Whether a woman chooses a burqa or a bikini, she has the right to decide for herself: Malala

Nobel Laureate and Women’s Education Rights Activist Malala Yousafzai, in a recent essay, Please stop telling us how to dress, has talked about the criticism and pressure women have to face on the choice of their dressing.

Malala, sharing some text from her essay on her Instagram, wrote: “Years ago I spoke against the Taliban forcing women in my community to wear burqas – and last month I spoke against Indian authorities forcing girls to remove their hijabs at school. These aren’t contradictions – both cases involve objectifying women. If someone forces me to cover my head, I will protest. If someone forces me to remove my scarf, I will protest.”

“Whether a woman chooses a burqa or a bikini, she has the right to decide for herself. Come and talk to us about individual freedom and autonomy, about preventing harm and violence, about education and emancipation. Do not come with your wardrobe notes,” she added.

“Someday I might make changes to my wardrobe. I also might not. But exploring and understanding clothing will remain part of my life, as will defending every woman’s right to determine what she wears. I love my patterned, floral shalwar kameez. I love my jeans too. And I am proud of my scarves,” she wrote while concluding her essay.

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