World Hijab Day#Criticism

{{distinguish|Global Pink Hijab Day|International Purple Hijab Day}}

{{use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}{{Infobox recurring event

|name = World Hijab Day

|image = World Hijab Day 2016.png

|imagesize = 360px

|caption = World Hijab Day poster from 2016

|date = 1 February

|frequency = Annual

|established = {{Start date|2013}}

|founder_name = Nazma Khan

|website = {{URL|worldhijabday.com}}

}}

World Hijab Day is an annual event founded by Nazma Khan in 2013,{{cite web|url=http://worldhijabday.com/|title=World Hijab Day - Better Awareness. Greater Understanding. Peaceful World|access-date=13 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006192248/http://worldhijabday.com/|archive-date=2016-10-06|url-status=live}} taking place on 1 February each year in 140 countries worldwide.{{cite web |author=Participating Countries |url=http://worldhijabday.com/worldwidesupport/ |title=Worldwide Support |publisher=World Hijab Day |access-date= 6 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310102705/http://worldhijabday.com/worldwidesupport/ |archive-date=10 March 2016 |url-status=live }} Its stated purpose is to encourage women of all religions and backgrounds to wear and experience the hijab for a day and to educate and spread awareness on why hijab is worn.{{cite web |url=https://worldhijabday.com/world-hijab-day-2013/ |title=World Hijab Day |publisher=worldhijabday.com |access-date=6 March 2013 }} Nazma Khan said her goal was also to promote wider acceptance of hijab wearing as well as combating religious discrimination.{{cite news |title='We're not oppressed': Canadians unite to mark World Hijab Day - National {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8584932/world-hijab-day-canada-2022/ |access-date=14 February 2022 |work=Global News}}

Background

The hijab is a type of head covering worn by many Muslim women as a sign of modesty. Hijab comes in various forms.{{cite web|date=June 29, 2021|title=Religious clothing and personal appearance|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/06/29/religious-clothing-and-personal-appearance/|website=Pew Research Center|access-date=May 5, 2023}}

Hijab-wearing Muslim women face both overt and covert discrimination in job applications and workplace environments, with covert bias often resulting in more hostile treatment.Ahmad, A. S., King, E. B.(2010). An experimental field study of interpersonal discrimination toward Muslim job applicants. Personnel Psychology, 63(4), 881–906

Nazma Khan, a Bangladeshi-American, launched World Hijab Day (WHD) in 2013. She said that her aim was "to raise awareness and normalize the wearing of a hijab." Khan added that she launched the day due hoping for "foster[ing] religious tolerance" given experiences of facing "discrimination and bullying in school and university by being spat on, chased, kicked and called a “terrorist”." This way, other women would not have the same experiences as "she had to endure."

Laws like Quebec's Bill 21,{{cite web |last1=Rukavina |first1=Steve |title=New research shows Bill 21 having 'devastating' impact on religious minorities in Quebec |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/bill-21-impact-religious-minorities-survey-1.6541241 |website=CBC |access-date=October 18, 2024 |date=August 4, 2022}} which bans public sectors from wearing religious symbols, {{Cite web |title=Bill 21 - Concordia University |url=https://www.concordia.ca/artsci/education/students/bill-21.html#:~:text=What%20is%20Bill%2021?,symbols%20while%20performing%20their%20duties. |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=www.concordia.ca |language=en}} was a factor in the creation of World Hijab Day.

Official recognition

In 2017, New York State recognized World Hijab Day. An event marking the day was hosted at the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, which was attended by Theresa May (a former UK prime minister).{{Cite web|last=Grewal|first=Kairvy|date=2020-01-31|title=On World Hijab Day, women across the globe are polarised|url=https://theprint.in/world/on-world-hijab-day-women-across-the-globe-are-polarised/357169/|access-date=2021-02-01|website=ThePrint|language=en-US}} The House of Representatives of the Philippines approved 1 February as "annual national hijab day" 2021.{{Cite web|title=House OKs bill declaring National Hijab Day|url=https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/01/26/news/latest-stories/house-oks-bill-declaring-national-hijab-day/833020/|access-date=2021-02-01|website=The Manila Times|date=26 January 2021|language=en-US}}

Criticism

A. J. Caschetta criticizes the choice of February 1 for World Hijab Day as distasteful, arguing that it coincides with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's 1979 return to Iran from exile to lead the Iranian revolution and its enforcement of mandatory hijab laws.{{Cite web|last=Caschetta|first=A. J.|date=2020-01-30|title=The Irony and Hypocrisy of World Hijab Day|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/01/world-hijab-day-irony-hypocrisy/|access-date=2021-02-01|website=National Review|language=en-US}} Caschetta argues that while the hijab is promoted in the West as a symbol of the right to choose one's clothing, the same advocacy is lacking for women who are persecuted for refusing to wear the hijab.

Maryam Namazie, a vocal ex-Muslim and campaigner, criticized World Hijab Day, arguing that it is a "form of oppression".{{cite news |title=Hijab for a day: Non-Muslim women who try the headscarf |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21283301 |access-date=14 February 2022 |work=BBC News |date=31 January 2013}} In his own opinion piece published in 2017, Maajid Nawaz suggested that the name be changed to "Hijab is a Choice Day".{{cite news |author=Maajid Nawaz |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/12/29/the-great-hypocritical-muslim-cover-up.html |title=The Great Hypocritical Muslim Cover-Up |newspaper=The Daily Beast |date=29 December 2015 |access-date=6 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305185504/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/12/29/the-great-hypocritical-muslim-cover-up.html |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=live }}

In 2018, Canadian activist Yasmine Mohammed started a #NoHijabDay campaign in response, World Hijab Day, framing it as a way to highlight women who have resisted societal pressure and state mandates to remove the hijab.{{cite web |title='Removing your hijab can get you killed – even in the West' |url=https://www.spiked-online.com/2019/02/01/removing-your-hijab-can-get-you-killed-even-in-the-west/ |website=spiked |access-date=2 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202062234/https://www.spiked-online.com/2019/02/01/removing-your-hijab-can-get-you-killed-even-in-the-west/ |archive-date=2 February 2019}}

Social media

World Hijab Day has largely been promoted through social media. Campaigners promote the day with hashtags such as #EmpoweredinHijab.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-64492590|title=World Hijab Day: Proud to be a hijabi and breaking stereotypes|work=BBC}}{{cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/amp/world-hijab-day-and-the-women-who-are-breaking-boundaries-and-stereotypes-12789502|title=World Hijab Day and the women who are breaking boundaries and stereotypes|work=Sky News|date=1 February 2023}}

Bibliography

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