More Kuwaiti women today are choosing not to wear the hijab. Picture: Reuters |
Her decision marked a transition from the Western style of dress to an Eastern one that combines modern fashion and religious belief. The young lady and her mother were congratulated and received gifts from the attendants.
The trend of wearing the hijab began in the mid-1970s in Kuwait after discarding the conventional black gown (shadour) that had been worn by women in the Arab peninsula for hundreds of years.
The hijab was initially met with strong opposition from liberals who considered it a backward and uncivilised practice. It was, however, applauded by conservatives who considered it a symbol of respect for Islamic values.
The trend of wearing headscarves quickly spread to other countries in the region, but the practice was generally sneered at by the West and Western-educated Arabs.
Laila Abdul Rahman, 37, a Kuwaiti intellectual, recalls how she, in the 1980s, was harassed by Western young men because she was wearing a headscarf. Some boys pulled off her scarf in a public square in a European country.
Eventually, however, Westerners learned to accept the headscarf, albeit governments continued to oppose it under the pretext that it promoted religious discrimination. This attitude culminated in the French government's resolution to impose a ban on wearing the hijab in public schools.
Kuwait is a conservative country, which has imposed Islamic rules, and it is one of among few countries that ban the consumption of alcohol.
In recent years, however, Kuwait has adopted a policy of openness to the West through various channels of exposure, such as TV and the Internet. As a result, what was once taboo in the past, is quickly becoming acceptable.
The practice of wearing the hijab has begun to recede. The scarf is now smaller in size, more colourful and even transparent sometimes. It looks more attractive than the sight of a woman's natural hair.
Mona, 26, confesses that she wears a scarf not because of its religious significance but because it saves her money on hair-styling, especially as she is a working woman.
On the other hand, a large number of young women forget that the aim of the hijab is to prevent attracting men's attention. They may wear the hijab, but they also wear tight skirts or trousers, and sport short shirts barely covering their navel.
Sawsan, 28, says she doesn't bother about the style of her clothes, even if they are tight or transparent as long as they are in line with modern fashion. After all, she says, she wears a headscarf!
Many young Kuwaiti girls feel pressured to wear headscarves because their families think that scarves are a sign of conservatism and familial respect. They do so not because they are convinced, but because they are obliged.
In many cases, a young woman thinks up ways to flaunt her beauty, even while wearing the hijab. She covers only the back of her head and reveals her styled forelocks. The percentage of women wearing scarves is falling nowadays, especially among unmarried women and female students in higher schools and university colleges.
Visiting Kuwait University, one may be forgiven for thinking it is a Hollywood evening party.
Girls don haute couture clothes and wear attractive make-up. Everywhere in the university campus, there are girls with tight dresses and trousers and sleeveless shirts.
Mohamed, 21, a student in the Faculty of Social Studies, says he would not be astonished if a girl flashed her underwear because "skirts are so short these days".
Most female students are garbed in trendy attire. They wear clothes of well-known international brands, which are intentionally exposed.
In spite of a university decision to dismiss any female student deemed indecenly attired, no such action has been taken because of disputes concerning standards of modesty and the negative effect dismissal may have on a university student.
Moreover, some education officials fear that such a decision might be misapplied by fundamentalists and used as a pretext to arbitrarily dismiss female students. It is evident that young Kuwaiti women are affected by Western (and sometimes Eastern liberal) fashion trends.
Ghadeer, 22, a student in the Faculty of Engineering, says that such famous Arab divas as Nancy Agram, Alisa and Haifa Wahby wear indecent clothes and are able to attract the admiration of Kuwaiti youth.
They are not, she claims, more beautiful than Kuwaiti girls, and it would not be a grievous mistake to emulate them to gain the admiration of Kuwaiti youth.
In this context, we can see the conflict between the traditional values and Western trends and many youngsters seem in favour of the latter.
The writer is a Kuwaiti journalist based in Kuwait City.
