What I wear, eat, drink or believe is my business. Pluralism in culture is learning to respect the otherness of the other. You are who you are, and I am who I am. If you are biased against my Burqa, ask yourselves, what is my loss? Why am I am prejudiced?
The lady in Burqa has posted this along with her picture, “I do not owe a single person an explanation for why I’m living my life the way I am or why I do the things I do. Drink water & mind your own business.” I am very proud of her.
My late wife Najma never wore a hijab or Burqa. One morning on the day of Eid (2000), her whole family was at our home for breakfast, an annual thing we did. Out of nowhere, she surprised me, “Mike, I am going to wear the Burqa to go to Eid prayers” everyone was looking at me for a response. My first thought was, like hell, you are going to wear it – Thank God, my second thought was, who the hell am I to tell her what she can or cannot wear? They were all waiting. I said, “Najma, that is your choice.” Everyone burst out laughing. She then said, you are a big-time pluralist, and we wanted to see what you say.
What a relief it was; thank God again for the question that popped into my mind – what is my loss?
Next time, it will be about Food pluralism.
Mike Ghouse is an author, speaker, pluralist, and Wedding Officiant.