Esalaam/Hello ... Wondering what everyone thought of this?


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COPENHAGEN, Denmark — A Danish TV station said Tuesday it has chosen an Iraqi-born woman as winner of the Miss Headscarf 2008 competition, as the Nordic country debates Islamic traditions in the aftermath of a deadly attack on its embassy.

Judges picked 18-year-old Huda Falah from photographs of 46 contestants in an Internet-based pageant organized by public broadcaster DR1's teenage show. Falah was chosen because the light blue Islamic headscarf was "a fantastic and shocking color," said Uffe Buchhardt, one of the judges.

The contest highlights a continuing debate over Islamic traditions in Denmark, which drew world attention in 2006 when Danish caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad triggered violent protests in Muslim countries.

A June 2 bombing, claimed by Al Qaeda, outside the Danish Embassy in Pakistan killed six people. An Al Qaeda commander said it was carried out to fulfill the promise of Usama bin Laden to avenge the Feb. 13 reprinting in Danish papers of a cartoon depicting Islam's Prophet Muhammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban.

Organizers of the monthlong TV competition said they started it as "an alternative way of encouraging young people to participate in the debate, by addressing them on their terms," DR1 said, adding it was a fashion — not a beauty — contest. /**/

First prize in the contest included an iPod, a headscarf designed by a Danish fashion boutique and a one-year subscription to the English-language Muslim Girl Magazine.

Falah, who is studying to become a social worker, moved to Denmark with her family in 1997. She started wearing a headscarf at age 9.

She said by participating in the contest she hoped to help remove barriers between young Muslims and Danes "who don't talk easily because of the image (of Muslims) created by the media."

The contest has sparked little debate in Denmark where the government has said it will introduce laws to bar judges in court from wearing religious attire or insignia, including Islamic head scarves, crucifixes, Jewish skull caps and turbans.

But the Islamic Faith Community, a small Copenhagen-based Muslim organization, had advised young women not to participate in the contest.

"The whole point of the headscarf is that it's a symbol of chastity," the group's spokeswoman, Bettina Meisner, told The Associated Press. "We don't wish young women to expose themselves as objects."

Though I am afraid this will turn into another thread about hijab, I think anything that opens the door to dialogue about the images of Muslims is a postive thing.

LOL i'm wearing one very similar to that but in brown right now! Mine is cotton though. I love that style for work since I have no desire to be messing with pins when I'm trying to post on vj work.


I'd like to see pics of the competition!

Here are the contestants:

http://community.dr.dk/default.ns?lngItemID=1400

I don't know how to copy the picture but there's a few in here that aren't even hijab! Is that really the name of the contest?

????

It was apparently a "Headscarf" competition, not a "Hijab" contest -- open to all -- although many of the contestants are wearing hijab.

Thanks for the link to the scarf-testants MK!

My fav is this one: modern, great color combination, easy to wear for the active lifestyle, goes from casual to evening easily


Least fav (to be kind) is : print looks old fashinoned, but I think its a kuffiyeh (if it is a keffiyeh, then it is even worse than I thought- that look should come off much better than this attempt) and tied to look like a helmet. And what was she thinking with that half nod, half stare look?

I like the first one, too ! There are quite a few that look really nice.

But that second one (yeah I think it's supposed to be a keffiyeh) -- well I couldn't help but laugh -- that's absurd-looking !

See..a keffiyah is so classic, so traditional that it is timeless. It can also be modern, political or just fashion. This girl just made it frumpy.

I've seen it worn like that before... but tied behind the head. it's like a precursor to pulling it over the face. Being that I don't see her hanging around in a dust storm at the moment, i don't see WHY anyone would ever do that and just leave it like that. it looks silly. Worse, though, is that helmet and the come hither look.



Hmmm. I see a remarkable likeness.

I knew I had seen that look somewhere before! Thanks Julianna!

They are all beautiful and modest women! I like quite a few, and yes because its more of a "scarf" than a hijab contest, there are some either not covering their bodies or their hair. My favorite:

Bwaaaahhhaaaaahhaaaaaaahhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Some of those are obviously kidding.

I like this one, but I'm not sure if I'm just influenced by how pretty this girl is! I would wear this.

I think the cat with the lime on its head should have won.

Personally, I kinda do not like how made the headscarf or hijeb into a beauty contest. Isn't that totally oppose of its purpose?I just wonder how the parents validated their daughters entering into these contests? Seems kinda odd, in France Muslims are getting hymenoplasty from fear of their parents and in Danemark they are entering beauty contests!

I agree

Also, yes, I did think the purpose of hijab was modesty and the purpose of a beauty contest somewhat conflicts with that as it's showing yourself off.

Don't get me wrong ... I like the stylish hijebs with patterns ... but not sure if I would want my daughter entering into a beauty contest ... hijebi or otherwise 'regular' one either.

That was some of the criticism by one or more Islamic societies in Denmark- that the women were being seen as objects in such a contest.

I do not (personally) think too much of Islamic societies' criticism as most of the time they are lead by macho-men Cheikh whoever or other sitting comfortably in KSA on a golden oil throne. Sorry! I would be more interested in examing the women (Muslims) in Europe and elsewhere ... who either on one extreme ... still live in the former country 'women are worthless' shadows then the other extreme ... women who think this is how to deal with Islamophobia.

