The Consequences Of Wearing The Hijab Essay Example

I have been studying in the United States since 2009 and have observed that Muslim women who wear the hijab in US society are taken as the chief representatives of Islam, far more than Muslim men or those Muslim women who dress without it. In fact, research has shown that women who wear the hijab are often viewed as fervent Muslims and even Islamic ‘fanatics’ as they are easily differentiated from non-Muslims in the society (Ebaugh, 2005). In effect, those who do not choose to cover themselves or their heads will never be judged on their appearance, occupation, faith and religion, since they cannot be marked specifically as Muslims.
The reason why US Muslim women have a hard time is because too many Americans have come to believe these women are violent, support terrorism and should be feared (Muslims in the media, 2011, p 3). I have personal experienced people trying to avoid sitting next to me on the bus or not letting their children get close to me, especially at a bus station. Furthermore, Muslim women also face problems when stopping for security checks. Women are more likely to be interrogated and searched when they are wearing a hijab or are otherwise covered (AB, 2015).
The obvious message conveyed by such acts is that Muslims pose a threat to national security, and therefore need to be specifically monitored and surveyed. As an international student, I am legally allowed to visit my hometown and fly back to the States during my vacations. However, every time I come back, the immigration officer takes me to the secondary office where he demands I show some of my hair in public. This action might symbolize the officer's desire to display his power over Islamic citizens in his country - and how Muslims like me need to be kept in our place.
The act of discriminating and fearing Muslim women in this country is simply wrong, unjust and hurtful. People fail to see that it is not only Islam that requires women to cover their heads. Many religions have similar practices. In fact, Feder has pointed out the unfair treatment of Muslims in specifically non-Muslim society. She argues that covering the head is only pointed out for the Muslim women, while the world conveniently ignores Jewish and Christian women who also cover their heads in their respective communities. The fact remains that there's justification to discriminate against women on the basis of their religious teachings and doctrines.
While the hijab is often considered a symbol of oppression, Muslim women often consider it tool for empowerment. When some Muslim women were questioned as to how the hijab reflected on their body image and why they started wearing it, they insisted the two were unrelated and had never developed any negative feelings toward themselves (Nasr, 2013). Instead, the hijab gave them much-needed confidence, while assuming they were practicing their religion as desired without causing harm to others. Women also reported they never imposed their views or dress codes on others, although they maintained faith that women who do cover themselves could be equally successful.
Sadly, Muslim women continue to face discrimination in the workplace and are often forbidden from wearing the hijab. They are commonly harassed and even fired from their jobs. They are denied access to public places for fear that they might scare away others who continue to fear the hijab (ACLU, 2016). People even avoid coming to stores where Muslim women are employees. I once went to a salon owned by an Indian lady, who asked me if I could tell whether she was Muslim. I said I couldn’t. She admitted she was indeed a practicing Muslim who didn’t cover her head because business would suffer if she did.
This warped vision of the hijab not only affects Americans, but influences Muslim perception of how they are accepted in the United States (Muslims in the Media, 2011, p 3). The hijab triggers a lot of anti-Muslim sentiment and means Muslim women are badgered and told scolded for representing a religion that oppresses them. This hurts their sentiments because women cover their heads out of religious respect, not because the men make them do so (Research Gate, 2010). They end up feeling unwanted and insecure in a country that is considered the land of the free. This only fuels further social unrest. The world should be generous enough to let another person practice their beliefs without hatred and discrimination.