At 27, Mahinur Ozdemir is by far the youngest deputy to serve in the Belgian parliament in Brussels. As the debate about the Muslim headscarf rages on in several European nations, she has also become a lightening rod for controversy. "I am an example of social integration, and yet I wear the headscarf," says the Belgian national of Turkish origin. When she was sworn in on June 23, 2009, pledging to uphold Belgian laws while clad in her hijab, murmurings of discontent could be heard among her detractors. The news of her confirmation attracted much media attention, particularly in Turkey. "At home, she would be dismissed from parliament," noted one incredulous journalist, who had travelled from Istanbul to cover the event.
At 27, Mahinur Ozdemir is by far the youngest deputy to serve in the Belgian parliament in Brussels. As the debate about the Muslim headscarf rages on in several European nations, she has also become a lightening rod for controversy.
"I am an example of social integration, and yet I wear the headscarf," says the Belgian national of Turkish origin.
When she was sworn in on June 23, 2009, pledging to uphold Belgian laws while clad in her hijab, murmurings of discontent could be heard among her detractors. The news of her confirmation attracted much media attention, particularly in Turkey. "At home, she would be dismissed from parliament," noted one incredulous journalist, who had travelled from Istanbul to cover the event.
She believes the scarf is a part of her identity and says she has worn the head covering since 14 "without obligation". Neither her sister nor her aunts wear the scarf.
She's obviously internalized the androcentric norms of her culture and so is unfit to dress herself, much less serve as a member of Parliament! The march of civilizations is a series of defenses that man has put up against the dread of pure existence.
