I'm lucky enough to be one of many students who participates in a brilliant program called Interfaith Youth Leadership Initiative. Interfaith Youth Leadership Initiative (IYLI) is a program designed to create religious tolerance through education for students in Los Angeles, Orange County, and Long Beach. The program takes place each summer at CSULB, Chapman University, and USC. The program spans 3 days and includes visits to a wide variety of houses of worship, learning about world religions, elimination of religious misconceptions, and the opportunity to make unlikely friends. IYLI also allows students to face real world crises, such as homelessness, through volunteering experiences.
This year, as has been tradition, we volunteered at the Union Rescue Mission in Skid Row, Los Angeles. Often seen as the epitome of glitz and glam, Los Angeles has a homelessness problem that is simply unacceptable. Nestled in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, Skid Row is home to thousands of homeless people who live in constant danger and filth.
On our bus ride from USC to the Union Rescue Mission, one of my new friends was adjusting her hijab when she casually challenged me to wear her extra hijab for the day. At first, I was unsure and felt as if I might offend other Muslims by wearing such a meaningful religious covering as a non-Muslim woman. She assured me that it was alright, and that other Muslims might even be happy to see that I was willing to see things from their point of view for the day. So, I decided to give it a go. Here's what I learned.
Fun fact: Hijab(حجاب) means veil in Arabic!
PS: Hijabi means a Muslim woman/girl who wears a hijab.
1. People stare more
I expected this one. But like, really. People stared a lot more. As soon as I put the hijab on, I realized how many more eyes fixated on me than before. As I walked into the mission (in a group which included several other hijabis), a homeless man actually shouted, "all covered up, ladies?" at our group. I didn't feel endangered or threatened, but I certainly felt as if people stared a little longer than normal. Had I not been in a group with other hijabis I believe that I would have felt much less courageous and safe.
I now have a whole new appreciation for Muslim women who wear hijab in places where they are a minority. Wearing a hijab in today's political climate is scarier than ever and people are constantly harassing hijabis, which I quickly realized. It takes some serious fearlessness. You go, hijabis!
2. Hearing is majorly muffled...
Even without a hijab, my hearing is not exactly perfect. Add a hijab and forget about it. Our group took a tour of the building before we began volunteering and let's just say that I didn't hear much. Our tour guide happened to be an older fellow with a soft voice. His soft voice paired with the noisy mission and my new hijab made it almost impossible for me to hear him.
I thought that maybe it was just my poor hearing that made my ears fail me, but I decided to ask some other hijabis if they had the same experience. They agreed that wearing a hijab definitely muffles their hearing a bit. I was so shocked by how much a thin piece of fabric had altered my hearing. Again, I give major props to women who wear hijabs and still manage to hear what people are saying.
3. Skills are required!
I've always been so very impressed by how intricately hijabis are able to wrap/tie their hijabs! They always look flawless and seem to be very secure. While we were still on the bus, my friend was able to wrap the hijab in three different ways in a matter of seconds!! She had all sorts of beautiful pins and clips to keep it in place, although some styles didn't require them. Most hijab looks require some level of wrapping, tucking, tying, or pinning.
When I asked her how she learned her impressive hijab skills, she told me that she had simply watched Youtube tutorials or learned from other women! There are thousands of ways to wear a hijab, and the hijabi community is very helpful toward one another when it comes to learning new ways of wearing hijab. From now on, each time that I see a woman wearing a hijab, I will take a moment to appreciate the art of hijab wrapping.
4. Hijab=fierce fashion potential
Hijabs are fierce. Hijabs are fashionable. When I see hijabis they always look classy and put together. Hijabs are a focal point to any look, and many hijabis will match their hijab color to their look for the day. Many hijabs even have trim that can be matched with sunglasses or other accessories. For instance, my friend wore a beige hijab with gold trim and paired it with cool circular sunglasses that also had gold trim! Hijabis also slay the makeup game nonstop! Hijabs in and of themselves are beautiful, and there are endless options to dress them up or down!
5. Hijabs are liberating
Hijabs are liberating in so many ways. Before I wore the hijab I thought I could understand this notion, but I completely felt the true meaning of it after I wore a hijab for a day! While wearing a hijab and dressing modestly, the rest of the world has no choice but to judge you based on your actions and intelligence. This way, other people don't judge you based on your breasts, hair, or any other physical feature. Hijabs allow women to be known for their most important features, like their intelligence, interests, and actions. The world gets to know the woman for who she is inside, not outside. What a beautiful concept. Intelligence outshines any feature, and this rings true when wearing a hijab.
