In Turkey, a Step to Allow Head Scarves

This headline from the New York Times Europe edition online caught my eye.

The photo is by Lynsey Addario for The New York Times

Captioned: Turkish women demonstrated for the right to wear head scarves in government buildings, including public offices and universities.

Accompanies an article by Sabrina Tavernise - http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/t/sabrina_tavernise/index.html?inline=nyt-per

It had never occurred to me that scarves would be Forbidden. There are so many shades of Covered. The women in this photo certainly don't seem to be unhappy in their scarves. It's a long way from the Burqa or Purdah. Look those up in Wikipedia - awesome descriptions.
I mean, I know I don't really understand the covered women concept. But, there are truely American and Christian versions of the Covered Woman ideal.

In many places in the USA, there are groups of Christian women that practice a form of the Covered Women thing. They wear caps of a type and never go anywhere with their hair down or uncovered. Their age, or their group, seems to determine whether their cap is black, brown, white or otherwise. Some of the younger women have a kind of white net cap that is somewhat translucent. So, through those caps you can see, kind of, what color their hair is, and a hint of what style bun they've got it up in. I have great respect for these women and their faith. But, honestly, some of the older women are still wearing a style that is very Covering. There isn't any veil component, but the cap is a very deep bonnet style that conceals their faces from view in every angle except straight on. I cannot imagine our government telling these women that they are Forbidden to wear their caps.

So, why does it surprise me that there are other women out there in this great world of diversity that want to be modest in their dress? On the one hand, I understand the security issues. There are schools that don't allow hats to be worn inside by the boys to discourage Gang Behavior and who knows what else. I wonder if they have exceptions for Chemo Caps for kids, or teachers, or employees that are fighting cancer? On the other hand, who are we to judge what women choose to do? Isn't the Choice the important factor?

When you are knitting a scarf or hat, or shawl for that matter, do you ever think of these things?
What does your love incarnate in wool "mean" to another culture? What is that string in another context?