The Texas Standard posted a clip today celebrating the creation of the first sorority dedicated to Muslim women. Here it is on Soundcloud,
It was that focus on young Muslim girls that sparked the idea for the sorority’s first annual event: the Young Muslimahs Summit. Back in April, the sorority held a conference in Dallas for around 200 young Muslim women, offering workshops tackling topics such as body image, bullying and education. And it brought prominent speakers, like Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir, the Muslim-American basketball player who was banned from playing with her hijab by the International Basketball Federation. She fought the ban, and, just this year, she won.
My first thoughts ran along the lines of “so what?” or “about time”. My next thought went along the lines of “Why is the Hijab even considered a religious observance?” I get why Muslims claim it. I get that they should be allowed to cover their hair if (and that’s a big if) that’s what they really want to do.
But really, women wear scarves all the time. Women have been covering their hair for probably about as long as long hair has been considered sexually normative female behavior. Why is covering your hair considered something only Muslims do? …and why can’t a woman cover their hair while engaging in a sport? Why did this have to go to court in order for her to win the right to cover her hair if she wanted?
In the end, it is just another reason that I am thankful I don’t watch sports in the first place. I don’t have to spend time worrying about crap like this.
