Cultural responses to face coverings: South Asian women’s perspectives

ABSTRACT

This research note conveys the views of three women with South Asian backgrounds on face coverings which became mandatory in certain places in the UK during Covid-19. All three women made connections between wearing face coverings and the practice of veiling associated with Islam. The conversations that ensued explored the ramifications of the action of covering their faces in relation to cultural memories, isolation, and discrimination.

KEYWORDS:

• Face coverings
• Covid-19
• veiling practices

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Correction Statement

This research note has been corrected with a very minor change which has no impact on the academic content of the research note.

Notes

1 1. How has lockdown affected your beliefs with respect to religion? 2. How has lockdown affected your practices with respect to religion? 3. What are your views about online religion? 4. What are the most important things you’ve learnt with respect to your faith during lockdown? 5. Prior to lockdown, how did you worship? 6. How do you think you’ll feel going back to your place of worship after it reopens? 7. Do you think you will continue to make use of online resources in your religious practices? 8. Do you feel supported by leaders or representatives of your faith? 9. Are there any other points you’d like to discuss that haven’t been raised in the survey/interview, or any further comments you’d like to make?

2 Some of the outfits obscured the face entirely.

3 The sub-text—Basu, presumably from a Hindu background—of a Hindu woman pretending to be Muslim in India is interesting.

4 The dupatta is a long scarf that is worn by women from the Indian subcontinent. Draped in a certain way it could possibly resemble Muslim dress and this was undoubtedly what Divya was attempting to avoid.

5 Piela’s second study addresses the situation a year on. Her findings show that wearing the niqab had become a much more accepted option among the pandemic masks (https://theconversation.com/one-year-on-muslim-women-reflect-on-wearing-the-niqab-in-a-mask-wearing-world-154045/, accessed 26 August 2021).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rina Arya

Rina Arya is Professor of Visual Culture and Theory at the University of Huddersfield, UK. She has written articles on the artist Francis Bacon (2012), abjection (2014, 2016), and spirituality and contemporary art. Her current main area of research is the crossover between material culture and religious studies and she is working on a book about the cultural appropriation of Hindu symbols. CORRESPONDENCE: School of Arts and Humanities, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK.