Women

Swami, Viren, et al. “Is the Hijab Protective? An Investigation of Body Image and Related Constructs among British Muslim women.”

Donya Ishaq

Swami, Viren, et al. “Is the Hijab Protective? An Investigation of Body Image and Related Constructs among British Muslim women.” British Journal of Psychology, vol. 105, no. 3, Aug. 2014, pp. 352-363.

This study was an investigation of the relationship between wearing the hijab and body image among British Muslim women. They conducted a survey of 587 women and found that those who wore the hijab had a more positive body image, higher self-esteem, and greater satisfaction with their appearance than those who did not wear the hijab. The authors concluded that the hijab may serve as a protective factor for body image and related constructs among Muslim women. This study provides strong support for my thesis by presenting a thorough analysis of survey data that demonstrates how the Islamic concept of modesty, as exemplified by the wearing of the hijab, has a positive impact on body image and related constructs among Muslim women. The authors of the article are all well-established researchers in the field of psychology. Also, The article was published in the British Journal of Psychology, which is a reputable and peer-reviewed academic journal. This means that the article underwent a rigorous review process by experts in the field before it was accepted for publication. However, the study is limited by its focus on a specific sample of British Muslim women and may not be generalizable to other contexts or populations. 

  • “The results indicate that the women who wore the hijab had significantly more positive body image, higher self-esteem, and greater satisfaction with their appearance compared to those who did not wear the hijab” (425).
  • “These findings suggest that the hijab may serve as a protective factor for body image and related constructs among Muslim women, and that the positive psychological effects associated with the hijab may counteract the negative effects of Western beauty ideals and media images” (428).

Our Bodies! Our Choice! Winning the Fight for Reproductive Rights By Evelyn Sell

Amanee Ahmed

Sell, Evelyn. Our Bodies! Our Choice! Winning the Fight for Reproductive Rights. New York, NY: F.I.T, 1991. 

Evelyn Sell founded and served as a state officer for the Texas Abortion Coalition. She is currently a part of the NOW chapter in Los Angeles. Sell, a United Teachers Los Angeles member, and contributed to the formation of the union’s Human Rights Committee. She is a contributing editor of the Fourth Internationalist Tendency’s monthly newspaper, Bulletin in Defense of Marxism. Evelyn Sell explains the background and ongoing fight for abortion rights in the US in “Our Bodies! Our Choice!”. The book makes the case that reproductive rights are a crucial component of women’s autonomy and self-determination and emphasizes how abortion restrictions disproportionately harm marginalized communities, especially low-income women, and women of color. The book concludes by arguing that the fight for abortion rights should continue to be a crucial part of the larger campaign for reproductive justice. This book is useful towards my topic because it talks about the importance of women having control over their own bodies, and that they should have the choice whether they want an abortion or not. 

  1. “Every aspect of a woman’s existence is affected by reproductive choices: her role in society, educational pursuits, job opportunities, physical and mental health, patterns of daily life, and personal relationships.” (Sell)
  2. “The Supreme Court stopped short of actually reversing the 1973 decision on Roe v. Wade but the justices have continued to chop away women’s reproductive rights — with especially disastrous results for poor women, low-paid female workers, youths, and women of color.” (Sell)