In my Brooklyn neighborhood, many women cover their heads - not full Burqua but Hijab or some other variation (I'm not familiar enough to be sure which of the images it matches). Many wear it with traditional dress, but the especially the younger girls where it with jeans and sneakers and are being silly laughing like all teenagers on their way to school. Some with mothers not wearing it, some with, some with friends covering their heads, some not. For some maybe their father insists, but for some I'm sure it's a choice as well. But they do occasionally get looks or head shakes as if to say "poor thing."
My neighborhood also has orthodox and hasidic jews, and all those women (married at least) cover their heads as well, but with wigs, not scarfs. How come it doesn't seem to be as much of an issue that they cover? I don't see many debates on whether jewish women are being forced to cover their heads. It seems we assume they're doing it by choice. Just a thought.
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