Hijab why women wear it

There have been ups and downs, but it is something that has become somehow entwined with my personal identity. HS: As difficult as it can be for people who are unaccustomed to the concept of the hijab to understand, it makes me feel so empowered and gives me agency. I have control over who can see special parts of me. YS: I started wearing hijab pretty young, right before I started sixth grade.

I assured her that I was grown up enough and that I understood what it meant. I was about to start at a new school and I wanted a fresh start. She was still a little hesitant, but she told me that I could start wearing it. She even threw me a "scarf party" to commemorate the start of me wearing it. This is not common at all, but it was really fun and made me feel really good about myself. I always tell them that hijab is not something that is only reserved for Muslim women.

There are women of all different religions that wear it. I actually encourage people to try wearing it sometimes. YS: Many people know that my relationship with hijab is not perfect, I say it all the time.

It can be hard sometimes, and I am not perfect. I constantly remind myself that I don't wear it for anyone else but myself and God. YS: Hijab empowers me every day. Proponents of this view argue that removing clothing for the benefit of the male gaze does not equal liberation.

According to researchers, women in hijabs note that employers must interact with them based on their qualifications rather than their appearance and that, therefore, the hijab levels the playing field. In Western countries, however, women find that wearing a head covering makes it harder to get hired. Finally, for some women, the headscarf is a convenience. It can reduce comments from others about women being out in public and lessen incidents of harassment on the street and at work.

Despite the multiple, complicated reasons behind wearing a hijab, there are those who routinely assert that women who wear a headscarf are necessarily oppressed. Examples of hijab-wearing women in the government, such as newly elected Congresswoman Ilhan Omar , or athletes such as Olympian fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad , may help dispel these stereotypes. Festival of Social Science — Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire. Edition: Available editions United Kingdom.

Become an author Sign up as a reader Sign in. The headscarf is not just a religious symbol for many of the women; it is a way of being.

In Indonesia, for example, female Muslim religious scholars, or ulamas, are helping change how Islam is understood and practiced.

As sociologist Rachel Rinaldo says , the past three decades in Indonesia have seen the emergence of a new generation of female religious leaders who are interpreting the Quran in a way that is empowering for women. A conference of female Muslim religious scholars held in Indonesia, with participants from Kenya, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, issued fatwas — nonbinding religious edicts — against child marriage, sexual abuse and environmental destruction.

The point is that, like other faiths, Islam is a multifaceted religion, and Muslim women are choosing how they want to be heard and seen. Fact : Female ulamas in Indonesia go back to the 17th century.

At a time when female rulers anywhere in the world were unusual, she was the primary upholder of religious authority in what was then a prosperous and peaceful kingdom. In the next issue: What is Islamic law? You can read all six articles in this Understanding Islam series on TheConversation.

Why do Muslim women wear a hijab? How a growing number of Muslim women clerics are challenging traditional narratives.