By Nura Sediqe

“I reject the view of some….that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal.”

–President Barack Obama, Cairo, Egypt

President Obama’s words in his June 4 address in Cairo, Egypt have brought a refreshing change in the rhetoric that is commonly utilized when discussing women and Islam. They were only a few simple lines in a long and extensive speech addressing a variety of pressing policy issues, but for Muslim women like myself, there was a pause….while we were all thinking, “Did he really just say that?”

It’s a sad reality to think that we should be surprised by such a simple statement. But for too long, Muslim women have largely been discussed in a specific light. Professor Mohja Kahf, a well known Muslim-American author, has reflected on, how the movie industry and mainstream literature have portrayed, as she describes, her (Muslim woman) as powerless to speak, but for the Westerner speaking on her behalf. Eliminate the subculture of women from the picture, all her empowering relationships with sisters, grandmothers, and friends. Ignore homegrown non-Western feminisms. Include no kindly brothers or uncles and no Muslim men who champion women’s rights.”

It would be almost excusable if we could simply blame Hollywood for this problem, but we see this same angle with the news. Events discussed with Muslim women as the main character predominantly portray the woman as a victim. It is reminiscent of the pervasive stereotypes of minorities and women of color.

The “black welfare mother” was a common image that communications and public opinion scholars feel had a startling effect on what the public thought of African-American women, as Shanto Iyengar explored in his book, Is Anyone Responsible? How Television Frames Political Issues.

It seems that, too often, women of color and misunderstood groups are more the victims of media than the real situations they are struggling with.

There was a recent article on the front page of The New York Times that exemplified how even prestigious papers utilize such stereotypical dynamics. It featured an Afghan woman, yet again, being denied rights because of what? Why, according to the story, naturally because of her religion-Islam.

Such an emphasis on this dynamic makes us forget the resilience of these females and ignorantly associates these conditions with a religion. It takes the emphasis away from the real problems at hand, and does a greater disservice to the individuals who are suffering.

Ironically, the same religion that is demonized for oppressing women is the one that has historically produced great examples of women who have been empowered by Islam to serve as role models for communities globally, from Betty Shabazz to contemporary leaders such as Dr. Ingrid Mattson, president of ISNA, the largest Muslim organization in North America.

Or my own personal role model, my mother, Salmenna Sediqe, who was recently elected President of the Islamic community in Toledo, Ohio. She is a survivor of war who managed not only to flee her war-ridden country but also to move beyond the painful circumstances of her home country and continue her civic engagement, empowered by the very religion that is often viewed as being responsible for a lack of women’s rights. And yes, she has done this all whilst choosing to cover her hair.

Their voices and words continue to inspire a new generation of women. President Obama’s words are powerful precisely because, as women who made the active choice to cover, they are faced daily with a barrage of misperceptions. These women deal with attitudes from the pitying glances of those who are trying to assess who “forced this upon them” to broad misperceptions that women who choose to cover seek to lead a quietly domestic lifestyle. People are sincerely surprised when they encounter covered women working as Congressional staff members or medical doctors, and there are endless humorous stories these women can share about their experiences.

It is doubtful that most members of the public, upon first glancing upon a woman such as Dalia Mogahed (who wears the headscarf), would guess that she is an advisor to President Obama.  For some reason, making the choice to cover automatically puts you in a category of ignorance or lack of motivation.

Even worse, young women with aspirations for a fruitful career are forced to work twice as hard to achieve the same goals as other individuals. Women with advancing careers are advised, “off the record”, that they may advance further if they simply remove their scarves.

President Obama went on to say, in that same speech, that “it is important…to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practicing religion as they see fit-for instance, by dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should wear. We cannot disguise hostility towards any religion behind the pretence of liberalism.”

As President Obama’s words were a step toward a new beginning, I hope that the media and public are ready to take a new step in understanding and accepting the different nuances of minority groups and peoples of color and, in this case, Muslim women.

Nura Sediqe is Research Director for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.