Over at MMW, Alicia (Cycads) wants to interrogate Western interrogators who doubt the headscarf.

I’m fed up by the fact that positive views women make about the headscarf fall systematically on many deaf ears. It’s time that the tables are turned on the curious people who more often than not have misconceptions and pre-conceived views about Muslim women and what we wear, in which we study their motives and question their curiosity about our lives. Enough about us, we should be asking, “Why do you want to know?”

I’m converted but my daughter is not. If she takes the Shahadah, will she be ostracized in the community if she doesn’t cover? Will other women refuse to return her salaams?

Is the social space where a woman can make a pressure-free choice to cover purely hypothetical in many communities?

Aside from covering, on the over-arching issue of convert pressure, I think Willow had the best advice:

So for any new convert who might be reading, I am going to share a philosophy that worked wonderfully for me: for the first several months after your conversion, stay out of the Muslim community. Just stay away. You are too vulnerable to distinguish the people who want to help you from the people who want to exploit you. Right now, you should be focused on your relationship with God. This is precious, precious time that you will never get back. It’s terrifying, and for that reason you may be tempted to seek out people who will comfort you. Don’t. This part is meant to be terrifying. This is the time when you can truly feel God running toward you as you stumble toward Him. Don’t waste it on a bunch of bitter voyeuristic old aunties. You are in a state of spiritual purity that you will never achieve again, unless by some unlikely miracle you turn out to be a saint. Sit with it. Pray with it. Be alone with it. It’s the best gift you will ever give yourself.

After things have sorted themselves out and you’ve learned to see with your new eyes, join the community. By this time you will know through and through what kind of Muslim you are, and you’ll be able to see the nitpickers and snake-oil salesmen for who they are.