The Stigmatization of Unveiled women in Morocco. The Case of Female Students in the University | Belhassan, Anas

Master's Thesis from the year 2020 in the subject Gender Studies, grade: 11, Sultan Moulay Sliman University, language: English, abstract: The infamous controversy of the veil in Western Europe, started by the Foulard Affair since 1989 in France, where Muslim veiled women were facing a stigmatization exerted by the state, and the Western community in general, raised the debate of whether the veil is a civil liberty, or a religious, patriarchal symbol which is not compatible within a secular state. This research is dealing with both concepts of veil and stigmatization; however, it is to some extent a contrast to this controversy. Stigmatization of veiled women in the West, and of unveiled women in Muslim societies are in a way or another close to each other, a double-sided coin. Even though, stigmatization of the veiled and of the unveiled, the Western environment and the Islamic environment, makes both controversies switch sides. In the West, it is the veiled who is stigmatized, which means that the Muslim community here is the victim; however, in Muslim societies, Muslims may be the offenders, as far as veiling the woman is concerned. Obviously, Muslims living in MENA region are supportive of the civil freedom to wear a veil in the West. However, in Muslim societies, the same concept of civil freedom to not wear a veil is violated. Without forgetting to mention that in a society characterized by patriarchy and male dominance, even veiled women are likely to be facing stigmatization and oppression, such as in sexual harassment, sexual abuse, discrimination and physical violence.