Nobel laureate Malala Yousufzai has schooled people for objectifying women with their “wardrobe notes.”
In her latest article ‘Please stop telling us how to dress’, Malala defends every woman’s right to determine what she wears, telling people not to come with their “wardrobe notes.”
“Years ago I spoke against the Taliban forcing women in my community to wear burqas — and last month I spoke against Indian authorities forcing girls to remove their hijabs at school,” she said, adding these aren’t contradictions – “both cases involve objectifying women.”
Malala reiterated: “If someone forces me to cover my head, I will protest. If someone forces me to remove my scarf, I will protest.”
Shedding light on the criticism faced by women around the world, she wrote: “Girls in every corner of the globe understand that, if they are harassed or assaulted on the street, their clothes are more likely to face trial than their attackers.
“Women are constantly being told to put on or take off various items of clothing, constantly sexualised or suppressed. We are beaten at home, punished at school and harassed in public for what we wear.”
Addressing criticism on her dressing, she said that some people were shocked to see her out of the traditional shalwar kameez she wore for much of her early life.
“They criticised me for being too Western and claimed I had abandoned Pakistan and Islam. Some said the jeans were permissible as long as I kept my scarf on.
“Others said my scarf was a symbol of oppression and I should take it off as if I could not be fully emancipated until I erased all traces of my ethnicity and faith,” she added.
“I said nothing. I felt no obligation to defend myself or meet anyone’s expectations of me.”
The nobel laureate concluded the article by saying that someday she might make changes to her wardrobe or she also might not.
“Exploring and understanding clothing will remain part of my life, as will defending every woman’s right to determine what she wears. I love my patterned, floral shalwar kameez. I love my jeans too. And I am proud of my scarves,” she concludes.
