# Would/Should Non-Muslim Women Wear Headscarves? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 10, 2015, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047 "2015-12-10T04:33:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/21 "2015-12-10T13:39:00Z")
> [@Tithonus](#): > > It’s interesting that they’re not wearing niqabs. Surely that would be a far more effective way to make the point. Make what point, that people like yourself confuse the Saudi Salafistes with the muslims in general across the board? > [@even\_sven](#): > > How? Very, very few Muslim women wear niqabs. Exact. The niqab is rare even among the devout, it is a salafiste sectarian thing and a Saudi-wahhabi thing, not muslim in general and rarely seen. ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/22 "2015-12-10T13:45:46Z")
The image of the hidjab contre the niqab is seen even in this cartoon of Hidjab Fasion from the Syrian cartoonist in 2007 [and while it is very Dasascene, the variations are what one has everywhere in the north africa and middle east regions with some slight differences](https://adiamondinsunlight.wordpress.com/2007/05/26/hijab-fashion-shami-style/), from Hidjab sexy to hidjab chic, etc. The niqab, even in the Syria is marked ‘wahhabe’ for that is the sectarians who wear it. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/23 "2015-12-10T13:55:35Z")
I’m a non-Muslim man, and I think the Hijab can be a cute look. If a woman wants to wear one because she thinks it looks good, that’s fine by me. ---
**Author:** ![Memnon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Memnon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Memnon)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/24 "2015-12-10T13:56:48Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > How? Very, very few Muslim women wear niqabs. But, proportionately, they’re much more likely to be on the receiving end of Islamophobic behaviour. ---
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/25 "2015-12-10T14:06:19Z")
No. Just no. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/26 "2015-12-10T14:30:30Z")
I have a collection of pashmina scarves, they are great as random coverings, head scarves, shawls and light blankets [I have a mental twitch about sleeping with no sheet or blankets, and if I nap in my car will use a pashmina as an impromptu naptime cover. Plus neat colors and patterns! I always carry a couple safety pins for clothing repair so securing a headscarf is easy. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Not\_Carlson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/27 "2015-12-10T14:41:24Z")
Sure, why not. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/28 "2015-12-10T14:55:40Z")
I am not a Muslim, and I wear a headscarf about 90% of the time I am outside to protect against the wind. I have very sensitive ears, and get excruciating headaches if they are not protected. Since 2001, I have sometimes thought about the possibility that I could be mistaken for a Muslim woman, but am not concerned enough to stop wearing them. At one point I switched from a heavy dark blue scarf to a pink one, for aesthetic reasons and also because I thought it looked less like a hijab, but eventually the pink one wore out and I’ve gone back to the blue. I’ve never had any indication from anyone that they think I’m a Muslim woman, although occasionally someone will smile at me or be overtly polite, and I will wonder what they are thinking. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/29 "2015-12-10T16:21:12Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > I’ll wear them when traveling in some Muslim areas. They are very practical and they help keep attention away. Plus, no bad hair days. > > I wouldn’t wear one here, but only because I’d dislike the attention. No they don’t. Nothing screams clueless outsider like a Western woman attempting to wear a headscarf in a muslim area. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/30 "2015-12-10T16:26:24Z")
I didn’t bother voting, but I have kerchiefs and I’ve worn them on occasions when it was cold. I might or might not wear one again - depends on how I’m dressed and where I’m going. It’s not a matter of solidarity or anything - just something to keep my head warm or my hair dry. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/31 "2015-12-10T16:47:19Z")
I’m a non-Muslim woman that regularly wears a headscarf though it’s tied at the back of my neck rather than in the front. Occasionally in a professional environment where I wearing a suit or conservative dress, I’ve been mistaken for Muslim. It doesn’t bother me (though on a university campus with a large South East Asian student population overt hostility against Muslim women isn’t a serious danger). ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/32 "2015-12-10T16:51:56Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > No they don’t. Nothing screams clueless outsider like a Western woman attempting to wear a headscarf in a muslim area. I think this is regional. In areas of West Africa, literally 100% of women wear some kind of fabric on their heads. You can’t get clothing made that doesn’t automatically include a scarf. A black scarf or structure hijab would look conspicuous. A tied African-style headscarf would be utterly normal. The matching piece of fabric that comes with most clothing may be tied around the waist or used as a veil. It’d be odd for a westerner to wear it as a veil walking down the street, but normal and practical to wear on public transportation- it shields from the sun and dust, and I found it effective at deterring the gendarmes from trying to shake me down. Spend a few hours in the heat picking fights with the gendarmes flagging down your bus every ten miles, and you’d be glad for a way to hide your face as well. Now, maybe wearing local clothing in general looks a little ridiculous, but what are you gonna do? It’s not like you can pop in to Target when your clothes get holey. ---
