Covered life gives new perspective

Ana McKenzie

Daily Texan Staff

I first noticed Spencer Wall in my religion and society class toward
the end of last semester. She wasn’t particularly outspoken, but the
shawl that covered her hair, neck and shoulders made her stand out in
the large class.

I usually gave her nothing more than a completely unconscious
glance. But when she revealed to the class the decision that she made
on April 27, I suddenly became aware of the attention I gave her.

Wall, a 20-year-old sociology and English senior, decided to assume
the characteristics and attire of a “typical” Muslim woman for a year
starting in late April.

She wears the traditional veil, or “hijab,” and loose-fitting
clothing everywhere she goes and does not consume pork or alcohol in
public. She avoids eye and physical contact with men and has adopted
modest habits like walking with her arms glued to her sides or crossed
in front of her to hide her chest. 

I witnessed the looks Wall gets on a daily basis when we met at Kerbey Lane on the Drag recently.  

She’s wearing a hijab splashed with vibrant shades of green and
blue. A long-sleeved, black shirt and floor-length aqua skirt reveals
only a few inches of skin.

 Some who pass us try to be inconspicuous with their intrigue,
limiting themselves to quick side glances. But most don’t even try to
be candid with their exaggerated double-takes or blatant stares.

She passes by a group waiting to be seated, and all of them stare at
the back of her head as she walks away. One guy even rolls his eyes.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” she says when I tell her about the group. “But look around. They’re not the only ones.”

She insists her decision is not a social experiment but more of a
personal learning experience. As a white female from a small, West
Texas town, Wall says she wanted to know what it would be like to be
part of a “noticeable minority.”

“I’m not representing Muslim women or the Muslim community,” she
says. “I just want to know what it’s like to walk in their shoes for a
while.”

Initially, Wall elaborates on her “learning experience” when people
would ask her questions, the most common being “So, where are you
from?” She has abandoned these efforts. Now, when people ask about her
attire, she simply says she is not Muslim but wears the hijab because
she chooses to do so.

This explanation is not entirely untrue, as Wall admits to not being able to leave her home without the clothing. 

“I decided a while ago that I was going to try and not wear the
hijab for 24 hours,” she says. “I couldn’t even make it for half that.”

Wall says she receives different reactions when she wears the hijab.
A man once fell into a display at Wal-Mart because he was staring at
her. One day a group of male patrons at the restaurant where she works
refused to be served by her. The same group called her derogatory
names. But most of the time she said she is just respectfully avoided.

“I wouldn’t say guys don’t hit on me, but they do so in a very
different way now,” she says. “It’s more respectful, less forward.”

The experience has taught Wall to pay attention to smaller details
that would make a traditional Muslim lifestyle difficult to follow in
the United States.

One day at a clothing store, Wall had to ask for a sheet to cover a
gap between the floor and dressing room door so she could hide her bare
legs as she changed. Her job as a waitress presents one of the most
awkward situations as it naturally entails a lot of physical contact
with strangers, which is not allowed for Muslim women, she said. 

Wall has grown to appreciate this sort of privacy and, in some ways,
respect it. Perhaps the most unexpected outcome of the experience is a
newfound devotion to her Christian faith. The Islamic faith requires
followers to pray five times a day, the first prayer being at 5 a.m.
Though Wall has not yet assumed this tradition, she admits she may in
the future, and finds herself praying more often.

“You know we live in a society that is very unconscious of daily
religious activities,” she said. “Throughout this experience, I have
noticed myself becoming much more aware of God.”

Throughout our conversation, I find myself wanting to discuss the
most obvious topic, but can’t bring it up without having to continually
justify myself. Doesn’t she feel constricted and even oppressed by the
practices she is assuming?

Wall’s candidness to discuss such issues validates my impression of
her. She constantly reassures me to ask even the most probing questions
and to present any debate, illustrating a maturity and intelligence
uncommon for a 20-year-old.

“This experience has taught me to respect a woman’s decision to stay
home with her children or wear a hijab or go out and become CEOs,” Wall
said.

She finishes her sentence, as I notice a young woman staring at the back of Wall’s head.

Her eyes momentarily follow the outline of the brightly colored veil
and then quickly move away. Instead of feeling sorry for Wall and
assuming that the attention is warranted by feelings of resentment or
fear, I soon wonder if the girl is instead intrigued by the hijab.

Wall admits to only showing her hair in the most intimate of
settings, and I realize that I’m slightly jealous of someone who
respects something I easily take for granted.

function clearField(el) {
if (el.value == el.defaultValue) el.value = ”;
}

function resetField(el) {
if (el.value == ”) el.value = el.defaultValue;
}