Why is it men always feel able to judge and comment on what women choose to wear and what not where? What’s it too them?

Why do women is some Islamic countries see Australian women being oppressed because they don't wear it? Because when women in Australia do where it in public they are subject to being spat on and open to all kinds of name calling, (not to mention school yard bullying), post 9/11. The Victorian police have some good stats on the rise of racial abuse of Australian women for wearing a head scarf in public.

Women should have the genuine freedom to where what they want without public harassment for wearing the short skirt to a head scarf.

Which Australians see the wearing of a hijab as a symbol of oppression for Muslim women? It is doubtful that many Australians care whether or not Muslim women are oppressed. If they are oppressed, let them do something about it for themselves; particularly those living in Australia, where there are laws to protect them from oppression. What goes on in other countries, Muslim or otherwise, is no concern of ours.

This hijab, headscarf argument has already been done to death on OLO a long time ago. Headscarves in Australia look stupid, attract attention – some of it dangerous – and alienate their wearers from the rest of society, which is probably want scarf-wearers want anyway.

If some people want to look different, let them. It’s their ‘funeral’

Mr Right

“Headscarves in Australia look stupid, attract attention – some of it dangerous – and alienate their wearers from the rest of society, which is probably want scarf-wearers want anyway” So according to your logic women who wear short skirts are uncovered meat that deserve whatever happens to them as they want it anyway?

How the hell do you know what these women want – ever bothered to talk to them??

Actually the headscarf IS an innocent piece of clothing. Not so long ago we ALL wore our headscarf's,-(HM Lizzie STILL wears hers..) No problems there Kees...?

It has nothing to do with 'headscarf's'-(YOUR terminology),-has it? It has EVERYTHING to do with the TYPE of headscarf;-and WHO is wearing it.

Your objection, first of all, IS based on that fact;-yet scarves on the head have been worn by western cultures for a long time.

Secondly,-your concern about 'Muslim' women being 'forced' to wear it. (The tedious all or nothing logic again). How do you KNOW that ALL of your selected group ARE forced to wear it?

Can you even entertain the idea that some Muslim women PREFER/CHOOSE to wear THEIR type of headscarf?

Or does that FACT detract from your REAL message?

What exactly DO you mean about a headscarf being 'no innocent' piece of clothing?

I would like to ask how many Muslim women have been asked about this issue by the author. Judging by personal experience most Muslim women in Australia wear a hijab out of respect for their religion and/or other personal reasons. Indeed, I even talked to one girl who's family was opposed to it.

Do you know why they were opposed to her wearing a traditional headscarf? They believed that their daughter would feel the prejudice that seems to be prevalent in Australian society against Muslim women.

This "all or nothing" view about Muslim women is wrong and is indeed a view that is wrong for most, if not all, issues. A great book to read on this type of issue is "Does my head look big in this?" by Randa Abdel-Fattah. It's a book that describes how an Australian Muslim girl's life changes when she decides to wear a hijab of her volition.

My mother didn't leave the house with a scarf on her head for 40 years, no-one told her too but she wanted to keep her hair nice. Who for no-one has ever been able to fathom because no-one gave a toss.

What about centuries of nuns, or orthodox jewish women who must wear wigs or scarves, or Exclusive Brethren and other religious sects?

You boys really need to stop getting your jocks in a twist - it is a small piece of material. Nothing more.