Subtitles section Play video Print subtitles The weirdest question I've been asked about hijab is probably if I shower in it. The answer is no. If I wear it during sex. What does covering your hair have to do with it at that point, you know? You're seeing other parts. Hijab, in Arabic, means “to cover”. It normally refers to the piece of fabric that some women use to cover their hair. Hijab is a concept. It's meant to kind of promote modesty. A hijab is a thing that a male Muslim should have absolutely no opinion about. Not all Muslim women wear hijab. I've never worn a hijab, except when I actually pray. There are many ways to wear it, depending on culture and preference. There's the "just got here from the Middle East" hijab. There's the turban hijab. I wear my hijab like this. Sometimes I put a turban up, sometimes I'll just drape it. Amani's like the Muslim hipster. She just,like, goes out, throws on that hijab, and she's like "I'm Muslim, and what?" Mine is the bluetooth hijab. This is how easy I could be walking around the city. With this. And then mine is like... Yeah. There's this western stereotype that a Muslim woman who wears it did not have the choice to do so. It is seen as a symbol of oppression rather than a symbol of devotion. The minute that I put it on I felt like my identity became whole. When I wasn't wearing hijab I was just some ordinary white girl from New York City. Wearing hijab made you know that I was Muslim. It's, for me, a reminder to lead my life with religion first. For me, putting on a head scarf was emancipation because that was the moment that I reclaimed my identity. I say, “Hey peeps! I'm a Muslim. What's up?” My hijab takes nothing away from my intellect, takes nothing away from my passions and my values and the principles that I hold. How does it look, good? Producer: I think it looks great! Okay, making sure.
B1 US Vox hijab muslim wear symbol identity A beginner’s guide to hijabs 31 2 Samuel posted on 2018/01/23 More Share Save Report Video vocabulary