My Body Is My Own Business Summary

Canada has large numbers of immigrant populations. People came from every continent of the world and settled down in this country. Many of them struggled with different languages, different cultures, different beliefs, and different customs. They tried to mingle in the mainstream of Canadian society as well as to keep their own characteristics. Naheed Mustafa, the author of “My Body is My Own Business”, feels that wearing hijab gives her freedom in Canada. Almas Zakiuddin, the author of “Rediscovering Christmas”, believes that anyone could be free to celebrate Christmas in Canada. Both of the two authors are well educated Muslim women. They all live in Canada, and they both struggled with assimilation and dissimilation. Although they have so many similarities, basically, they are very different because their responding to life in Canada is contrary.
First of all, their attitudes toward local people are not the same. Naheed Mustafa felt strongly offended when people treated her as a new comer. She wrote in her article that strangers spoke to her loudly and slowly, as if she could not understand English. When they asked how she likes living in Canada, she felt uncomfortable, and even a little bit angry. She dislikes the way people talk to her, although they do not do it on purpose. People might just talk to her to show their kindness, but she only saw the gloom and darkness in it. She could not accept the way Canadian people looked at her. She felt herself was rudely judged by people. She mentioned in her article that people saw her as a radical terrorist or a symbol of oppressed womanhood. Her description in the article reveals that she was disgusted with people’s stares, glances and notices. Almas