Challenging Cultural Perceptions

The assignment content is a reflection on cultural exchange and perception challenge. The writer shares their experience as a hairdresser who had a client from Pakistan, which led to a deeper understanding of the client's cultural background and values. Through this exchange, the writer realized that their previous perceptions of Muslim women were narrow and based on media portrayals rather than direct interactions. The writer also explores their own upbringing in an Italian patriarchal culture and how it has influenced their worldview.

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My experience
My Cultural exchange happened to me at work. I found this exchange very interesting and
informative. It challenged my perception of Islam women in society.
I work as a hairdresser at my home salon, and I come into contact with people daily. A few days
back, I got a call from a lady who wanted a quote for her hair color. But, I could not provide her a
firm quote because I had not seen the thickness of her hair. So, I suggested her that if she texts me a
picture of her hair, I would be able to give her a quote. After some time, she sent me the picture, and
I quoted the price. But she thought my price was too high and wanted me to lower it down. I offered
her to take a free second service as she was my first-time client but that did not appeal her. So I felt
a bit irritated as I was busy with a client and was being interrupted in between my work. I offered
her a $10 discount if she agrees to come in 30 minutes. She agreed, but within few minutes, she
again called back to inquire that if I use Loreal hair color which is one of the most expensive
professional colors. I told her that I use Loreal, but that depends on the type of hair. I realized that
this person wants the best product at the lowest price. I was feeling exasperated by the continuous
calls.

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Analysis of the context
I started forming an opinion based on my past experiences with my migrant clients and my own
upbringing as the child of immigrants. It was a common procedure for negotiating a better price.
The culture made it a common practice in the product and service market. As a child, I observed
that my parents were haggling embarrassing especially when they tried it in places where obviously
fixed prices existed and the shop owners were not ethnic. As business owners, they too were
haggled later (Heydemann, 2004). It was ritually performed and many times, as children, we could
not understand why our parents would do the services at little more than cost where they could have
potentially worked less and realized greater profits with non-ethnic clients. I always felt that once I
was given a quote it was up to me to decide whether I was willing to pay the price quoted or seek an
alternative quote. I now understand that I could afford that opinion because I was not the unskilled
migrant with dependents and limited resources to have to make ends meet. Also, as it was a
culturally accepted way of life for my parents and other immigrants and this made sense.

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Engagement with the learning resources
The lady who arrived was a Pakistani. As I colored her hair, she told me her migration journey had
taken five months to be approved from commencement to arrival. She was on a South Australian
state-sponsored work visa and was required to reside in SA for two years. In Karachi, both she and
her husband were investment bankers. She was the mother of three daughters. She had lived in
Sydney. The family then returned to Pakistan because they wanted their daughters to do further
studies and make marriages within their own culture. She also explained they had not been able to
find employment and that the exchange rate from Pakistani rupees to Australia dollars did not work
in their favor. I immediately felt compassion and understanding that with three dependants and two
adults, without work income and money would be tight and yet she was looking for work and wants
to present with well-groomed and maintained hair. She had to stretch her budget.
I expressed my surprise and her dress and hair which were not covered. She explained she was from
a minority Muslim sect, which I had not heard of, the Ismaili. In many places, they were persecuted
for their liberal beliefs. She explained that the Aga Khan is their Imam or spiritual leader based in
Paris and he has a direct linear discordance to the prophet Mohamed (Fernea, 1977). This sect of
Islam valued education and integration with the new communities they settled in (Mayer, 1991).
The women were not required to wear the hijab as the Ismaili believe that one follows intention
with action so it is not necessary to cover up if your intentions are pure why cover up? The hijab
can cover up an impure intention, even though wearing it can mean one is a respectable and
honorable woman (Jiwani, 2010). This revelation made me realize how narrow my worldview of a
Muslim woman is, I had built a picture based on what I knew via media not by directly speaking to
one.
I realize I am highly sensitive to female oppression based on my world-view and experience of
upbringing in the male patriarchal Italian culture which oppressed females and diminished their

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worth, value and opportunities in favor of males only because of gender not capability. I imagined
the Muslim culture to be equally if not more severe towards it female population (Abu‐Lughod,
2002). If a female wishes to dress anyways she wants to I rejoice with that but that it is imposed on
her so that she is of good character and reflects favorably for her male relatives raises in my fear, no
doubt residual from my upbringing where violence against women was used to control and
dominate women.

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Conclusion
This cultural exchange presented to me many ways to challenge my perceptions of others and also
to accept what I had found challenging growing up as the child of immigrants, the additional
alternative cultural world view and at times forced alienation from the main dominant culture, as
well as the generational challenges as part and course of life for the immigrants children, not just
me personally. Parents did their best with the world view they had under the circumstances they
lived in. I feel compassion for both the immigrant in that circumstance and their children but I
identify especially with their children, sometimes feel their wistful longing for not being trapped
between the two cultures and conflicts that arise because of the duty and obligation to parents and
family expectation and denial of autonomy and freedom of choice a seen as betrayal to family, and
repression of self-will become the solution. I didn't expect to feel so transported to my upbringing,
but I realize that is my world view and I can see how influential it is.

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References:
Abu‐Lughod, L., 2002. Do Muslim women really need saving? Anthropological reflections on
cultural relativism and its others. American anthropologist, 104(3), pp.783-790.
Fernea, E.W. and Bezirgan, B.Q. eds., 1977. Middle Eastern Muslim Women Speak. Austin:
University of Texas Press.
Heydemann, S., 2004. Networks of privilege in the Middle East: the politics of economic reform
revisited. Springer.
Jiwani, N. and Rail, G., 2010. Islam, hijab and young Shia Muslim Canadian women’s discursive
constructions of physical activity. Sociology of Sport Journal, 27(3), pp.251-267.
Mayer, A.E., 1991. Islam and human rights: Tradition and politics.