Veil...or the head scarf as many like to call it. That little piece of material I and many other women have chosen to cover our hair with in compliance to our religious .beliefs A little square piece of silk or cotton seems like any other personal choice of appearance, if you put aside the religious aspect which is the most personal choice any human could make. Some might look around our society and notice the great number of veiled women…some might see it as a national custom now a days…some might see it as a proof of intellectual deterioration in the society, or the tangible influence some religious parties are having on the middle to lower class. What ever way the veil is prospected, it stays a personal choice and it stays an act of devotion to a religious belief. One might think that such practice comes natural and smooth in a country that has a majority of Muslims in it, a country that was accustomed to women covering up for hundreds and hundreds of years. Fact is…the veiled upper middle class are being discriminated against and alienated in their own Islamic country. Fact is…the veiled middle and upper middle class women are being categorized as the less elegant, less skillful and less presentable candidates among their unveiled peers. Fact is…Senior positions in most high ranked companies are denied to veiled women no matter how educated, multitalented or experienced they are. Fact is…Job ads. Are bluntly specifying a "NO VEIL" bold sign when requiring skillful calibers…they don't even give the chance for the highly qualified candidate to present herself properly if she is veiled…she is denied even an initial interview in such companies…regardless of her impressive resume or recommendation letters. Such women pay the price of being neglected and face racism in its hidden form in their own country among their own people. Such women feel frustrated and unappreciated each day because of a personal choice that won't harm anyone. Do dress codes now in Egypt restrict the veil? Are they promoting the American and European dress code? Is such a decision based on a professional concept? Could my veil inhibit me from fulfilling my day to day duties in the company? Does it get in the way of my creativity, knowledge and abilities? And for whoever sets company rules, do you know for a fact that I dress poorly and could affect the image of your company? Have you even bothered to meet me? Is it a sufficient reason why I can't have a suitable position with a suitable pay based on my experience and skills? Are such policies meant to step on my veil or meant to step on the very concept of FREEDOM of belief? Nothing will ever step on my freedom of belief; this article is merely about speaking out against the new form of social and professional oppression women like me might experience. I believe in the true meaning of freedom…I believe that we should all respect one another and judgment should be based on ethics and qualifications. I refuse any action of discrimination against anyone whether based on their religion, appearance or any personal choice. This is an invitation for men in power to reconsider their work-book of ethics besides their human one.
