Hijab Social Experiment
- Aug 13, 2016
- 3 min read
"Get that towel off your head!"
"Honey, you're in America. You don't need to cover your hair anymore."
"It's the 21st century. Why are you still covered up?"
"Let me do you a favor and take your scarf off. Aren't you hot?"
These are just some examples of some of the comments many Muslim women who observe the hijab, or the headscarf, receive. Before I go any further into this topic, I would just like to state that I dislike talking about this subject in particular because as a man, it's hard to argue that something is not misogynistic but I feel that this is a prevalent topic that needs to be addressed.
Many people point to the hijab as a sign of oppression. Although people may not fully understand what the hijab is and why Muslim women observe it, they are quick to judge and critique.
The hijab, in principle, is not a sign of oppression. In Arabic, the word "hijab" literally means to cover up. To wear the hijab is much more than just a scarf on the head. Although it may seem otherwise, the hijab is also a sign of feminism. To wear a hijab means that you are more than what your body looks like; it means that others judge you based on who you truly are. It's a sign of modesty. I'll have to agree, it sounds a bit weird and its something that may be very new.
However, although not initially meant as something oppressive but rather empowering, the hijab can be a form of oppression. Some women are being forced to wear it and this is totally wrong. Just as men should not be forced to keep a beard, women should not be forced to wear the hijab; it should be encouraged but not forced. By forcing this, it defeats the purpose of it. Yes, it's mandatory to wear it in Islam, but it should be the individual's choice to wear it. Nothing should be forced. If a woman is forced to wear it, then yes, of course it's oppressive. However, many women that I know who observe the hijab wear it because they like the idea of it. I have many peers and friends that choose not to wear it but that doesn't make them any less Muslim than my peers that do choose to wear it.
So tell me, is a woman voluntarily wearing a hijab because of her love of her religion and her desire to be modest being oppressed or is a woman forced by society to have the "perfect" body shape or appearances being oppressed?
In order to help others realize what hijab truly is, I planned a video in which young women who were not Muslim wore the headscarf for a day. I directed this video and it was shown in Culver City High School's Multi-Cultural Assembly.
"The hijab is a way to show your modesty. It protects your outer beauty from those who deserve it. What I love about wearing my hijab is that i can make it my own. Even though I wear it differently, I know I can make it my own style. I often call my hijab my crown because without it, i wouldn't be the same." -Kaylin Jones
"When I wear the hijab i feel empowered. And the best thing about wearing the hijab is that if i ever have a bad hair day, nobody will ever notice." -Eiman Abdoalsadig
"Hijab is the crown I wear which allows me to represent my religion and perserve my beauty: that's what I love about it." -Hajar Darwish
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