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7. The ambivalence of the veil

‘The ambivalence of the veil’ explores the relationship between Western and Muslim worlds. For many Westerners, nothing symbolizes the differences more than ‘the veil’, a shorthand for the many ways in which Muslim women choose to dress, sometimes covering their heads or faces. Today, in Islamic societies, and among many Muslim women in non-Islamic societies, the veil (hijab) has come to symbolize a cultural and religious identity. A pertinent question to ask is how can a 1930s colonial image of an ‘Arab woman’ typifies European stereotypical representations of, and assumptions about, Muslim women even today. This can be contrasted with how men in masks—Batman or the Zapatistas in balaclavas—are considered to exhibit positive forms of masculinity.