excuse me?

Submitted by sassy (Canada), Jun 19, 2008 at 23:27

Under what qualifications did you recieve the impression that I am some uneducated yuppy hiding from the world by covering my head? I said I cover my head not only to ask but demand respect from people. I am not afraid of anything and fear has nothing to do with why I wear the hijab. I wear it so people will respect me, so that I do not feel obliged to follow the "latest trend" and to be a representation of my religion rather then the corrupted representations of people strapping bombs to their chests and blowing up cars represented in the media.

I have a voice and I will use it. Never have I been told that I HAVE to wear the hijab it was always presented as an option. Never was I told to be ashamed of myself for showing my hair and I never was. I wore it for the sake of god and for the sake of modesty. At which point did you believe that I am so called "unable to cope in a modern, and at time confusing world." I just told you that I was asked to speak up for my fellow muslim people, to speak up and yet you tell me that I am still confused.

You have twisted my words and implications to fit what you feel a muslim woman should be feeling. I have no shame in the fact that I am muslim. The hijab is not hiding anything but my hair yet there is still such a large difference in the way people treat me. If I were hiding I wouldn't be writing this, if I were hiding then I wouldn't be going to school if I were hiding then I wouldn't be putting myself out there and raising my voice.

What I am doing is not hiding what I am doing is demanding and what I'm demanding is that people see me and my fellow muslims in a new light because the only light that has shone on us since 9/11 is the light of hate. When I put the hijab on it was the first time that I really felt genuine RESPECT from people.

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