Who’s afraid of Muslim women?
It takes years for me to notice myself doing it whenever I’m with her – the scanning of crowds, the haughty expression on my face, the way I shadow her every step, putting myself between her and other people as often as possible. It’s not just me, either – my sisters and brother are similarly protective of my mother. Where does this defensive stance come from? My mother is not a well-known public figure, nor is she a person given to triggering controversy.
![Burka_Istanbul](http://web.archive.org./web/20180311215358im_/https://overland.org.au/wp-content/8890505903_abd85199da_z-640x400.jpg)