Performing Veiled Women as Marketable Commodities: Representations of Muslim Minority Women in Germany

Why do narratives of Muslim women find a large audience in the European cultural market? In particular, stories that portray Muslim women as victims of patriarchal traditions buttress the notion of liberal freedom that excludes these women pitied for their lack of agency. This essay explores a recent German theater performance (Black Virgins, 2006) that poses itself against such victimization stories. The analysis of the performance shows, however, that the subjectivity of Muslim minority women is framed by their ability to unveil in speech and talk freely about sexuality.