ISLAMOPHOBIA TOPIC: WEARING HIJAB ON AN EVERYDAY BASIS HELPS PROMOTE TOLERANCE
Now that I’m wearing hijab, I feel like I am making a big difference.
Every time I take trips to the grocery store, sit in my classroom, get on the METRO bus, or even take out the trash, I know that I am one of many women in the westernized world who is removing the shock value that often comes with wearing hijab.
I know that everyone who has a mental freak out session will probably calm down once they realize I am just like everyone else. LOL, I’m not related to Osama bin Laden, nor do I feel the urge to become a suicide bomber.
To all the Muslimahs out there reading this, please spread love and promote tolerance. Nothing good comes from hate, and we need to do everything we can to raise awareness of the true essence of Islam. As Muslims, we have a duty to push against how the media has framed us. Let’s help everyone realize that there is no need for islamophobia and that the extremists in our religion do not represent us as a whole. Also, let’s make it clear that the symbol of hijab does not equal oppression. We chose to put this cloth over our heads to protect our modesty. Frankly, it should be seen as an expression of freedom because we can protect our privacy (which is nearly nonexistent in today’s world) and choose who can appreciate our beauty.
I think that as more women decide to wear the hijab in public, it will desensitize the islamophobia and help everyone realize that there really are no differences between us. Ideally I would like to see a world in which the hijab will be seen as an identification of the strong, pious Muslim woman, not as a mark of oppression or a symbol of fear.
Do you think wearing hijab promotes tolerance? What are your experiences with islamophobia?