WhatsappRefusing the Hijab
You’d think this happened in Syria. But no. Surprisingly, it happened at the University of Central Florida, right here in the USA. Let’s go over the events to see how the Hijab war panned out.
Hijab booth on campus
Muslim students set up a booth, letting people try on a Hijab. A long as the atmosphere is open and peaceful, some people would say that it was not a problem. Yet one college student who saw booth was confused by it. She wrote a twitter post, questioning if the “hijab booth” was “trying to get women used to being oppressed under Islam?”. This concern has been voiced before. Many secular and former Muslims view the religious muslim headscarf as a symbol of oppression. Many mainstream Muslim woman connect the hijab with ideas that, “sexually objectifies women as vessels for honor and temptation, absolving men of personal responsibility”.
From the other side
One woman responded to the student’s complaint and said she was at the booth. Here is what she says happened. “I invited you to try one on and you said ‘no thank you,’” the woman wrote. “You didn’t take the time to even ask questions or try to understand what Hijab is. That’s ignorant of you. You literally sprinted after taking the photos”. Then, this woman called on others to get the student expelled. For what reason? Due to not wanting to wear the muslim religious headscarf? The symbol of oppression? And let’s say it was something else less controversial. For example, a hat. Or bracelet. We live in a free society, and we can choose what we want to wear!!! Consequently, people tried to get this college student expelled for not wanting to wear the symbol of oppression.
This war made its way to the college. They reviewed the case. As a result, they did not expel the student. Perhaps the real problem are the muslim extremists. Perhaps they are not conducive to college campuses. We believe in freedom. We also value respecting others. And our education. We want academic success. We want to work well with others. Do they?
