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New Zealand women wear headscarves to help Muslims feel safe after Christchurch terror attacks

New Zealand women wear headscarves to help Muslims feel safe after Christchurch terror attacks

'We are with you, we want you to feel at home on your own streets, we love, support and respect you,’ said one woman
22 Mar, 2019

Women all over New Zealand put on headscarves on Friday to show solidarity with Muslims a week after 50 people were killed at two mosques in the city of Christchurch.

A doctor in Auckland, Thaya Ashman, came up with the idea to encourage people to wear a headscarf after hearing about a woman who was too scared to go out as she felt her headscarf would make her a target for terrorism.

“I wanted to say: ‘We are with you, we want you to feel at home on your own streets, we love, support and respect you’,” Ashman said.

As Christchurch geared up for prayers at a park in front of the Al Noor mosque, where most of the victims were killed last week, women in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch posted pictures of themselves in headscarves, some with children in headscarves, too.

“Why am I wearing a headscarf today? Well, my primary reason was that if anybody else turns up waving a gun, I want to stand between him and anybody he might be pointing it at. And I don’t want him to be able to tell the difference, because there is no difference,” said Bell Sibly, in Christchurch.

Women wearing headscarves as tribute to the victims of the mosque attacks are seen before Friday prayers at Hagley Park outside Al-Noor mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand March 22, 2019. —Reuters/Jorge Silva
Women wearing headscarves as tribute to the victims of the mosque attacks are seen before Friday prayers at Hagley Park outside Al-Noor mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand March 22, 2019. —Reuters/Jorge Silva

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won widespread praise last week for putting on a black headscarf when meeting members of the Muslim community after the shootings.

A woman police officer kept guard at a Christchurch cemetery, where shooting victims were buried on Thursday, with a scarf over her head and an automatic weapon in her hands.

"My primary reason [for wearing a headscarf] was that if anybody else turns up waving a gun, I want to stand between him and anybody he might be pointing it at. And I don’t want him to be able to tell the difference, because there is no difference."

Rachel MacGregor, who is involved in the Head Scarf for Harmony campaign, said she had felt anxious going out with her head covered, with people staring when she entered her office building.

“It’s given me for the first time an appreciation for what it must be like to be a minority and to wear clothing that perhaps the majority don’t normally wear,” she said by telephone from Auckland.

Many Muslim women cover their heads in public with the hijab as a sign of modesty, although some critics see it as a sign of female oppression.

Both headscarves and the niqab, the full-face Islamic veil, have stirred debate in countries around the world. Some have tried to restrict the items, the niqab in particular, others have called for women to wear them.

While the New Zealand campaign won support and appreciation from the Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand and the NZ Muslim Association, it has opponents in New Zealand and beyond.

In an unsigned opinion piece on Stuff.co.nz, a Muslim woman called the movement “cheap tokenism”.

“The attack in Christchurch was not just about Muslims, it was against any person of color in a ‘white’ country so this focus on hijabs is derailing the examination of white supremacy, systematic racism, Orientalism and bigotry,” she said.

A professor and former journalist, Asra Nomani, in Washington, who has campaigned for Muslim reform, urged women not to wear a headscarf for harmony.

“It is a symbol of purity culture antithetical to feminist values. We have women in jail and dead, for refusing the interpretation of Islam you promote,” Nomani said on Twitter.

