Non-Muslim women wearing the hijab has been a popular act of solidarity throughout the year, especially given the rise of Islamophobic incidents. Earlier this month, one professor at Wheaton College in the US announced that she would wear the hijab throughout the advent period in support of Muslim women. Similarly, a school in Illinois hosted an event which saw young girls donning the hijab in order to promote acceptance and tolerance.
However while many might argue that actions such as these speak far louder than words, two Muslim women have taken issue with the idea. Writing in an op-ed published in The Washington Post yesterday, Asra Q. Nomani and Hala Arafa claimed that the hijab should be challenged rather than accepted.
They argue that the hijab is often deemed necessary so that men are not tempted by the sight of a woman’s hair. They equate this rhetoric with victim-blaming.
“This ideology promotes a social attitude that absolves men of sexually harassing women and puts the onus on the victim to protect herself by covering up.”
In response to the event held at the school in Illinois, they said that it “disturbed” them to see the girls wearing the scarves.
Many argue that wearing a headscarf is entirely the choice of the woman. Those wearing hijabs are often the target of Islamophobic verbal and even physical abuse, with numerous cases reported this year.
Nomani and Arafa conclude the article by asking for a new form of solidarity.
“Do not wear a headscarf in “solidarity” with the ideology that most silences us, equating our bodies with “honor.” Stand with us instead with moral courage against the ideology of Islamism that demands we cover our hair.”
