Veiling

Diederik Floris Janssen

Veiling loosely refers to the worldwide variety of dress codes and styles associated with shielding portions of the body from view, particularly the upper body, scalp hair, and/or face. Veiling signals both difference and affiliation, variably and often simultaneously, over religious, cultural, generational, sexed, gendered, class, historical-political, and (consequently) personal lines. The relationship between gender and veiling has received much attention in recent decades but remains an important source of disagreement among feminists, scholars, and politicians. This entry provides a brief overview of the history of veiling and discusses some of the responses from feminist and gender scholars. The spatial and temporal regimentation of veiling, unveiling, and nonveiling has at times been ritual and at other times political and is variably prescribed by local, familial, or state law or canon; scripture; or fashion. Gender-specific or sex-exclusive practices of veiling are tied to the ordering of gendered relations across domestic/public spaces ...

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