Naheed Mustafa's My Body Is My Own Business

Naheed Mustafa in “My body Is My Own Business” says, “in the Western world, the hijab has come to symbolize either forced silence or radical, unconscionable militancy.” As she explains the true meaning behind the hijab she talks about the perceptions that people have of her. Mustafa breaks this perceived silence as she compares her reality to the flawed viewpoints of other Canadians. By explaining the significance of the hijab through her own experiences, this story shows that women in Canada are subjected to absurd standards of beauty that are oppressing women and in turn hindering them from achieving their right to equality. Mustafa connects with the reader from the way the story is told through a personal narrative, collective language, and clever structuring of the content. …show more content…
Firstly, she addresses a common stereotype, whether people perceive her as a Muslim terrorist or as “the poster girl for oppressed womanhood everywhere.” In the story she explains that she often gets strange looks and polite inquiries about how she likes living in Canada. Furthermore, people question why she decides to do this as a young university-educated Canadian. She defends this choice by saying it gives her freedom; she explains it as, “freedom from constant attention to my physical self.” Through her personal choices and experiences she critiques Western standards of beauty as a form of oppression. Mustafa talks about the fact that “from a young age woman are taught their worth is relative to their attractiveness and that those who reject this face ridicule for their personal choices. “She defends wearing a hijab by talking about equality. Mustafa concludes, for woman to obtain true equality they need not to display themselves and need not to defend their decisions to cover their