**Author:** ![Aangelica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Aangelica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aangelica)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/33 "2015-12-10T16:53:21Z")
I voted no - but that is because wearing _anything_ on my head drives me nuts. I rarely wear hats because the sensation annoys me constantly. And I can’t wear anything at all that’s close around my neck (turtleneck sweaters, for example) without feeling like I’m being strangled all day. Most of the shirts I own are either scoop or v-neck, and the crew-neck t-shirts I own are all stretched out to hell around the neck because I pull on them constantly. If I were travelling (or visiting) somewhere where a head covering was appropriate, I’d suck it up in the name of courtesy. Otherwise, I’ll have to express my solidarity in other ways 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/34 "2015-12-10T17:14:16Z")
No, I won’t be wearing a headscarf. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/35 "2015-12-10T17:17:35Z")
I have covered my head when visiting Islamic countries. I’ve done so for two reasons: respect for my hosts and because my very light blonde hair would cause comment. However, I would not have thought it appropriate to wear an actual Islamic headscarf as I am not a Muslim and such a headcovering is associated strongly with the religion. I would have found that disrespectful. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/36 "2015-12-10T17:37:33Z")
I voted yes but it has nothing to do with Muslim women. If it looked good on me I’d wear one, if not, not. Observers are free to attribute any false motive they’d like. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/37 "2015-12-10T17:57:04Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > How? Very, very few Muslim women wear niqabs. I never saw one until a few years ago, but in certain areas of England they are fairly common. As for the headscarf: Is it much different from that which is worn by nuns? Or that much different from the headscarves common in the UK worn by white British women in the sixties and seventies? (think Hilda Ogden) Or even the “Are you on one matey” bandanas of the late eighties? The Niqab and the headscarf are very different things. I could walk around with a hood and a hat all day, but if I walked around in a full face balaclava I’d be nicked within five minutes. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/38 "2015-12-10T18:01:07Z")
After 9/11, I wore a headscarf because idiots in my city were being twits to women wearing headscarves. Most of whom were Jewish. I hope it doesn’t come to that; I look terrible in a headscarf. Like I’m going to farm potatoes. Anyway, I’ve worn one before and I’d wear one again. Maybe this time I could tie it like Erika Badu. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/39 "2015-12-10T18:03:11Z")
In my area, headscarf wearing woman are probably likely to be Muslim, but might also be members of non-Muslim cultures that also wear headscarves for various traditional, religious-other-than-Muslim, or fashion reasons, so I don’t think it would be that big of a deal if I started wearing one for any reason. I have worn them while in the Middle East for work, in places/at events where it was expressed that it would be appreciated if women wore the shayla. My biggest take-away was that if I put it on myself (and I know how to, technically), it looks like the Parade of Double Chins, but if someone who really knows what they are doing assists me, the results are in face lift territory, which is pretty sweet. Did I really answer the question, would I wear one as a show of solidarity? I wouldn’t take it upon myself to do this AT LARGE … but I would if someone asked me to for a specific reason, like if a woman felt uncomfortable being the only woman in a particular venue wearing hijab, or if there was an event at which Muslims explicitly asked for this gesture of solidarity. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047/40 "2015-12-10T18:08:53Z")
I’m an atheist, and I have no use for religion in my own life. But I support people’s right to religion (even if I think it’s stupid) and their right to wear any idiotic thing they want for their religion, so long as it isn’t a danger (such as totally hidden faces in a niquab). Telling a woman she **must not** wear a headscarf/niquab/hat/open-toed shoes/lipstick/a miniskirt is as offensive as telling a woman she \*\*must \*\*wear one of the above. And since we’re on the subject, someone should tell the idiots to stop beating up Sikh men in turbans. Seriously, I’m embarrassed by our educational system. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-should-non-muslim-women-wear-headscarves/740047.md?page=3)