Comments

Sane Voice Mar 22, 2019 02:35pm
We as muslims should learn from the New Zealanders........they have taught the whole world about compassion, empathy, bravery, unity and forthrightness........GOD bless them
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AK Mar 22, 2019 02:36pm
Thanks NZ people for showing Admire and respect towards Muslim and giving confidence to feel secure.
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Imtiaz Ali Khan Mar 22, 2019 02:38pm
Tears, tears. Thank you my Christian family of New Zealand. Respectful actions of beautiful souls. Love from Pakistan.
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Concerned Mar 22, 2019 03:18pm
These people r amazing
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Pakistani Mar 22, 2019 03:18pm
Love these people. May ALLAH bless them. A great nation.
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sharjeel Mar 22, 2019 03:19pm
What an excellent example set by the nation....I wish other countries could also learn from them.
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SMI Mar 22, 2019 03:39pm
World should be like what New Zealander are showing not like others
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Amir Alvi Mar 22, 2019 03:59pm
So proud of your gesture. We can all make this world a peaceful place for ourselves and for our future generations to come with this small but powerful gesture of accepting each other's religion and beliefs.
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Reality Bites Mar 22, 2019 04:14pm
Kiwis are winning our hearts on a daily basis. Hats off to them.
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Faisal Mar 22, 2019 05:03pm
What a super tolerant people. I really admire the kiwis even more after the incident.
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Ahsan Ansari Mar 22, 2019 05:27pm
Kiwis. You have earned great respect from all Muslims around the world. Truly NZ is a peace of heaven on earth.
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Anonymouseee Mar 22, 2019 05:38pm
Beautiful. Thank you New Zealand.
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Jaspreet Mar 22, 2019 05:47pm
How about wearing saris in solidarity with Hindu Pakistani women..
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The lost soul Mar 22, 2019 05:51pm
I think this is going a bit overboard. Respect has to be there in heart and minds for fellow human beings. Australian and New Zealand have their share of racism towards Asians historically.
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Tariq Mar 22, 2019 05:58pm
Wow! What an example for all of us! Wow!
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Tariq Mar 22, 2019 06:27pm
Wow! What an example for all of us. I mean ALL of us on the planet! Wow! Stunning display of solidarity!
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Gaurav Mar 22, 2019 06:34pm
@Concerned - NZ took steps to ensure minority safety in their country. If you are so impressed, what steps have you taken to ensure that minority in your country feel protected? (Please dont mention laws that exist only on paper).
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Shafiq Mar 22, 2019 06:41pm
I just want to say Long Live NZ and its humane people
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Makreb Mar 22, 2019 06:45pm
While muslim women everywhere are ironically losing significance of the headscarf
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chengez k Mar 22, 2019 07:20pm
New Zealand has become Heaven on Earth after this tragedy !!!!
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Sameer Mar 22, 2019 08:39pm
what a wonderful way to promote unity...meanwhile here at aurat march...
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Ali Mar 22, 2019 08:51pm
New Zealand may be a small country tucked away in the corner of the world. However, by its actions, it has shown what a great country it really is, and has set an example for all countries in the world (including our own) to follow. Thank you New Zealand!
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Shanzeh Mar 22, 2019 09:22pm
Thank you soooo much people for your respect, sympathies especially the prime minister, I am very happy from the core of heart to see this kind of reaction from your side, this is utterly wonderful and I have no words to say. Extremely happy, happy and happy, Allah bless you all and help you in future for the protection of equality among human beings apart from considering them belonging to diffrent caste, colour or race!
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Shanzeh Mar 22, 2019 09:22pm
I pay my gratitude to all you people and prime minister especially from my side! (Pakistan)
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Salman Mar 22, 2019 09:29pm
admiration for all those supporting, may God bless you all amen
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Mar 22, 2019 09:34pm
Thanks for your understanding,compassion, dedication, help, generosity and support.
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Arun Mar 22, 2019 09:44pm
@Imtiaz Ali Khan I was about to say something really bad/hateful ... But seeing your name and comment made me to pause ... Stay blessed and make me more sane ...
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Harime khan Mar 22, 2019 10:41pm
I think the critics mentioned at the end have totally missed the point. It isn’t “cheap tokenism” and definitely the attack was on Muslims and all other things you have mentioned correctly. By addressing no difference between us and them, they couldn’t have painted themselves in some colour? They needed “symbolism” to address that similarity, hence the scarf or a Muslim cap, that’s somewhat easy to do and gets the message across pretty quickly. This is what it is, and there is nothing cheap about it.
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Akhan Mar 22, 2019 11:17pm
There can be many learning from this event.. but 2 things come to mind.. 1) when social fabric of society is threatened people come togeather keeping there believes aside to support the injustice.. 2)criticize and challange their own when wrong is done by their own.... hope Pakistanis can learn from this.. when a group of extreme members of society take the whole nation hostage they should be critized for there wrong actions.. (having extreme position is not a crime.. when it turns into damaging actions then it becomes a issue)... one bad actor in the society makes the whole look bad.. it's the responsibility of society to root the problem actor out.. not stand silent... silence is acceptance.....
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Sha Mar 23, 2019 12:05am
Thank you NZ. We all are feeling safe and good as Muslim when we see this support from NZ citizens. This is also time that we learn how to support our minorities and make them feel safe in Pakistan.
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annie Mar 23, 2019 12:35am
did you have to mention Asra Nomani? She voted for trump and even came out to defend his travel ban. She is not an authority on this matter. the problem is that conservative Muslims use this peaceful gesture by white women to shame Muslim women who dont wear the hijab. Honestly, they could have used any excuse to shame so I will take this gesture by New Zealand women with love
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Aziz Mar 23, 2019 12:47am
Can someone please hand over the world to kiwis until all extremism dies down.
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Hammad Mar 23, 2019 01:39am
It is great time for Pakistan to extend the same love and care to its minorities
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Rehmatullah Mar 23, 2019 02:42am
Give them time. They'll learn.
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M.Khan Mar 23, 2019 05:09am
Humanity at its best. I wish more people follow NewZealanders example of compassion, tolerance, acceptance and civility. They have a great leader. The whole nation is full of compassion. Words are not enough to praise this wonderful nation. Long live NewZealand.
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Sid Mar 23, 2019 06:48am
And what Pakistanis do when a church is bombed? O' it would be blasphemous to wear a cross around your neck. You "peaceful" religion spawning militants, doesn't allow that right?
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The lost soul Mar 23, 2019 07:23am
@Tariq no point in going GaGa over a simple gesture. Unfortunately people of the subcontinent do this every time some westerner does a simple gesture or acknowledgement. Time we get rid of this inferiority complex entrenched in us after 200 plus year of British rule.
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Sss Mar 23, 2019 07:58am
Soon you will be forced to wear burkha and forced to implement sharia . Snakes always bite , do what .
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Ananymous Mar 23, 2019 08:52am
I love Newzealand.We should learn from them, a lesson of love and coexistence.
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illawarrior Mar 23, 2019 09:57am
@Harime khan The native New Zealanders, Maoris, are already "people of colour" - no need to paint themselves.
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Naqvi Mar 23, 2019 10:07pm
New Zealand has a great Prime Minister. She is a Great Leader.
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Sam Mar 29, 2019 07:45am
If I ever move to a foreign country, it has to be New Zealand. USA and Quebec would be the last on my list.
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