Sometimes I feel family unintentionally pushes girls away from the hijab
As-salamu alaykum - just a little rant from me. I love the hijab and have no plans to take it off, but growing up it was a real struggle. My parents grew up in a Muslim country where wearing the hijab was normal and nobody made a fuss about it. My mum never walked into a room feeling judged or had strangers question her faith. When we moved to a Western country and I was growing up, my mum expected us to start wearing the hijab right away like back home. That was hard. Being a teenager with classmates who didn’t wear it made me feel lots of peer pressure and like I didn’t belong. I’m a girly person who likes to feel cute, and without anyone around who understood modest fashion, I felt stuck. I was told the hijab wasn’t for beautifying yourself, so I wasn’t allowed bows, clips, or bright colours because that would draw attention. For a teen into fashion it felt really suffocating. The first time I visited my parents’ country in the summer, I was blown away by how lovely the hijabis dressed - modest outfits that still felt stylish. There were so many options I’d never seen where I grew up. For the first time I felt happy and realised I didn’t dislike the hijab itself; I disliked how it had been forced on me and how I had no way to express myself while wearing it. I was resentful at my parents for making it seem so restrictive, like a punishment. When I left for university and met other hijabis, I started to love wearing it - something that probably wouldn’t have happened if I’d stayed under the same roof. I honestly think I might have stopped wearing it if the only experience I’d known was the one that made me hate myself in it. Having friends, choices, and support changed everything and helped me accept and enjoy the hijab. I wish family members wouldn’t treat the hijab so extremely, like it dooms women to unhappiness. It shouldn’t be that way - it can be a modest covering that still helps us feel comfortable and confident. Now I feel proud and happy in my hijab, excited to match it with outfits, and content in my deen, alhamdulillah. Thanks for reading my little rant ❤️