Hijab? Must have.

Needlenose

I vaguely remember watching some fluff-piece on CNN shortly after our invasion of Iraq about how the blossoming of democracy would somehow be good for women; blatantly preposterous even at the time, as Iraq was one of the mostly-Arabic countries where women could drive, work, walk around without a hijab and even serve in the government. Contrast with Riverbend's latest post:"For me, June marked the first month I don’t dare leave the house without a hijab, or headscarf. I don’t wear a hijab usually, but it’s no longer possible to drive around Baghdad without one. It’s just not a good idea. (Take note that when I say 'drive’ I actually mean 'sit in the back seat of the car’- I haven’t driven for the longest time.) Going around bare-headed in a car or in the street also puts the family members with you in danger. You risk hearing something you don’t want to hear and then the father or the brother or cousin or uncle can’t just sit by and let it happen. I haven’t driven for the longest time. If you’re a female, you risk being attacked."...

continua / continued