How, According to Read, Do Muslim American Women Often Feel About the Hijab, the Muslim Headscarf?
Muslim Women on the Veil
To some, a Muslim head scarf represents patriarchal oppression in a astern guild. To others, it symbolizes modesty, identity and respect for a higher being.
Subsequently Suzanne Daley and Alissa J. Rubin reported on the struggles women in France face every bit a effect of prejudices and laws there restricting the wearing of veils, more than one,000 New York Times readers shared their opinions on this particularly sensitive and divisive bailiwick in the comments of the article and on Twitter and Facebook.
Amid those voices were about ii dozen Muslim women for whom this subject is deeply personal. These women explained why they have chosen to veil or not. They talked about how they were influenced by where they grew upwards, and how the decision has affected their didactics, careers and interactions with others.
For almost all of these women, information technology was a matter of personal option.
Here is a selection of their responses. They have been edited and condensed for clarity.
"My veil has never stopped me from doing anything"
I am an Indian-American Muslim girl living in the Dallas area who attends higher. I chose to start wearing the veil three years ago, even though the girls in my family unit don't. I chose to wear it myself after I studied Islam and thought it was a beautiful style to express my love for my religion and cipher more.
I'm an active student who participates in all sorts of college and volunteer activities. My veil has never stopped me from doing anything, and I refuse to let people's stares and comments get to me. I'g only using my liberty of choice and expression, and I accept every right to express my belief in this way equally long as it'southward not violating anyone else's rights.
I have discussed my veil profoundly with professors, and I believe information technology's wrong to force anyone to wear it also as to force anyone to remove it. Yous're taking away an individual'southward right to her religious freedom.
My mother doesn't wearable it, and neither would I ask her to, equally I'thousand happy with whatsoever way she chooses to express herself. I believe this should use to everyone. It's a piece of material for God's sake. What harm does it cause anyone? But bigoted and uninformed views cause harm to a society.
I pray people become more than accepting and respectful of those who are just peacefully expressing their religious behavior.
— Sadiya Patel in Dallas
"It reminds me of who I am"
"God exists on the inside"
I am a Muslim woman, and I accept never worn a veil, nor has my mother or her sisters. This has not been out of any societal pressure — my mom and sisters were built-in and raised in a Muslim state where many women do vesture the veil — but because while nosotros are devoted to Islam, nosotros believe that God exists on the inside and not in outward symbols that are too ofttimes thwarted and perverted by political interests.
I certainly respect the right of Muslim women to article of clothing the veil if they choose. Just my grandpa, who was born during days of the Ottoman Empire, never saw it necessary for his four daughters to wearable the veil, and if that was good enough for him then, then I remember it should exist good enough for me now. This is my choice, 1 that should be free of influence from religious and secularists alike.
— J in New York
"It gives me peace"
"It makes me experience confident"
The i matter I don't sympathise is why people assume hijab/niqab is a symbol of oppression. Never once in my life accept I been told to wear the hijab. For me information technology has ever been office of my life growing up, and every morning when I see myself in the mirror it makes me happy because I decided that I wanted to wear the hijab.
When I vesture my hijab it makes me feel confident, I feel like myself, this is how I have always been. Simply this isn't how the majority of the earth looks upon the hijab. Nosotros live in a strange club where walking around half naked is acceptable simply being minor and roofing up is frowned upon.
Not only this but also the fact that forcing a woman to not wear what she likes is OK, when clearly it is oppression itself. How hypocritical is the French authorities.
— Safiya in Canada
"Merely every bit some other woman chooses to wear a bikini"
"Having that pick fabricated me feel empowered"
I am a Muslim woman who has chosen to cease wearing my hijab afterward having worn it for 10 years (beginning at age 15). I chose to stop wearing my hijab equally I did not feel that a piece of fabric made me any more or less pious.
During those formative teenage years, I immersed myself in my religion. I wore my hijab by pick, as my parents always gave me the option. Having that pick made me feel empowered. Fundamental give-and-take: CHOICE. Taking this choice out of women's hands is, essentially, taking away their power to control how they present themselves to the world.
No human being beingness wants to be forced to do anything. Period.
— Shanonda1979 in New Haven
A constant reminder "that I practise non live for this world lone"
Image 
"A material expression of solidarity"
"Our head scarves lived in a drawer, and our religion lived in our hearts"
I am a secular Muslim woman who emigrated to the U.Southward. in 1966 as a young child. The only times my mother, sister and I wore a head scarf was when we visited a mosque, went to the cemetery, or during home prayer service. The head scarf was not part of our identity, information technology was function of our religious practice. Our head scarves lived in a drawer, and our faith lived in our hearts.
