Muslim Girls Are Being Warned Not to Wear Their Hijabs for Fear of Violence
Less than a day has passed since Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election. But still reeling from a campaign built on hateful rhetoric, many women, people of color, Muslims, Latinos, and people in the LGBTQ+ community already are deeply concerned for their safety.
Some students were afraid to go to school this morning. Now comes word that many Muslim-American girls are being warned by their own families not to wear their traditional hijabs due to fears of violent attacks.
My mom and my sister are actually having the conversation on whether or not they should continue wearing hijab for their own safety
— Sulaiman Karim (@SullyTheDoc) November 9, 2016
I'm scared that today will be the last day I felt somewhat safe wearing my hijab. https://t.co/C29V7GGOXj
— Blair Imani (@BlairImani) November 9, 2016
Young Muslim women who spoke with Seventeen.com echoed those worries, with one admitting that she is likely to change her attire and her travel plans.
"I may start wearing berets instead of hijab, but I will always have my head covered," said Blair Imani, a 23-year-old from New York City whose mother has cautioned against wearing the religious head covering in the current climate. "Since I live in Brooklyn, a place of immense diversity, I think I'll be OK. But also I want to be clear: I am scared."
The thought of venturing outside her tolerant community makes Blair especially nervous, she said: "I decided I won't be traveling for Thanksgiving, [because] I'm really scared of whether airports will treat Muslim women worse than ever before, or if it will be more of the same bigotry. It's a very stressful time."
Sireen, a 24-year-old from Indiana, says that treatment of Muslim women already has taken a scary turn. She wore her usual hijab to the polls on election day and was interrogated about her citizenship before receiving a ballot.
"The fact that Muslim women are actually considering not wearing their hijabs for their own safety is absolutely terrifying," Sireen said. Still, she's resolute in fully practicing her faith. "For me, personally, my faith in God is stronger than my fears. I refuse to sacrifice a part of me and my choice for hijab. I refuse to adhere to the ignorance."
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