Every year during the month of fasting (Ramadan), women of all faiths are asked to don the hijab for 30 days in order to better understand the hijab. This event is for those who want more than just one day to experience the hijab. In addition, many Muslim women want to don the hijab but aren’t motivated to take that first step. This event intends to help those sisters take that first step with the support of many women around the world.
Wearing hijab is not always easy when it is looked down upon in public and social places. Even families, especially for reverts to Islam. Due to growing Islamophobia, hijab wearing women face physical encounters while simply walking home or going to the grocery store. Women have had their hijabs ripped off and they’ve been spat on. Some of the women facing these attacks have been visibly pregnant.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union: Discrimination Against Muslim Women, 69% of women who wore the hijab reported at least one incident of discrimination.
There are times when hijab wearing women also face discrimination in the workplace. Women working in media are often denied jobs or told they can have a job if they remove their hijab. Islamophobia affects Muslims everywhere, men, women, and children. We believe that educating non-Muslims about the hijab will help discriminatory acts dissolve and create a better sense of unity among people.
Although many people view hijab as a symbol of oppression, the American Muslim Poll 2018 reveals the opposite according to American Muslim women. Forty-six percent of women reported that they view hijab or head coverings as a visible symbol that shows others their faith.
The top reasons for wearing hijab included:
- 54% piety to please God
- 21% to show Muslim identity
- 12% for modesty
- 1% required by family or spouse
Other positive statistics included that 87% of Muslim women are proud to be identified with their faith community despite stigmatization and 87% reported they see the identity of their faith as a source of happiness.
Although there are some positive statistics, there are many more startling discoveries surrounding the discrimination Muslims face.
According to the American Muslim Poll 2020, 60 to 62% of Muslims face discrimination in the United States of America. ⠀
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Massachusetts, USA surveyed nearly 200 Muslim students in grades seven to 12 to gather data about harassment and bullying they may face. The 2020 annual report revealed:
- 61% of the Muslim students have experienced bullying based on their religion
- 52% of the Muslim students have faced bullying because of their race or ethnicity
- 17% of the Muslim students have experienced physical harassment that included having their hijab nearly pulled off or pulled off completely
- 33% of Muslim students reported that they have altered their appearance, names, etc. to hid that they are Muslim
- 14% of Muslim students do not feel comfortable telling others that they are Muslim
Findings in the American Muslim Poll 2020 by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU), found that Muslims and Jews are the most likely groups in America to face any religious discrimination.
