Women who wear a hijab or a burka often have to deal with harsh criticisms. Being a feminist, I have never had a problem with any woman covering any part of her body — or exposing it, for that matter — as long as she has not been forced to do so.
It’s infuriating to hear the suggestion that all women who cover their heads or their bodies have been brainwashed into doing so by a patriarchal society, especially since I most often hear this complaint from fellow feminists.
Pakistani television network Geo’s animated series Burka Avenger offers a response to critics. The show revolves around a super heroine named Jiya: an intelligent and compassionate teacher by the day, and a brave and strong fighter who prevents girls’ schools from shutting down by night. Her fighting style is as unique as the series itself: she uses books and pens to attack her opponents, highlighting the program’s very prominent message of the pen being mightier than the sword.
Her opponents are Vadero Pajero (a corrupt politician), Baba Bandook (an evil magician) and, above all, literacy. They share the mutual belief that a girl’s place is in the kitchen. In the first episode, the two are depicted discussing how pointless it is to educate a girl, considering she will just end up getting married, taking care of the home, and preparing meals.
Women who cover themselves can also play their part in changing the world.
This series could not have been released at a more crucial time in Pakistan. Malala Yousafzai, the 16 year-old Pakistani women’s rights activist who was shot by the Taliban in the head for fighting for an education, recently became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize nominee.
In a speech to the United Nations, she argued, “The extremists are afraid of books and pens. The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women. The power of the voice of women frightens them.”
Aaron Haroon Rashid, the creator of Burka Avenger, had Malala’s story in mind while coming up with the theme of the show. The shutdown of girls’ schools by the Taliban inspired his idea of a female protagonist who fights for literacy and women’s rights.
The series revolves around a small fictional village called Halwapur, a device meant to target the lower and the lower-middle class viewers of Pakistan who may not understand the importance of sending their girls to school.
Though these issues rarely surface in the Western world, there are still many families in Pakistan who are completely against the idea of a girl acquiring an education — after all, what could possibly be more dangerous than an educated woman?
The Burka Avenger has inspired controversy. Many critics have expressed their disappointment over the fact that Jiya covers herself with a full burka when she could have explored other options, such as a shalwar kameez, a traditional dress worn by men and women in Pakistan.
Blogger Bina Shah expressed her disapproval by bringing forward the point of view that “Pakistani girls and women need to know that their natural state of being is not hidden away, shrouded by yards of black cloth to make their presence in society acceptable, safe, or halal . . . It will horrify me if little girls start wearing burkas in imitation of their hero, because that would be indoctrination of the worst kind.”
Haroon, on the other hand, has made repeated attempts to defend his creation by saying that the burka is the only culturally appropriate costume for a Pakistani super heroine, as she could not have possibly been dressed in a revealing costume like Wonder Woman or Catwoman. Furthermore, during the day, Jiya chooses to wear her shalwar kameez without a hijab.
Burka Avenger is influential and noteworthy in many different ways. It has made significant attempts to diminish the divide between different kinds of feminists in Pakistan — the ones who choose to cover themselves and the ones who don’t. The series acknowledges the fact that women who cover themselves can also play their part in changing the world, and that their clothing doesn’t really matter when it comes to their passion for women’s rights.
The show encourages the perception that women who don burkas are independent, free-thinking citizens who are capable of whatever Jiya is capable of. Burka Avenger will help parents of young girls to get accustomed to the idea that, even if they do send their daughters to school, these daughters will not end up losing their cultural roots — something many Pakistani parents fear.
I hope that Burka Avenger will continue to make a difference in Pakistan, a country on the brink of political turmoil, with neverending drone strikes on one hand and fear of the Taliban on the other. If nothing else, the program will challenge traditional gender roles and stereotypes in Pakistan, and could inspire a nation of young women to become the leaders of tomorrow.
