Lady Mary Wortley Montagu

I really enjoyed listening to what Mrs. Hamovit had to say regarding Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, and the growing epidemic of Muslim women wearing veil's in American society today. It was really helpful that Mrs. Hamovit created a power point in order to give background information on LMWM. Her life was very interesting to say the least, and by putting it in a timeline it made it a lot easier to understand. The part of the reading on Lady Mary Wortley that I found to be most compelling was the aspect of clothing worn in different countries at the time. When hearing about how LMWM went home wearing the Turkish attire she adopted over her stays, it reminded me a lot of how society would see that today. If I were to go live in another country and come back wearing their specific clothing, such as India and wearing a sari, it would most likely be judged. LMWM mentioned how women in England were far more judgmental than Turkish women, so when she returned wearing her Turkish clothes I'm sure she faced a lot of scrutiny. Because of that I was able to see that when it comes to women in countries with similar cultures like America or England, we do tend to judge others if they seem to dress or act out of the norm; And this is something I realize that we have been doing for centuries now. Something I really look up to and admire about LMWM was the fact that she didn't care whether or not women in England approved of her Turkish attire, she wore it because she liked it, and I think that is something to appreciate.

When reading the modern articles about the banning of veils in many different countries for Muslim women, I find it to be disgusting and a sad representation of ignorance across cultures. I think for people to ban or say they are afraid of women who wear veils it is a reflection on their insecurities and nothing else. In addition, I think most parts of the world such as France or Austria have come too far to stoop down to such offensive and ignorant accusations. Overall, I enjoyed learning about all the different issues brought up in class, as well as the life of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu. She was a women who pushed the social norms of her time, and followed her own heart; Whether it have been who she married, where she traveled, or how she dressed, LMWM set a perfect example for the independence that women should have exercised in her time, and even today.