While he admits to deliberating over how to accessorize his own outfits, pop star Prince says burqa-wearing Islamic women are lucky they don’t have to worry about making such choices.
“It’s fun being in Islamic countries, to know there’s only one religion. There’s order. You wear a burqa. There’s no choice,” he told a British newspaper. “People are happy with that.”
Apparently, Prince is happy with it, but not all people.
Mariam Sobh, Editor-in-Chief of Hijabtrenz.com, said she finds Prince’s narrow understanding of the situation amusing.
“Prince is seriously out of touch with reality on this one. Perhaps he doesn’t know what a Burqa is? I’m just shocked that instead of empathizing with women who are forced to wear it, he would basically say ‘too bad,'” Sobh said. “I agree that we sometimes need boundaries, most likely when we are growing up, but if I’m not mistaken, he’s tried to break boundaries throughout his career? I can only assume that Prince didn’t get the memo that forcing women to adhere to any particular dress code is pretty much medieval.”
Mariam Sobh also noted that Prince, 53, known for his flamboyant outfits, should have been more sensitive to the fact that Muslim women should also enjoy “being able to breathe once in a while.”
When asked how he would respond to those who don’t like donning the burqa, Prince reportedly said “there are people who are unhappy with everything. There’s a dark side to everything.”
On Twitter, many were less-than-impressed with Prince’s comments, calling him “craz-ee,” a “nitwit” and an “asshat” for making such remarks.
“It’s fun wearing a burqa when its 122 degrees outside,” twittered another. “That has got to be a blast!”
But not all Muslims totally disagree with Prince’s sentiments.
“He is probably right. It’s so ingrained in the culture there that it’s just what is acceptable. Women who wear burqas there look down on those who don’t,” said Muslim filmmaker Hifney Masoud. “It may very well be oppressive dress, but they don’t see it that way because they are programmed not to see it that way, but rather what ‘God’ requested.”
And according to Kamal Nawash of the Free Muslims Coalition, the argument could swing either way.
“It is true there are Muslim women who prefer to wear burqas and I would support their right to do so,” she added. “However, there are Muslim woman who reject ‘religiously’ mandated clothing and they should have complete freedom to dress as they please.”
