On Wednesday, Walk a Mile in Her Hijab was an important event held in honor of IAW week. Basically, through the last two weeks of tabling, MSA was able to get over 200 girls to pledge to take part in this event. Walk a Mile in Her Hijab is an event where students take a pledge to go through the entire day with the hijab on. Thanks to the freshman committee, over 200 scarves were donated, Alhamdulillah. The annual photo of students who pledged to wear the hijab was taken in front of the IC.
From the event co-sponsored by Feminist Forum that followed, Tea Talk, women, hijabi, those who wore hijab for the day and those who did not, and men who also participated in this event through wearing the modesty t-shirt, gave their experiences and reflections about the day. Each individual had an interesting response. Some women really enjoyed their day. They were happy to see that no one at Loyola judged them. Freshman Ruhi Shethwala observed, “I saw that people were respectful… the scary part was when I had to converse with non-Muslims—I was worried that they might judge me.” Her response sheds light upon Wednesday’s event because it shows that there is more to just wearing a hijab. People who participate are allowed to show their peers that wearing a hijab does not deteriorate anyone. Observers of Hijab for a Day can see that there is no barrier that exists between them and a hijabi, unless created.. It allows for people to understand that there is a person, an individual under every hijab and removes stereotypes.
Many people at the Tea Talk discussed how much they enjoyed their experience. Some said this was because of how diverse the Loyola community is while others were awed by the fact that people were seeing them from their face and nothing else. People felt respected. The brothers who stood in solidarity with this event reflected on how difficult it can be for a Muslim women who wears the hijab to face the harsh judgments of society. To them, this event helped to unify and bring to light an understanding about the hijab. At Tea Talk, there were also people who had mixed opinions on Walk a Mile in Her Hijab. Although this is an event to raise awareness about the hijab, some argued that it should be taken more seriously as hijab is not simply a prop, it is not simply a piece of cloth. Hijab becomes a part of one’s identity, and wearing it for one day may not show people just how important it is to every woman that practices the hijab.
Walk a Mile in Her Hijab was a successful day. Not only did it bring some sort of awareness about the hijab to the Loyola community, but it gave room to important conversation and discussion.
were respectful… the scary part was when I had to converse with non-Muslims—I was worried that they might judge me.” Her response sheds light upon Wednesday’s event because it shows that there is more to just wearing a hijab. People who participate are allowed to show their peers that wearing a hijab does not deteriorate anyone. Observers of Hijab for a Day can see that there is no barrier that exists between them and a hijabi, unless created.. It allows for people to understand that there is a person, an individual under every hijab and removes stereotypes. Many people at the Tea Talk discussed how much they enjoyed their experience. Some said this was because of how diverse the Loyola community is while others were awed by the fact that people were seeing them from their face and nothing else.
People felt respected. The brothers who stood in solidarity with this event reflected on how difficult it can be for a Muslim women who wears the hijab to face the harsh judgments of society. To them, this event helped to unify and bring to light an understanding about the hijab. At Tea Talk, there were also people who had mixed opinions on Walk a Mile in Her Hijab. Although this is an event to raise awareness about the hijab, some argued that it should be taken more seriously as hijab is not simply a prop, it is not simply a piece of cloth. Hijab becomes a part of one’s identity, and wearing it for one day may not show people just how important it is to every woman that practices the hijab.
Walk a Mile in Her Hijab was a successful day. Not only did it bring some sort of awareness about the hijab to the Loyola community, but it gave room to important conversation and discussion.
Fariha Waheed