If this was just a fashion show ... then I would not have a problem but when the 'contest' part comes into play ... then my eyebrows got raised.

I don't mind the contest but I could swear I saw one girl with a sleeveless dress to her knees with no headscarf on so that's why I was wondering if it really was a hijab contest. Maybe I clicked on the wrong link or something but I cant reclick till this afternoon.

You didn;t click the wrong link. Here is an example of the type of pic you are thinking you saw.


It is called a head scarf contest. It comes about in the wake of the outrage of the publication of those Danish political cartoons in 2006 which were so controversial. I know many of these women failed to meet the standards of hijab held by many Muslims, but I think that is part of the point. What does the head scarf mean? Who wears it? There are many interpretations and rationales behind choosing to put a scarf on your head. And I like that this could open up some dialogue.

Remember to enter you just took a photo and uploaded it to the site. Who is to say these are all Muslim women? Some might have been lookig for fame.

whoops my bad...i was talking about this one (finally figured out how to capture it)




but when it was smaller it looked like she wasn't wearing a headscarf which was the cause for my confusion.

If the vote is just for headscarves then I vote for this one. I like the hippie chic look of it.

If that was a Muslim woman, then I am a man! If I saw that woman in the street, she wouldn't bother me... but when included in this type of contest .... Hmm As you say, probably looking or fame!

Muslims are not the only ones who wear headscarfs. Jews, nuns, Amish Mennonites, Russian Orthodox and are included in many national dress. . And until just recently wasn't the headscarf/cover normal part of the women's dress? But what do all of these have in common? Modesty!Not to mention cancer patients, medical staff and food service workers.

I would be interested to hear from any Christians or Jews (or others) who veil here ...

Julianna wears head scarves........

Thanks henia for helping me make my point more clear. I was trying to say that if the motive behind this contest was to raise the point that looking at a head scarf may not be what we think it means. Lots of reasons to wear it, lots of cultures and religious groups wear it. I hope the intent behind this contest was to challenge the ignorant stereotype some westerners have towrds Muslim women- whether they see it as a sign of oppression or terrorism or any where in between.

She had a small scarf wrapped around the top part of her hair I think

Julianna, would love to hear your thoughts? ( I donnow your religion ... but I guess it does not matter really)

(Oops, I should wrote the question: Any non-Muslims who veil here care to comment?)

But really back to my point ... when we think of the word: headscarf what comes to mind first? Muslims, Islam, women right? Even thou, as I said many other groups veil (including men)

Interesting enough, but slightly off topic, Toureg men veil their faces while the women donnot.

And also another thought ... this Falah girl, how does she except to remove barriers btwn her and other Danes? Other then now she will be recognized on the street? As someone already said motive seems to be fame here.

Also, this was sponsored by Danes right? Why? Didn't they want to ban headscarves and other religious symbols?All this just seems like propoganda .. just as ignorant as on Women's Day a group of people dressed up statues in Islamic garb in Budapest.

For me personally, I do need some beauty contest to prove that what is done in my religion (or any other practices in any religion/culture) is acceptable and valid. To each their own. I mean, truly does peice of cloth really bother anyone ... to the point that a professor could not each a class, or goverments run? Dare I say NO! Dress has alot to do with culture. Example; we cannot force Indian women to get rid of their Saris and begin to wear Levi's; I daresay.

And for me, that I am sooooo railed up since that would be pointless but this beauty contest is just another lame validation, not for non-Muslims or non-headcovered people to except 'veiling' ... but for the people actually covering. Thatis suddenly 'cool' ... Not the point at all I think.

Final personal note: Pre and Post Islam ... I always thought it was 'cool' to be modest. And not have my sh*t hang out. Classy ladies usually get the respect.

Oops, edit plz ... forgot to type NOT in the last thought. I do NOT need some beauty contest to .... Sorry everyone!

Well, I just always liked covering at least the bottom half of me! I know that may sound weird, but i was a pants-only/long skirt person for years and years before anything else. I just don't like my legs. Then I moved to long-sleeves only, then finally hair-covering. I guess I don't see the point in covering your hair as modest if you're going to be wearing short sleeves or something. That's an obvious show though, of my feelings of heirarchy of parts to cover. I'm always asked if I have cancer

I shaved my head in high school, and wore a scarf at the time. I was asked the same often. It as neither for illness or religious reasons though!

I did that too, LaL!!! Back in the day, tho, we called it a doo-rag!

haha - well - i always heard the boys on the football team (who ALL shaved their heads) calling them that - but mine were purty silk things from my parents travels and my grandmother's vintage stuff.

Did your mom cry when she saw it for the first time? Mine did (awww) but my dad just smiled and said - "oh you look just like you did when you were two!". Was a funny time.

I am sorry people keeping asking if you have cancer

Most of mine were my grandmother's too! I still have this one beautiful green one that I wear on occasion (& some old lacy ones from my "Madonna" phase- lol!). Mom didn't cry (at least not in front of me) but she & dad both would roll their eyes when I'd come home w/ a new look - spiky hair, neon pink/blue or purple, new piercings, etc. I still have this great photo of when I lived in NYC - my hair was growing back in from being buzzed and it was platinum blond. I was in the park w/ my niece & nephew sitting on the swings in my leather moto jacket! Oh, to scan and have that pic preserved... I love it!
I got the occasional cancer comment too while sporting my super short hair!