[JoshBB]

The other day, I was walking around my local shopping centre and it was really busy, so by logic that means there will be a lot of diversity. Well when I was in one shop, I picked something up that I dropped and when I looked up there was a young muslim lady walking by me wearing a niqab covering the whole face except for her eyes, like this

Spoiler:

I was quite surprised because I've never seen that in real life before and I think I came across visibly shocked because she walked away quite quickly and I noticed a few minutes later that she had removed the face covering.

I felt really bad because I feel like she removed that because she thought I was uncomfortable with it or something. I've always wrote on here about how I defend every woman's right to wear whatever she chooses (same with men), so it wasn't that at all. I feel sad because I think she thought she would tone down what she wanted to wear because of other peoples discomfort.. and nobody should ever have to censor themselves like that.

Do you guys think I have some kind of internal prejudice I didn't know about? I know I don't act on it, but perhaps it's there since my reaction to seeing a lady wearing a niqab for the first time?

[Jamie89]

No it doesn't make you a bad person. It was just because you've never seen someone wearing one before. I'm sure if it was an every day sight for you, you wouldn't react like that. Like, if you saw Britney walking past you'd probably be surprised too Doesn't mean you dislike her. It may have made the woman feel uncomfortable, I don't know, but it doesn't sound like you reacted the way you did out of prejudice or anything.

[Jack_]

I expect it's a mixture of both, years of being subjected to be media narratives about how they're to be feared, and seeing something out of the ordinary that took you aback.

I too had an experience along these lines a few days after the Paris attacks and I was so unbelievably disappointed in myself. I was getting on a ferry to go back to uni, and walked up the aisle to try and find a window seat as I usually do, but to no avail. I kept walking and the first available seat was one next to a woman sat fully covered as you described, but with even smaller holes for her eyes. 9 times out of 10 I would just sit down, but in that split second I carried on walking and took a spare seat a few rows up. This woman remained sat on her own and as soon as I had walked past her I immediately thought to myself 'what the **** am I doing? I've fallen victim to the very thing I condemn', but it was too late to turn back

I've never in my adolescent or adult life ever done anything like that, it's totally out of character but these things happen. I still know my opinions on these things and I'm sure you do too, try not to take it to heart.

[Denver]

I just think people react in different ways and by the sounds of it it is because you don't see it much maybe try and keep it to yourself until your alone at times? Or maybe she gets a lot of hassle and thought she was gonna recieve mpre from you? Its hard to say in these circumstances as we all act differently

[billy123]

Originally Posted by JoshBB

The other day, I was walking around my local shopping centre and it was really busy, so by logic that means there will be a lot of diversity. Well when I was in one shop, I picked something up that I dropped and when I looked up there was a young muslim lady walking by me wearing a niqab covering the whole face except for her eyes, like this

Spoiler:

I was quite surprised because I've never seen that in real life before and I think I came across visibly shocked because she walked away quite quickly and I noticed a few minutes later that she had removed the face covering.

I felt really bad because I feel like she removed that because she thought I was uncomfortable with it or something. I've always wrote on here about how I defend every woman's right to wear whatever she chooses (same with men), so it wasn't that at all. I feel sad because I think she thought she would tone down what she wanted to wear because of other peoples discomfort.. and nobody should ever have to censor themselves like that.

Do you guys think I have some kind of internal prejudice I didn't know about? I know I don't act on it, but perhaps it's there since my reaction to seeing a lady wearing a niqab for the first time?

No its not prejudice it is just a reaction to something unfamiliar.I dont doubt for a second the lady in question just thought LOL that young man seemed suprised to see me wearing my niqab.
I wouldnt worry about it. Why she removed it who knows maybe she felt uncomfortable about being without it in a crowded place but felt ok to remove it once away from a crowd.
You should have asked her Contrary to what some idiots on here would try and have you believe im sure she would have been friendly.

[Firewire]

If someone were to walk in with a physical disability, a scar or growth on their skin I'm pretty certain everyone would stare a few seconds longer than they should. It's not a prejudice it's just something new to you and at first you might find it quite shocking to see it in the flesh.

[Jamie89]

Originally Posted by Firewire

If someone were to walk in with a physical disability, a scar or growth on their skin I'm pretty certain everyone would stare a few seconds longer than they should. It's not a prejudice it's just something new to you and at first you might find it quite shocking to see it in the flesh.

This is also true. One of my friends is quite severely disabled, physically, and whenever we're out in a cafe or wherever there's always people that stare, because he looks unusual, and his chair is so big, they're just not used to seeing someone like him. It's not out of prejudice, and it doesn't offend him either.

[Smithy]

I feel worse for the woman in Jacks story tbh cause she was on her own for the whole journey

[Jamie89]

I'm wearing a niqab next time I get the coach tbh, I hate it when people sit next to me

[Jason.]

Originally Posted by Jamie89

I'm wearing a niqab next time I get the coach tbh, I hate it when people sit next to me

welp

[EspeonBB]

Ofc you're not racist Josh. I think it's just the media influence telling us that Muslims are people to be feared. Plus if you've never seen someone wearing a niqab in public before then it's a natural reaction to be surprised

[Shaun]

Youtube video

[arista]

"I think I came across visibly shocked because she walked away quite quickly "


You just need more world holidays lad

[arista]

Originally Posted by Jamie89

I'm wearing a niqab next time I get the coach tbh, I hate it when people sit next to me

Don't do it

in case a gang get you from Behind
leaving you no chance to say
I am having a laugh

[Ninastar]

no it's understandable. I always get such a culture shock when I go to Bradford. It's like another world.

