A clothing line is being widely criticized on social media after releasing an advertisement which suggests female Islamic clothing is oppressive.
The 20-second advert is part of a campaign for Israeli brand Hoodies and features Israeli model Bar Refaeli wearing a niqab and hijab.
The words, “Is it Iran here?” appear on the screen before Refaeli removed her Islamic dress to reveal Hoodies clothing. The ad ends with the line, “Freedom is Basic.”
"iran is here?"
look at this very racist and islamophobic commercial the israeli clothing company "hoodies" just released.. pic.twitter.com/KyVBuIQBVN— noam is an angry kike (@carolvalkyrie) October 29, 2018
all this add has achieved is incite more ignorant hate and further perpetuate this western ideology that muslim women are oppressed. fire your creative directors and pull this embarrassment. https://t.co/9GQzXvXN6o
— Dr. Aayesha Hassan (@aayeshahassan) October 31, 2018
this campaign is supposedly designed to call out racism and bigotry + support freedom… FUNNY because this is the exact opposite of supporting freedom. #hoodiesil pic.twitter.com/fgh3NINPNw
— nura ? (@nuraabee) October 30, 2018
Earlier this year a 42-year old Iranian woman was reportedly sentenced to 20-years in prison after removing her headscarf in public.
Shapark Shajarizadeh was arrested after footage was posted online of the woman protesting compulsory hijab laws. The video showed Ms Shajarizadeh standing on a traffic island in the Iranian capital Tehran waving around her headscarf. Ms Shajarizadeh was initially charged with “inciting corruption and prostitution.”
Iranian activist and journalist, Masih Alinejad said, “As a woman, according to Islamic law, I’m not allowed to sing solo. I’m not allowed to show my hair. I’m not allowed to dance. I’m not allowed to be a judge. I’m not allowed to get custody of my child. I need permission from my husband or father to travel.”
“Our goal in our campaign is to invite all the Western feminists, especially female politicians, to challenge compulsory hijab laws when they go inside Iran,” Ms Alinejad added.
Responding to the backlash, Paul Joseph Watson tweeted: “A lot of ads appropriate empty ‘freedom’ messages that mean nothing, but this actually upholds something genuine.”
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