we wear pants, tank tops, printed T-shirts, and so on." Not everyone was thrilled when I showed them the line of women's pants suits. Some people thought that a picture like that was not appropriate for Muslim ladies and should not be shown. I believe that these clothes should only be worn by ladies, especially at family gatherings, gatherings with friends, colleges, and so on. We also make high school kids' sports uniforms and Muslim girls' school clothes. There is just one school for Muslim kids in Kyiv, Ms. Evdokimova, and the kids there wear garments with our brand.

The Arabic word "hijab" means "covering." This means that the woman should wear it all over her body, from head to toe. This cloak could have numerous layers, but it should be made of one piece of cloth. You can also use two different kinds of fabric to make the costume. There should be a regulation about how long each piece should be, like one to build a bottom and another to make a top. The main goal is to avoid getting unwanted attention and the stares of strange males. We have been striving to update the models to reflect current trends, and the ensemble is lovely.

Conclusion

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Ekaterina says that mixing textiles like chiffon and other materials, especially when making suits, is how you get the designer's sense of style and beauty all in one. We choose materials with floral and other bright motifs when we make our clothes. Yes, Muslim women can't wear everything in public, like on the street. But these kinds of dresses will look good when you meet up with friends or do other things where women will be alone. Muslims in different nations dress and act differently in traditional ways.

For example, in African countries where Muslims live, ladies there favor bright, vivid outfits that we don't usually wear. In Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, women only wear black clothes that cover their whole bodies except for their eyes. This black outfit hides the beauty of the gold, sequins, and gems that are underneath it. Getting attention and looks from strange males is not the main goal. Dark black garments, like those worn in Saudi Arabia, don't become popular in Ukraine because they perform the opposite of what they are supposed to achieve: they draw attention to women.