[Jack_]

Originally Posted by Smithy

I feel worse for the woman in Jacks story tbh cause she was on her own for the whole journey

To be fair, it's a ten minute journey but yeah I did too

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Jack_

I expect it's a mixture of both, years of being subjected to be media narratives about how they're to be feared, and seeing something out of the ordinary that took you aback.

I too had an experience along these lines a few days after the Paris attacks and I was so unbelievably disappointed in myself. I was getting on a ferry to go back to uni, and walked up the aisle to try and find a window seat as I usually do, but to no avail. I kept walking and the first available seat was one next to a woman sat fully covered as you described, but with even smaller holes for her eyes. 9 times out of 10 I would just sit down, but in that split second I carried on walking and took a spare seat a few rows up. This woman remained sat on her own and as soon as I had walked past her I immediately thought to myself 'what the **** am I doing? I've fallen victim to the very thing I condemn', but it was too late to turn back

I've never in my adolescent or adult life ever done anything like that, it's totally out of character but these things happen. I still know my opinions on these things and I'm sure you do too, try not to take it to heart.

I don't really get why you didn't want to sit beside her, did you perceive her as a threat in which case sitting a few rows away wouldn't really have made much difference

Josh don't worry about it next time you won't give it a second though. Travelling through London especially at night you see all sorts sometimes you just have to look twice

[Northern Monkey]

You think that's bad?
I was at the post office the other day and there was a lady wearing a red veil,You know the kind with just the slot for the eyes.
Anyway without thinking i proceeded to post my letter through the slot!I soon realised my mistake and was on my way.I could'nt help feeling slightly bad about the misunderstanding afterwards.Am i a bad person?

[Lostie!]

You're evidently not a bad person since you're worrying about it, a bad person wouldn't think twice about how someone might be feeling.

[Jake.]

Originally Posted by Lostie!

You're evidently not a bad person since you're worrying about it, a bad person wouldn't think twice about how someone might be feeling.

yeah pretty much this

[jennyjuniper]

Originally Posted by Jack_

I expect it's a mixture of both, years of being subjected to be media narratives about how they're to be feared, and seeing something out of the ordinary that took you aback.

I too had an experience along these lines a few days after the Paris attacks and I was so unbelievably disappointed in myself. I was getting on a ferry to go back to uni, and walked up the aisle to try and find a window seat as I usually do, but to no avail. I kept walking and the first available seat was one next to a woman sat fully covered as you described, but with even smaller holes for her eyes. 9 times out of 10 I would just sit down, but in that split second I carried on walking and took a spare seat a few rows up. This woman remained sat on her own and as soon as I had walked past her I immediately thought to myself 'what the **** am I doing? I've fallen victim to the very thing I condemn', but it was too late to turn back

I've never in my adolescent or adult life ever done anything like that, it's totally out of character but these things happen. I still know my opinions on these things and I'm sure you do too, try not to take it to heart.

I'm not saying this to make you feel better, although I hope it does that anyway, but if she was so religously motivated that she wore that, then she wouldn't have appreciated a strange man sitting next to her anyway.

[Will.]

Originally Posted by Jamie89

I'm wearing a niqab next time I get the coach tbh, I hate it when people sit next to me

What if I sat next to you on a coach?

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by JoshBB

The other day, I was walking around my local shopping centre and it was really busy, so by logic that means there will be a lot of diversity. Well when I was in one shop, I picked something up that I dropped and when I looked up there was a young muslim lady walking by me wearing a niqab covering the whole face except for her eyes, like this

Spoiler:

I was quite surprised because I've never seen that in real life before and I think I came across visibly shocked because she walked away quite quickly and I noticed a few minutes later that she had removed the face covering.

I felt really bad because I feel like she removed that because she thought I was uncomfortable with it or something. I've always wrote on here about how I defend every woman's right to wear whatever she chooses (same with men), so it wasn't that at all. I feel sad because I think she thought she would tone down what she wanted to wear because of other peoples discomfort.. and nobody should ever have to censor themselves like that.

Do you guys think I have some kind of internal prejudice I didn't know about? I know I don't act on it, but perhaps it's there since my reaction to seeing a lady wearing a niqab for the first time?

No not at all it doesn't Josh.

While I respect the right of any to wear what they wish, I really do feel actually, in these unstable days with terrorism and threats of acts of terrorism against us, that we should be able to clearly see all and identify all those other people who we are walking in the streets with, and going into shops and stores with too.

[Ross.]

Originally Posted by Lostie!

You're evidently not a bad person since you're worrying about it, a bad person wouldn't think twice about how someone might be feeling.

[Raph]

Not at all Josh. We're all victims to the cultural and social constructs presented in the media and just basically everywhere in our daily lives. The fact that you were able to reflect on your own behavior and acknowledge the subconscious prejudice you had is exactly what one should do in such a situation, and I think you've articulated yourself quite well regarding that.

I know you have very similar liberal views to me so I absolutely get where you're coming from but we all have to learn through acknowledging our own prejudices and privileges. It wouldn't be human really (unfortunately) if you were able to entirely eradicate years and years of social constructs that you've been growing up with. If anything it's great that something like this happened to you, because it allowed you to expand upon the critical depth of your political views in a real-life setting.

Don't feel bad buddy