Touched by a stranger’s sincere and eager public Facebook post, on Wednesday February 1st I visited her house to help her and her non-Muslim friends style themselves in hijabs, in honor of World Hijab Day. Kim Mulligan’s World Hijab Day photo shoot was a beautiful, unique initiative by non-Muslim women to reach out and support Hijabi Muslim women. Upset about the Muslim ban and refugees’ plight, these women embraced me with hugs, smiles, and well-intentioned questions about my faith. They repeatedly thanked me for bringing hijabs and styling them, but it was I bowled over with gratitude for their support and courage. Their acceptance of the hijab warmed my heart. Their effort was reassuring and comforting, because typically it’s us Hijabis that have to overcompensate and reach out to others. This nonjudgmental group made me feel welcome and normal. We were a group of women having fun; enjoying fashion and getting to know one another as humans. It was not about lecturing one another.

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By Stephanie Elizabeth Kelly (Queensland, Australia)

I think the World Hijab Day page is amazing.  It is inspiring to see so many powerful women unashamed and unapologetic for their beliefs. I personally do not identify with any religion but I believe strongly that everyone should be able to express their beliefs without having to fear persecution. My best friend in the whole world is a Muslim and I have experienced the judgment and cruel words that she has received because of this. She has felt scared to express her religious beliefs with people due to this. So today I wore a hijab for her and for everyone else who faces persecution for their beliefs. Islam is a religion of peace, love, respect, and charity. If people see anything negative in it then that is an issue with them not Islam. Stay strong and stay true to who you are.

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I am a Christian and I don’t usually wear hijab. However, I would like to support all the women in the world that have decided to do it. I have met quite a lot of Muslim girls.  They are one of the most wonderful and kind-hearted friends I could imagine. Their hijab have always seemed to me something that show true female beauty and dignity.

I have never considered it to be a tool of oppression.

On this day in particular, I would like to do my best to show you girls my understanding and respect for your faith; to bring the people and religions together; to make you all feel powerful and proud to be women.

Lots of love from Poland!

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My first World Hijab Day experience was in 2014, so I was really looking forward to wearing a headscarf on February 1, 2015. There was just one problem: that was a Sunday and I am a devout Mormon (Christian). I didn’t feel it was wrong to wear hijab to church for a day, but I was concerned that it might upset others in my congregation. So, a few days before WHD, I posted about it in our congregation’s Facebook group. I posted a link to the WHD website and said, “this is why I will be wearing a headscarf in church on Sunday.” My hope was to prevent causing a disruption, because most of the congregants would not need to ask me about it during the service.

Well, one of the first comments was from a man who strongly disagreed. He felt my membership should be in jeopardy if I wore hijab to church. He felt that I was making a political statement and protesting our church leaders. After that, there was a lengthy conversation back and forth with most congregants supporting my decision. They cited scriptures from the Bible about it being appropriate for women to cover their heads during services. They talked about historical examples of Catholic and Baptist women covering their heads in church. I felt strengthened in my decision and resolved to wear the hijab, even to my Mormon church service.

As I walked into the church building, a man from another congregation (we share our building) greeted my husband and myself as if we were not members. He assumed we were not Mormon. It happened that we ended up sitting right next to the one man who was so against me wearing hijab to church. I felt bad about it. I did not dislike the man. I respect that he had a different opinion and at least he was honest about it. I didn’t want to upset him or disrupt his worship. I still wonder what he thought as he saw me during our services. Was his heart softened? Did he realize that wearing hijab on the outside didn’t change who I was on the inside? Did he start to think that there is more to Muslims. They are human beings too and its not just about clothing choices etc? I hope so.

At the very least, I was overjoyed that the discussion spread the word and knowledge of World Hijab Day. There are at least 100 Mormons who now know more about hijab and that the practice is part of Christian faith as well because of my participation in WHD. One woman at church said this to me, “last week I told my neighbor about you wearing a headscarf, and my neighbor started to say ‘Muslim women are so oppressed, the men force them to wear those.’ And I corrected my neighbor. I told her, ‘Actually, no, Lorelei says that the women choose to wear it and it makes them happy.'” I felt very glad inside to know that slowly, one person at a time, World Hijab Day is increasing understanding and building bridges between Muslims and non-Muslims. Thank you so much to all who are involved in the wonderful WHD Movement!

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I have converted to Islam only recently . The first thing I decided was to observe my veil. I have faced a lot of discrimination because of it. I have lost my job and heard many bad things. I have been called out disparaging names  like “bomb woman” and a “terrorist.” I have always replied with a smile and invited everyone who criticized me to know more about Islam.

