Ibtihaj Muhammad should be considered a feminist force to be reckoned with. The 30-year-old saber fencer from New Jersey has made history by being the first African American Muslim to compete and win a bronze medal for the United States at the Olympics while wearing a hijab, shattering widespread misconceptions of Muslim women’s capabilities throughout the country. She has used her success as a platform to speak out against the injustices the Muslim community faces in the United States and has shown that just because a woman chooses to cover herself, she is anything but oppressed by her religion.

Muhammad has planted a seed for progress in the American psyche and has begun to change the conversation surrounding the Muslim community, just as Jesse Owens changed the conversation about the capabilities of African Americans in 1936 when he earned four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics. Her fight to be seen as a human who is fully capable of making her own choices, who is strong and empowered, and her willingness to speak on behalf of Muslim women everywhere makes her a shining example of feminism.

Muhammad is capable, powerful and will not be silenced.

Ibtihaj Muhammad may choose to practice modesty in her everyday life, but this does not make her incapable of being a powerful woman. As a member of the United States National Fencing Team, she is ranked as second in the United States and eighth throughout the world. Although she did not medal in her individual tournament in the 2016 Rio Olympics, she helped her team bring home a bronze for the US Olympic Women's Fencing Team, proving she is a capable and strong athlete. She has advocated for Muslim women to become more involved with sports to fight the misconception that Muslim women are weak, both within the Muslim community and in the American mindset overall. As she breaks the cultural norms in both areas, she paves the way for other women who look to make their way in a world that does not look kindly on Islam or the women who practice it. The cultural impact that Muhammad has made will change how the world looks at women who wear hijabs as an outward symbol of their faith, showing that the world of feminism needs more examples like her.

Although Muhammad's own father believes that women should not be confrontational, Muhammad finds herself speaking out against issues that her community faces, among them being Islamophobia in a post 9/11 world. When Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump spoke of banning Muslim immigration into the states and made comments about a Muslim Gold Star mother being unable to speak due to her religion, she fired back showing that Muslim women are anything but silent. In an interview with CNN, the Olympian spoke on how dangerous words can be when spoken carelessly by an influential individual, saying "When these types of comments are made, no one thinks about how they really affect people." Muhammad seeks to educate those who are misguided about the faith she holds dearly and to empower women around her. She also educates those within the Muslim community, speaking at mosques and universities around the world to bring light to the importance of women’s education. She herself is an educated woman as a graduate from Duke University, double majoring African American studies and international relations. The young fencer is also building a business by creating her own fashion line that aims to create modest, yet fashionable clothing for women who wish to follow modesty standards. Ibtihaj Muhammad is a shining example of feminism, not only because she speaks out against the injustices that affect women within her community, but because she leads by example to show that women within the Muslim community are more than capable of achieving greatness in the wake of a world that doubts them.

Saying women who choose to cover are oppressed is in fact oppressive.

Although Ibtihaj Muhammad seems more than empowered, there are many who believe she cannot be a feminist due to the "oppressive nature" of her faith and clothing choices. Oppression is defined as "an unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power." In this context, it is difficult to understand why many Americans view women who choose to wear hijabs as oppressed. When discussing Muhammad's historical appearance at the Olympics, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh stated that Islam was a "religion run by men that subjugates and subordinates women" by "wearing something that's forced on her by her religion." In countries run by radical Islamic factions, this is often the case. Women are forced to cover by law in many countries, which would be an unjust exercise of authority over another person. However, Rush Limbaugh assumption that a woman in the United States should not be allowed to cover is also problematic. Not allowing a woman to cover herself is just as oppressive as forcing a woman to cover. Those who believe that Islam in itself is oppressive, quite often do not comment on what could be deemed as "oppression" within their own religions. Many women in the United States practice Abrahamic religions, all of which were founded by men and have historically subordinated women. Catholic and Orthodox religions do not allow women to be apart of the clergy, while Mormon women are asked to submit to their husbands and dress modestly and Hasidic Jewish communities discourage women from being educated past high school. Almost all religions have standards and rules for how men and women should behave, yet those who criticize Islam do not criticize their own beliefs. Limbaugh, as well as other Americans, have not spoken out against these religions because they are perceived as “normal” and are widely accepted in the United States. Islamophobia and a general lack of education about Islam works against women like Ibtihaj Muhammad who just like women in other religions are simply following the faith they believe in. While equality in all areas is important, it is also important to give someone the option to follow the religion that they deem fit for themselves. Many of these women who choose to follow their faith would not claim to feel oppressed. Many would actually state that they feel empowered by their religious beliefs and are making the choice to follow their faiths. If one is not breaking the law and their choices do not harm themselves or others, the judgement of how to carry out one's lives is that person’s alone.

Feminism falls heavily on the idea that women should be afforded the same choices and autonomy over themselves that men are afforded on a daily basis. Whether it is choosing to marry, to have a family, to get an education or however one presents herself to the world, these choices must always belong to �individual women. What may be personally empowering to one woman, another woman may find personally oppressive. Muhammad walking out into the public sphere and choosing how the world sees her is in itself a feminist choice. She has spoken out about wearing her hijab as a choice in interviews, stating that many believe that she is forced into wearing it. She rebuffs this accusation and says that she is outspoken in her own life and comfortable expressing herself. Just as many women wish to challenge the male gaze by reclaiming their sexuality, she is choosing to push the male gaze away and live in a manner in which she is comfortable. She dresses for no one but herself. This is a feminist act and feminists everywhere should applaud a woman taking control of how the world sees her, regardless of how one would present themselves in their own lives.

She is an intersectional feminist icon.

Ibtihaj Muhammad is blazing a trail for Muslim women in America, putting a face to issues within the Muslim community and refusing to be silent in a world that believes that her religion holds her back. She chooses how the world will see her. She empowers other women, pushing them to become educated and to be everything that they choose to be. She stands up to politicians and bigots and allows her skill set to show that she is just as capable as any other woman in America. She makes her own choices while helping other women, and that’s what makes a feminist. Welcome to the feminist club, Ms. Muhammad. We’re happy to have you.