Lynda,

Your predicate that people find Muslim women's scarf threatening is deeply frauded in the first place.

The Islam religion is threatening, NOT a piece of cloth material.

Your old precept that "...women wearing headscarves were foreigners to me." were as ignorant as your naive presumption that "...these women would be submissive...oppressed.."

Your inexperience is further highlighted by a WOW 'discovery' that: "most of the girls I spoke to...were extremely independent and career-driven... outspoken... what they wanted and where they were going in life."

The fact is, all those girls have stuck to an ideology and determined to be different. They have gone through a mental challenge as a coherent squad that made them strong, and now their mental strength is reflected on your lack of experience.

They are even more proud to know their strength is making an impression on people, someone likes you.

My challenge to you is - Show some strength yourself by responding to comments on your article, and hopefully learn a few things through a two-way dialogue.

Cornflower: "Islam is a political movement and the scarf is a flag symbolising separateness - that is the whole idea of it, to be an obvious, constant reminder.
How appropiate would it be to always wear a headband with another country's flag, because that is what the scarf is intended to be."

To some, yes. To others, no. You're generalising about more than a billion people. The NSW election was held on friday. One of the parties involved was the Christian Democratic Party (CDP).
This is religion as a political movement.

Now, I appreciate that much more of Islam is politicised. There are plenty of Islamic governments, and at this point in history, Islam certainly appears more threatening than Christianity does.

But Cornflower, allow me to put a hypothetical argument to you - say the CDP did become a majority party in Australia.
If New Zealand then moved to ban the cross, because they saw it as people expressing loyalty to a foreign political party, rather than the religion, would you agree?

runner - yes, we get that in many parts of the world Islam is used as a justification for oppression. What you fail to take into account, is the views expressed by the women in the article.

In assuming they are nothing but oppressed people, you aren't giving them due credit.

I like scarves, they're colourful and they can keep hair from ones eyes, as they do for soccer players who prefer long hair.
The hijab is another thing altogether, hiding expression of the face assists misinterpretation.

Seeking personal identity by wearing any apparel is immature, similar to that of a foxtail and red stripe on a car, bellbottom trousers, alright maybe for a teenager but little more.

Islam is anti democratic, like communism or nazism, and is bound to attract democratic disapproval. If wearing a scarf is to identify ones politics do it at your risk, partiularly if that belief is in a democratic country, like posting your political beliefs on a blog. Should it be so? of course not but until something better comes along
I will defend democracy by ignoring testament which is anti democratic
fluff

I have to admit that I am somewhat intimidated by an overt proclamation of a person's religious conviction be it a headscarf or any other headgear. I wonder whether they would feel the same way if I paraded around with atheiest tatooed on my forhead. Would that be a recognition that I don't recognise their faith and they would be intimidated by it ?
I suggest that no one feels comfortable with anyone who doesn't hold the same opinions or attitudes that he/she does. I am not comfortable with any religion be it the Hillsong mob, Evangelist, Sunni, Morman, Quaker,Jew,Catholic, Protestant or anyone who would like to make a political decision based on their faith, and their dress is a reminder of that fact. Let's face it, they all have an agenda whether its abortion, euthanasia or simply teaching intelligent design in schools. So I'm glad that I live in a secular society where religious dogma doesn't have too much influence.......yet.

Goodness me. The nations where Islam is a repressive political force are often those propped up by the USA. Democracy in Iran was killed by USA interference. The Ayatollah was a reaction to the repressive regime of the Shah, whose secret police, SAVDAK, were funded by the CIA. Saudi Arabia is also supported by the US. Sukarno in Indonesia was undermined by the USA.

Some Islamic fundamentalists repress woman. Some Christian fundamentalists repress women. Here instead of the scarf, we sexualise pre-pubescent children, & encourage anorexia. There are child prostitutes in brothels. They are just hidden. Can Christians claim superiority?

The basic tenets of all religions are those of enlightenment values. Religions have always been used by political parties to stir up popular support for wars & power grabbing & Empire building. I guess it's easier to be offended by women on our streets wearing head scarves than to be offended by the hundreds of thousands of dead Islamic civilian women in Iraq. Howard has implanted his racist agenda well hasn't he?

"How appropiate would it be to always wear a headband with another country's flag, because that is what the scarf is intended to be.."

Sorry, are all Australians required to wear 'appropriate' attire now? I must have missed that memo.

I wear what I want.
Others wear what they want.

Now be happy that we're all free to do this.

HAPPY! NOW!