New Research Shows Public Respect for Muslim Dress
Excerpted from “Tolerance Wins By a Head and Shoulders”
Andrew West April 7, 2009 Sydney Morning Herald
Two years after the attacks of September 11, 2001, young Afgani Sydney University student Makiz Ansari, decided to start wearing the traditional Muslim headwear. Her experience of the public’s respect and acceptance was very positive and is reflected in new research from the University of Western Sydney.
Kevin Dunn, from the department of geography and urban studies, finds that Australians are overwhelmingly accepting of Muslim women who wear a scarf or hijab. His survey found 81% supported a right to dress according to Islamic custom, while 85% supported “cultural diversity and are comfortable with the experience of cultural difference”. Only 13% said the hijab was “inappropriate” and 4.2% said it should be banned.
He said about 70% of Australians supported the right of Muslim women to wear the headscarf because of the principles of “freedom of religion” or “individual liberty”, while the remaining 11% supported it because of “a commitment to multiculturalism”.
Mehmet Ozalp, the chief executive of the Affinity Intercultural Foundation, which promotes religious and ethnic tolerance, said the study reflected a decade of effort by Muslim Australians to make their religion more understandable.