Muslim women of all ages are increasingly turning to wearing the veil. Is this trend a sign of rising piety or a way of asserting Muslim pride? And does the veil really provide women freedom from sexual harassment? Written in the form of letters addressing all those interested in this issue, this book examines the inadequate reasons given for the veil, and points to the limitations of this questionable cultural practice. Lazreg combines her own experiences growing up in a Muslim family in Algeria with interviews and the real-life stories of other Muslim women to produce this argument for doing away with the veil. Lazreg stresses that the veil is not included in the five pillars of Islam, asks whether piety justifies veiling, explores the adverse psychological effects of the practice on the wearer and pays special attention to the negative impact of veiling for young girls.