Muslim Girls Design Their Own Culturally Appropriate Basketball Uniforms

Joseph Erbentraut
Updated
(Photo: )
(Photo: )

The Cedar Riverside girls’ community basketball team in Minneapolis had a big problem.

Being of the Muslim faith, the middle-school students dress in hijabs, which tend to get in the way of the action on the basketball court. Though the girls could go without headscarves during twice-weekly girls-only sessions at their home gym, the Brian Coyle Community Center, this significantly limited their playing time.

"I wouldn't be able to do moves or anything because of my skirt, and every time I run my wrap will keep falling,” the team’s point guard, Sihal Ali, explained to KARE, the Minneapolis NBC affiliate, this week.

The solution the girls arrived at, with the help of students at the University of Minnesota College of Design and the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, were new uniforms they designed themselves to be culturally and religiously appropriate, while allowing them to play uninhibited. The initiative was supported by a university grant.

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Officially unveiled at a fashion show event Wednesday on the University of Minnesota campus, the new uniforms consist of a long-sleeve tunic top, a flexible skirt, leggings and a tighter hijab, Minnesota Daily reports. They are made of a breathable fabric. The hijab is fastened in place with Velcro for added safety.

The uniforms were made two blocks from the gym at Mosque Shafici, where university design students worked at sewing machines alongside community volunteers for four weeks in April, according to the Star-Tribune. They had been in the works since last fall, when the girls modeled prototypes of designs they had helped create to collect feedback from parents and community members.

The girls, who are East African, are participants in the Girls Initiative in Recreation and Leisurely Sports program, established in 2008 by Fatimah Hussein in an effort to help the community’s girls stay active.

As The New York Times previously reported, Muslim women of all ages, though encouraged by their faith to take care of their bodies, tend to have a hard time finding culturally appropriate fitness wear.

Female Muslim athletes have been blocked from participating in major events due to their headscarves.

In 2011, the Iranian women’s soccer team was disqualified from the Olympics because the FIFA banned their hijabs, though FIFA overturned its headscarf ban the following year. And last year, the International Basketball Association faced criticism over its ban on hijabs and other religious headwear, a rule the organization later relaxed. The headwear rule nevertheless caused problems for Qatar's basketball team at last year's Asian Games.

The Hijab

A hijab is a head covering only. It can be worn many different ways including as a simple wrap around, shown here, or Al Amirah style. Regular clothes that cover the arms, shoulders and legs may be worn with the hijab. Women who wear the hijab are Muhajaba, which means they are wearing it for religious purposes.
A hijab is a head covering only. It can be worn many different ways including as a simple wrap around, shown here, or Al Amirah style. Regular clothes that cover the arms, shoulders and legs may be worn with the hijab. Women who wear the hijab are Muhajaba, which means they are wearing it for religious purposes.

Hijab in Action

Sheila & Abaya

An abaya is a long black, loose fitting cloak that often zips or buttons up the front. The sheila is a rectangular scarf that covers the head. Usually made of light silk material and most often found in black, but can be as simple or elaborate as the wearer so chooses. Generally these garments are part of a region's traditional dress, and are therefore worn for cultural reasons rather than religious purposes.

The Niqab

Often mistaken for a burqa, the niqab fully covers the body, but only partially covers the face, leaving a narrow opening for the eyes. Driving while veiled: now a misdemeanor in France.
Often mistaken for a burqa, the niqab fully covers the body, but only partially covers the face, leaving a narrow opening for the eyes. Driving while veiled: now a misdemeanor in France.

The Batula

The Batula is a face covering generally worn by older women in the Gulf region. This is a style that is slowly being depleted and not carried forward by younger generations.
The Batula is a face covering generally worn by older women in the Gulf region. This is a style that is slowly being depleted and not carried forward by younger generations.

The Burqa

Burqas come in many colors and fully covers the wearer, often there is a net window over the eyes so the wearer can see out, but no one can see in.
Burqas come in many colors and fully covers the wearer, often there is a net window over the eyes so the wearer can see out, but no one can see in.

Burqas & Bicycles

This particular burqa is called the chadri, the light blue color and style is native to Afghanistan.
This particular burqa is called the chadri, the light blue color and style is native to Afghanistan.

Doa Gaun

"Doa gaun" or "dress for praying." This dress slips over the clothing of women in two pieces...the gown and the headscarf. It is very common in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The doa gaun is usually carried with women when they are on the go. They can stop in the nearest Masjid, or suaru (a place for prayer), slip this over the clothing they are wearing, worship and take it off to continue the day.

The Chador

The Chador is more common to Iran. It is a long billowing dress that leaves the face open but covers the wrists and ankles. Chador's in a more plain black color with less decorative embellishments.
The Chador is more common to Iran. It is a long billowing dress that leaves the face open but covers the wrists and ankles. Chador's in a more plain black color with less decorative embellishments.

The Birquini

Fully covering beachwear made of lightweight swimsuit material.
Fully covering beachwear made of lightweight swimsuit material.

Baywatch: Abu Dhabi

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.