While most Ahronim uphold the necessity for married women to cover their hair, Broyde argues that, after close examination of the Rishonim – particularly the school of Tosafot, the Tur, and the Shulhan Arukh – the prohibition against uncovered hair is deemed to be a rabbinic ordinance (dat yehudit) and not a biblical one (dat moshe).  The author’s intention is to justify the halakhic practice of modest Jewish women who choose not to cover their hair, on the basis that the prohibition is rabbinic and dependent on societal norms of modesty.

Alieza Salzberg (a graduate student in Rabbinic Literature at Hebrew University and a fellow at the Hartman Institute in Jerusalem) gives basic overview of the halachic origins of head covering for married women, and the attitudes towards head-covering in non-Orthodox circles.

In his critical review of Michael Broyde’s article on “Hair Covering” (Tradition 2009), Shulman claims to present an accurate reading of the halakhic sources.  He suggests that R. Broyde misrepresents dat yehudit as denoting a rabbinic and subjective prohibition, whereas, in truth, it refers to socially accepted standards of modesty.  Furthermore, Shulman maintains that one should not mislead women who are planning to cover their hair when married into believing it would be permissible to do otherwise, while Broyde argues that “Women and families who have a clear custom not to cover their hair should know that there is a firm foundation for such a practice in the Rishonim and Shulhan Arukh.”

Elana discusses her personal struggle, at first, with covering her hair as newly married women and later deciding not to cover her hair.  She responds to the spurious justifications given to her as an 18-year-old, in retrospect.  Inspired by the reflections of Rebecca Schischa on body, religion, culture, and choice, she believes that observant women should be offered the opportunity to make more informed decisions. 

-See also the article by Rebecca Schischa, “What leads to ‘Burqa Rage’”

http://blogs.forward.com/sisterhood-blog/129308/