Click to enlarge — Reuters/Nacho Doce
A burqa and a pink-polka-dot Gibson Flying V electric guitar is not a common combination. Stereotyping, however, is exactly what Muslim woman and professional heavy metal musician, Gisele Marie, wishes to challenge.
Based in Sao Paulo, Marie, 42, is the granddaughter of German Catholics, and converted to Islam several months after her father died in 2009…Music is also a family affair for Marie. The musician grew up in a house of instruments, trained in classical piano, and has fronted the heavy metal band “Spectrus” since 2012…
“People do not expect to see a Muslim woman who uses a burqa, practises the religion properly and is a professional guitarist who plays in a heavy metal band, so many people are shocked by it,” said Marie. “But other people are curious and find it interesting.”
Before converting to Islam, Marie practised Wicca, a modern pagan witchcraft religion. She says that what she searches for in a religion is passion for life and the ability to be yourself.
I have no more criticism of Gisele Marie’s choice of religions than I do of any other. If she draws understanding and care for humanity, nature and life from what she believes – all well and good. As one may from most religions and many systems of philosophy. At root.
I’ve made it clear, often enough, I see no need to turn away from material reality. That is sufficient richness and truth for more than any one individual.
RTFA for more photos by Nacho Doce.
Eideard 
Particularly poignant for me – given our recent fiasco with Harper’s niqab debate! Bravo.
“Veiled prejudices: Muslim-Canadian women speak out on niqab debate” (Oct 18th) https://nowtoronto.com/news/the-now-guide-to-the-2015/veiled-prejudices-muslim-canadian-women-speak-out-on-niqab-debate/
Nowr-nowr-nowr, I have seen such seeming contradictory behavior before and what I have found; in most cases; at least one of the two parts of the contradiction is false or exaggerated.
So, here I would tend to suspect that she is not an authentic metal musician or that regardless of the burqa; she is a less than devout Muslim.
I would be less suspicious if she was simply a Muslim woman who was otherwise more westernized and played Metal.
The persona of a Metal musician is not; in any way that I am aware; homogenous with the persona of a devout Muslim (indicated by the wearing of the burqa).
If my suspicions prove to be unfounded; I will stand corrected but experience says something is fishy.
The very fact that we are discussing such behavior may be the reason it was initiated to begin with. Cynical bastard me; eh?