Islam, in fact, does not mandate that women cover their hair, head, or face up. Islam mandates that a woman dress conservatively, modestly, thoughtfully. The head covering is a sociocultural influence that has existed for centuries and was acquired by the religion. The caput scarf is more an expression of culture and nationality, but has erroneously become a religious symbol.
— B.B. in New Jersey
"Medieval, patriarchal, depersoning"
"Why not tell united states of america not to wear shorts, skirts, dresses?"
I am Muslim, and I do not habiliment the veil. I have seen the women in my family unit wearing the veil or not wearing it. For me, it'south a personal determination, and I think those who decide to wear the veil should have their decision respected. Telling Muslim women to have off their veil excludes them and prevents absorption. And we all know what happens when people are excluded. Extremists tend to accept advantage of that exclusion. Plus, telling a woman not to wear the veil in my opinion is policing what women wear. Why non tell us not to wear shorts, skirts, dresses?
— Kadidja in Austin, Tex.
"Judge me based on what's in my head"
"A testimony to my organized religion"
As a Muslim women who was raised in Europe and now residing in the U.South., wearing the hijab has always been a matter of choice married with a strong conviction of faith. I have worn various styles throughout the years. At times I covered my face, and other times such as at present I accept not, yet I am always aware that I am covered.
Some view information technology every bit a sign of my alignment with some foreign cause (it is not). Some feel that it'due south a manner to connect to my African heritage (it is not). Yet some just think I but want to be different (if simply yous knew). I've been complimented on the "regalness" of my garb, and I have been verbally abused.
What has never changed is my firm conviction that wearing this voluminous covering is a testimony of my faith. I believe in it and wearing information technology has everything to practise with my desire to freely practice that belief and nothing to do with challenging club'southward values.
— Aaishah in New York.
"Abiding warmth during wintertime"
"Covering my head didn't stifle my encephalon"
I am a Muslim woman, built-in and raised in the U.S., with graduate degrees and a professional career. I am not a victim who is being told to cover or not. I take gratis will. I love my land, and it affords me the right to cull how I dress and protects me from discrimination in the workplace and elsewhere. While wearing a head scarf for 17 years, I graduated from law school and got a job. Covering my head didn't stifle my brain, and it made me piece of work harder to compete. Every bit I grew in my faith, I chose to cease wearing the head scarf. But that was my decision. I respect women who choose to habiliment it, such as my very educated and progressive mother.
— TS in Washington
"People should expect beyond what'southward on your head"
"I can't imagine being able to converse with someone whose confront I cannot come across!"
I more often than not disagree with the practice of a total veil that covers one's optics even though I grew upwards with my mom (in Pakistan) wearing information technology, and one of my sisters who is living in Japan now wears a total veil as well. I sympathize with people who merits that it hinders communication and near likely hinders progress of women who vesture it too.
Afterwards living here in the U.Southward. for many years, I can't imagine existence able to converse with someone whose face I cannot come across! Eye contact, facial expressions, etc. There is just then much more involved in communication than mere words and sound.
Also from a religious point of view, I think information technology's an extreme interpretation of modesty to accept to embrace i'south confront.
— Sohail in Denver
"They react as if I'grand dumb"
I was born and raised in the Netherlands. I'chiliad Muslim and since a yr and a one-half I'm wearing a head scarf. Since I have not always worn a head scarf, I tin easily meet the divergence in people reactions toward me. Although not engaging in breathy prejudice is an unwritten rule over here, there have been numerous occasions in which I have been discriminated against. Moreover, this has been augmented since 2001, and fifty-fifty more since I have been wearing my head scarf.
People at present rudely stare at me. If they don't stare they treat me similar I'm air or every bit if I don't speak Dutch. If they practice talk to me, they react as if I'yard dumb. Before I wore my head scarf, all of this was not the example!
— Tulay Degermenci
"When in Rome, practise what the Romans practice"
My husband and I take both lived in central Paris (I am a abaft spouse) since 2013. When we first arrived, I didn't wear any veil, but then my religion grew, and I started to don on the hijab (one of those satin/colorful scarves, I always avoid black) six months ago.
Perchance I look distinctly strange (je suis Malaisienne), I never had whatsoever bad experiences with my caput scarf. When I go to the stores, walk on the streets, ride in the metro, the French remain polite and friendly or simply minding their ain business. Perhaps Parisians are more open-minded and exposed to foreign cultures. I feel happy and at ease here.
I besides believe in when in Rome, do what the Romans do. If the locals are uncomfortable with full confront covering or somber black abayas or dresses, wear something else. The world does not revolve around a specific group of people.
— Hylda Yaacub
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/28/world/muslim-women-on-the-veil.html
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