Stereotypes For Muslim Women

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Muslim women have always been active throughout history. Their sports are a way to stay healthy and have fun. However, because of stereotypes and outdated beliefs, they are typically not allowed to play. Muslim women are wrongfully forced to choose between honoring their faith and pursuing their passion because of the discrimination in the athletic world. However, recently more and more Muslim women have been inspired to start competing because of the attention and encouragement from other athletes. The hijab is a head covering worn by some Muslim women designed to show religious and cultural devotion. Generally, the term hijab refers to a square scarf that covers the head and a bit of the chest. “For women, the style of covering varies across …show more content…

One of the most well known reasons is that it is God's instruction for women to be pure and humble and that is achieved by wearing the hijab, or sometimes the full body of loose fitting clothes. (96). Though some Muslim women believe that the hijab isn't required to be a faithful Muslim, others use the headscarf as a means to wear their religion and be proud. “ It is something I am very proud of and it celebrates my faith. Wearing a hijab (headscarf) was my choice so it is a way to demonstrate my own freedom” (Abdul). Wearing a hijab is a personal choice and an expression of faith and devotion, and is a sign of pride. It is also a sign of cultural identity. “While most Muslim women wear the hijab for religious reasons, there are other Arab or Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab as an expression of their cultural identity” (Amer). A lot of women come from countries in the Middle East, and move to America. To show their pride, sometimes women will wear the hijab not just for their faith, but as a symbol of their …show more content…

Many women choose not to so they can emphasize that it is a choice, not a necessity. Though many non-Muslims may think so, Muslims agree that the hijab is not a symbol of oppression. Doaa Elghobashy, an Egyptian Olympian who plays beach volleyball expressed her feelings about wearing hijab. “I have worn the hijab for 10 years,” she told the Associated Press. “It doesn’t keep me away from the things I love to do” (Sims). Some people who don’t follow the Islamic faith feel sympathy for those who wear hijab, unknowingly thinking women are forced to wear it and that it is a sign of oppression. Instead, it is a symbol of devotion and doesn't have to be something that women are shamed

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