ABSTRACT
Simplified media representations are critical concerns in understanding the life experiences of face-veiled Muslim women (cadari). Although there is some improvement in veiled Muslim women’s representation, this unfortunately does not apply to cadari. This chapter focuses first on media representation and the way Indonesian popular culture depicts cadari, especially within literature and film. The appearance of cadari, Aisha, in Indonesian movie Ayat Ayat Cinta (Verses of love) allowed the image of cadari to become familiar to the Indonesian public. Following Ayat Ayat Cinta, the image of the cadar (face veil) has become a symbol of flawlessness, while news media often represent them using negative stereotypes. The second section focuses on how cadari self-represent. Cadari creatively use advanced technology, the internet and social media in their everyday lives, as safe havens to exercise their agentive capacity by freely expressing themselves. The last section of this chapter discusses the cadari community Niqab Squad as part of the increasing expressions of Indonesian Muslim publics. The Niqab Squad actively post on various social media platforms, blurring the boundaries between private and public spaces. Their online activities should be understood as everyday agentive joy rooted in their strict understanding of Islam.