My veil is my pride, my crown . It is a vital part of my identity now. It is the proof of my submission to God. I believe it to be the most beautiful way to tell the world that there is a precious gem hidden within each woman that should be cared for, protected, and loved . May Allah facilitate our way and always help us to wear our hijab freely. Alhamdulillah, I AM A MUSLIM.

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I participated in World Hijab Day and it was a good experience that I will repeat. I live in a very small, very Christian town.  There were some strange looks and people were staring at me – and then looking away quickly when they realized I saw them looking. A few people seemed surprised that I spoke English. The fact that I was wearing hijab gave me the opportunity to talk to my step children about respect, difference, and peace.  I only wish WHD had been on a work day, so I could have had more conversations about it.

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Teaching world history allows me to encourage students to look at past and current events through diverse perspectives. In doing so, my hope is that one day students will use their voices to raise awareness through understanding, compassion, and empathy for people around the world. It is the power of knowledge that will overcome the misconceptions that too often divide people. One of my students did exactly that, she used her voice to invite me to participate in World Hijab Day 2015. Almost instantly my eyes swelled with tears of joy, I was honored as she explained, “I thought you might want to participate because that’s just who you are; you really care about other people.” As if this moment wasn’t enough, her mother stopped by and brought a Hijab for me to wear, and we shared a conversation that I will treasure deeply.

Wearing the Hijab was an incredibly powerful experience. I felt liberated from society’s view which dictates the latest fashion trends, in fact, never did I feel as regal as I did today. I stood tall with my head held high and felt in control of my image, beautiful and strong.

Today, I wore the Hijab in honor of my student, and her mother, who reminded me that one simple gesture can positively impact someone else’s life. Thank you for granting me with this unforgettable experience!

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When I put on the hijab and covered up, I wasn’t spending my day worrying about what I looked like. It gives you a sense of confidence that you can only gain through learning to appreciate yourself for more than just your physical appearance. It makes you feel secure in a way that is very difficult to explain. I felt confident about who I was as a person because I knew that’s what people were going to judge me on when I covered up – all they knew about me was based on my eyes, my facial expressions, and the words I said. There was something very empowering about that.

The hijab, for me, now represents something a lot more than just a piece of cloth used to cover your head. It stands firmly as a symbol of equality. A symbol for women who choose not to let men judge them based on their appearances, but rather, forces them to see women for the people they are on the inside. It gives women a sense of value, it gives women a sense of strength, and it allows women to be in control of the way anyone else sees them. In my opinion, that is one of the strongest messages of equality you could send.

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Thanks to my dear friend Faouziya, I learned about and participated in my first World Hijab Day. It was a wonderful and eye opening experience! I received a few stares at the grocery store, however the majority of people I encountered were kind and acted normally towards me. The biggest difference I experienced was that when I spoke to people, they looked me in the eyes rather than at my body. It made me feel confident and beautiful inside and out. I live in Nebraska which is in the middle of the United States, and am Jewish. I feel that it is important to celebrate and respect both our similarities and differences as human beings, no matter what religion.

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We had a wonderful event in Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia introducing many skeptical women to the joy of wearing hijab. After the event we received the following message from one of the participants:

Dear friends, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for inviting us to learn more about you at your World Hijab Day event. No amount of research could equate to a moment of human experience and I was reminded of this yesterday. While I was excited to attend your event to broaden my knowledge, I was admittedly hesitant to try on a hijab, firstly, because it was new and different to anything I had worn before but also because I did not want to be disrespectful or subtract any importance from the reasons why you wear yours by wearing one when it may not hold the same significance for me.

After some informative discussion and a little convincing I decided to take a chance and try one on. I was pleasantly caught off guard by how donning the hijab made me feel and the experience was surprisingly moving. I have often admired the fashionable aesthetics of the hijab but now that I better understand the reasons for you choosing to wear them, my eyes are more open to their more meaningful beauty and I now, more than ever, think it is wonderful that you are able to express yourselves in such a lovely way as wearing your hijab. Thank you again for sharing this opportunity with the Wide Bay community. As a Mother and Teacher of young children I recognize how important it is to nourish young minds by teaching them to understand and celebrate our differences and I am pleased that I brought my son along with me. He may have only come along for the “dress ups” but he has also learned, in a natural and casual way, that we accept one another and that our differences are an interesting and beautiful thing to be cherished. I certainly hope to attend more events like this in the future. You have done a magnificent job in promoting awareness of your community. I wish you peace, understanding and respect.

Pictures from the event:

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