[wanita-muslimah] Ice Princess Zahra Lari

http://www.altmuslimah.com/a/b/spa/4618/


Zahra Lari: An example for women of faith


BY ASHLEY MCGUIRE, APRIL 25, 2012

She's been called the "Ice Princess in the Hijab." And I think she
rocks. Zahra Lari is a 17-year-old Olympic figure-skating hopeful from
the United Arab Emirates. And you can't miss her because she wears a
black hijab instead of sparkly hair clips and nylon pants instead of
the characteristic shiny nude tights. I love seeing a Muslim woman as
a competitive athlete. I just love it. I was crushed when the Iranian
women's soccer team was disqualified from the Olympics because of
their headscarves.


I thought it was misogynistic to tell those women, already living
under a regime that is restrictive to women, that their dream was
off-limits simply because they were lawful Iranian women covering
their heads. The images of those strong women, humiliated and crying
on the field, was devastating.

As a non-Muslim, I have my own mixed views about the hjiab. I don't
understand why a woman would have to cover her hair to be modest. But
I have also seen and met Muslim women who embrace the headscarf or the
hijab who have a twinkle in their eyes and a freedom in their spirit
that must come from shielding oneself from our grasping,
hyper-sexualized world.

And I know non-Catholics might look at my faith's teaching against
artificial contraception, for example, as backwards and oppressive, as
many rush to label the hijab. But I am grateful and appreciative
towards those who try to understand, or at least recognize that I find
freedom and dignity in the choice to obey that teaching.

As women of faith, we owe each other understanding and support in our
choices that may defy the culture's terms for our empowerment. It is
our right to follow our consciences and make religious choices. And
whether the state tries to take that right away through the law, or
whether society tries to shame us away from our rights, women of faith
should be allies in defending one another's right to religious choice.

Zahra Lari could have run away from her family and defied the hijab.
She probably would have become some feminist hero for doing so. But I
think she is a feminist hero nonetheless. She became the first woman
in the world to compete in international figure skating in a hijab. In
my book, that is more noteworthy than being the first woman to land a
quadruple axel. Because that takes a kind of courage that stirs only
the deepest part of the soul. She made a choice that would no doubt
engender scrutiny from the ultra-conservative religious community that
doesn't want to see a woman dancing on skates and from the liberal
pundits who don't like seeing women in a Muslim headcovering.

Guts, my friends. Guts.

Speaking of her ambition, Lari recently said, "In my country women
don't do much sport and even less figure skating. . . . I want to
encourage girls from the Emirates and the Gulf to achieve their dream
too and not to let anyone tell them not to do sport, not only figure
skating but all sports." And defending her hijab, she said, "I skate
with the hijab, my costume is in line with Islamic tradition."

Her defense was refreshingly simple and straightforward, almost as if
to say, "I don't really owe you an explanation."

Zahra Lari exemplifies to the world that you can be a practicing
Muslim woman who is competitive, ambitious, and bold. That is a good
example for all women of faith, particularly in a world that
increasingly views religion as incompatible with female strength and
empowerment.

Lari brought to mind the 1980s classic movie, Chariots of Fire. The
film centers around two athletes: Eric Liddell, a Scottish Christian
who runs for the express purpose of glorifying God, and Harold
Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome anti-Semitism. Both men
refuse to compromise their faith for the sport, and they are better
athletes because of it.

Whether she intended it or not, Zahra Lari has brought Chariots of
Fire to the rink. But she is a woman in a part of the world where
women are still barred from many opportunities. And a Muslim in a time
when anti-Muslim sentiment runs strong. She has brought Chariots of
Fire to a whole new level.

So rock on, Ms. Lari.

Ashley McGuire is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AltMuslimah's
sister site, AltCatholicah.com.


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