Life as a Muslim growing up in a post-9/11 society has been far from easy. Our religion has been co-opted by both radical terror groups and politicians alike, all of whom contribute to rhetoric that claims Islam is intrinsically opposed to Western values. Not only are we held responsible for the radical actions of a few, but we also bear the brunt of the hatred that lies in the aftermath.
Muslims have been and continue to be the focus of hate speech, political fear-mongering and racial profiling. Our holy places have been vandalized, our identities distorted by the media and our lives threatened by the hateful and the ignorant. Due to its easily identifiable nature, women who wear the Hijab in such a time become moving targets, and they often face some of the worst ridicule, prejudice and hate crimes.
In order to demonstrate solidarity with Muslim friends, co-workers and community members, thousands of people of various faith backgrounds will don the Hijab on Feb. 1.
Known as World Hijab Day, this internationally recognized day of solidarity invites all to catch a glimpse of the intolerance and microaggressions many Muslim women experience in their daily lives. It also encourages support of the right of women to wear what they choose rather than what has been imposed upon them. Societal restrictions on Muslim women’s right to dress as they want include the French Hijab ban and, at the other extreme, coercion of women to wear the Hijab, as is done in some Middle Eastern countries.
The purpose of World Hijab Day is not to create a monolith of the Muslim woman’s experience, but rather to recognize our diverse forms of struggle, to engage in a dialogue that challenges assumptions about Muslim women and to call into question the status quo for dress in today’s world.
Rather than allowing this event to fall short of its possible poignancy and fall prey to cultural appropriation, it is important to clarify that the concept of "Hijab" is more than a cloth worn upon the head. The word refers to a personalized state of being, hence why some Muslim women choose to wear the Hijab and some Muslim women choose not to wear the Hijab. It would be culturally appropriating if, for example, a person chose to wear the Hijab without acknowledging the aforementioned religious aspects and idiosyncratic diversity (and with the full ability to remove the Hijab at a later date with the privilege of not having to think about living in fear of one's religion becoming a target for misplaced hatred and intolerance).
We have organized a World Hijab Day dialogue program on Feb. 5 in which speakers with a diverse range of experiences with Islam and the Hijab will challenge preconceived notions surrounding the Hijab and the modern Muslim. World Hijab Day at the University should not and will not occur in a vacuum — we aim to have a meaningful conversation about Islamophobia in the world today.
The conversation does not end after World Hijab Day, nor at the end of our dialogue event. It does not end a week from now, a month from now or even a year from now. It should continue outside of the University as you encounter people from various walks of life, and it should be a constant challenge to your ability to accept, however silently, the reality that surrounds being Muslim today.
Rawda Fawaz is a first-year College student and Attiya Latif is a second-year College student.
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