Why Donât Men Cover Their Faces?
We used to play at my auntâs garden when we were youngerâŚgirls and boys, there was no difference⌠we grew up together⌠we used to race, play, laugh⌠sometimes we would fight playfully⌠we used to watch TV together⌠cry at the end of sad cartoons together⌠we grew a bit older… we began to study for our classes together⌠whenever weâd fight we used to threaten the other that weâd tell on them to the teacher⌠we used to play practical jokes on one another⌠weâd laugh with all our heartsâŚ
And so the days went byâŚ
My cousin and I are staring outside the window⌠we are looking at the garden where my male cousin and his friends are playing⌠this is the garden where we used to play together⌠they used to be our friends once upon a time⌠these are the boys we used to play with⌠what happened? Why are we prisoners at home, while they play ball outside with all freedom⌠what did we do? Did we grow older? Did our bodies change? Did we become an object of temptation that needs to be covered from peopleâs eyes? Arenât those the boys we knew since we were children? What changed? Why are we strangers? Why do I run and hide whenever I hear one of their voices? Is it just because the pitch of his voice changed? Is that why we arenât friends anymore? Are we supposed to act differently towards one another? Different to how we acted just yesterday? We started to act shy and anxious whenever weâd speak⌠we stopped playing with one another⌠My cousin and I began spending our spare time watching Mexican soap operas, as if we were in our 50sâŚ
And so the days went byâŚ
I am at schoolâŚwe are learning about what a woman should cover⌠her hair is temptation⌠her eyebrows are temptation⌠I remembered my favorite male singer⌠his eyes were beautiful too⌠his hair is beautiful⌠why doesnât he veil? I asked myself this question, however, I couldnât find the answer⌠I remembered that I was banned from playing in the garden because I hit puberty⌠however, my male friends werenât⌠didnât they hit puberty too? Why werenât they imprisoned at home? I also couldnât find the answerâŚ
And so the days went byâŚ
I hear it all the time⌠âA woman is a jewel that needs to be protected (i.e. covered)â⌠and sometimes it is even said that a woman is like candy âif you remove the wrapper (i.e. the cover) the flies will swarm around herâ⌠I turn on the TV and find that favorite male singer that I am so fond of brushing his soft silky hair and flaunting his handsomeness⌠his arms are bare⌠his chest is bare⌠why isnât this object of temptation covered? Why isnât he imprisoned at home? Why arenât women tempted by him? Some might claim that a woman shouldnât look at this⌠then shouldnât men shield their gaze when looking at a tempting female âobjectâ? I couldnât find the answerâŚ
And so the days went byâŚ
I am at university⌠I see some people distributing a small religious book⌠âTemptations of a WomanââŚHer hair⌠her feet⌠her eyes, and âthus, a woman must cover one of her eyes as both of them together are temptingââŚI swear this is what I read in this book!… itâs as if there is nothing left in this world to talk about and scrutinize other than a woman and how she is a temptationâŚI decided to observe menâs looksâŚI wanted to know which women would attract men with her temptation⌠in front of me walks a woman wearing a tight Abaya (long black cover)⌠aha!.. I found her⌠she is an object of temptation⌠I continue watching⌠in front of me walks a woman with a baggy Abaya, however, with an uncovered faceâŚthe man stares at her⌠aha! So her face is also a temptation⌠a third woman walks in front of me… her face is covered and she is wearing a baggy Abaya from top to toe⌠the man is staring at her! Huh? I donât understand⌠what is so tempting about a black Abaya? No eyes, no feet⌠What is this man staring at? At that moment I realized that clothing has nothing to do with it⌠men would stare on all occasions⌠however, he, with his broad shoulders and his hair, eyes and lips isnât considered an object of temptation, even if all the women in the world started at himâŚÂ he is a manâŚhe shouldnât hide in his home⌠no one calls him a jewel… at that moment I wished I wasnât a jewel. I wished to be a free manâŚ
And so the days went byâŚ
I am in a Western country… women are walking around meâŚone is wearing pants… the other is wearing a short skirtâŚanother wears shortsâŚmen and women are walking side by side⌠it is strange… no one is staring⌠why donât I see the looks of men I saw in my country? Those looks that made a woman feel naked⌠those looks that I hated⌠the ones that made me hate being on this earth, and hate being born a woman⌠those looks that deny me my humanityâŚwhy donât I see those looks here? All the women are dressed up⌠why donât I see those looks even though all the women are attractive here? I saw one women run and laugh⌠I remembered that I wasnât allowed to run once I hit puberty⌠I remembered my auntâs window⌠I remembered I was an object of temptation that must be covered⌠I remembered that a man in my country wears white, while I am covered in black⌠I asked myself, why donât men wear black? Why donât men cover their faces? And I couldnât find the answerâŚ
And so the days go byâŚ
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