Danish musician Isam B is standing by his statement that wearing a hijab or a niqab can be a feminist act, despite criticism from politicians across the spectrum and from Dansk Kvindesamfund.
DR reports that the singer, whose legal name is Isam Bachiri, defended the remark on the radio program P1 Morgen. He first made the comment in the podcast Platformen.
In the podcast, he said that one of the most feminist things a woman can do is put on a scarf or even a niqab. According to DR, he described the effect as provocative toward men, because they cannot see her while she can see them.
On P1 Morgen, he said his point concerns a woman’s self-determination, which is why he uses the word feminism. If she chooses to cover herself, that is her freedom, and society should be able to accommodate it, he said.
Politicians from Danmarksdemokraterne to Enhedslisten reacted with anger, DR reports. Enhedslisten’s political spokesperson, Pelle Dragsted, wrote on X that the view is deeply reactionary toward women and men, and a mockery of the thousands of women worldwide who are forced to cover themselves.
Danmarksdemokraterne’s political spokesperson, Susie Jessen, called Isam B a woman-hater. She wrote that women in Denmark should not be sexualized and packed into tents to shield themselves from men’s gazes.
DR notes that the chairwoman of Dansk Kvindesamfund said she nearly gets a migraine from thinking about the statement, as reported by Berlingske. Information has published commentary framing the case as a debate over whether a woman’s own choice can make the niqab a feminist act.
TV 2 reported on August 19 that the comments came in Platformen and drew reactions from politicians on both wings. The outlet added that Isam B told it in writing that he is not calling all women in niqab feminists, but that it can be a feminist choice if women’s self-determination is taken seriously.
The 2018 ban
Wearing a niqab or burka in public has been banned in Denmark since 2018, DR reports. Violations are punishable by a fine, as with other forms of face covering, unless the covering has a purpose recognized as legitimate under the law.
The law was introduced in part because politicians wanted to combat negative social control, according to DR. Critics of Isam B have used the same argument against his statement.
Isam B said he is sorry about the criticism and stressed that social control and oppression are wrong and must be fought. He rejected the idea that his account sustains a norm pushing women to cover, and said he is adding nuance to the debate.
He said women who defy the legislation and put on a niqab make a powerful statement. He ended by questioning whether women in Denmark are free to decide what they wear when the majority does not understand the choice.
TV 2 reported that the quote also spread as a clip on Instagram, drawing thousands of likes and comments before the political reactions followed.
