Why Do Muslim Women Wear Hijab?

The fastest growing religion in the world is Islam, so why is it that the hijab is such a controversial issue? Both western and eastern societies have different opinions on how Muslim women should dress, whether or not it concerns them. The common factor in instances where the hijab is a prevalent issue is not the women themselves, but rather the groups around them. The perspectives of those who do not support the hijab are compared to the experiences and outlooks of Muslim women in this argumentative essay. The differing viewpoints can allow for a better understanding to why Muslim women wear the hijab. ‘You are afraid of what you do not understand’; this attests to the idea that if more individuals understood the values behind the hijab and the experiences of Muslim women, misogyny and islamophobia may be reduced in impact. It should be the right of women to decide how they dress; the …show more content…
When it is their choice, the hijab is symbolic of only positive attributes. The hijab is worn in various fashions, some more conservative than others. There is not a holistically representative viewpoint “... about what forms of body covering women should wear, in which contexts, and whether or not it is required. Some feel that wearing hijab is required for all Muslim women, and others feel it is optional,” (Wills, 2014). It is clear that culture, religion, and personal belief impacts which type of hijab or lack thereof a Muslim women has. In some countries, only the face is acceptable to be revealed. In others, loosely worn garments are paired with the hijab while the hair of women is partially or fully revealed. Regardless of how much skin or hair is shown by Muslim women, their femininity is unwavering. Being a woman does not mean dressing up for male attention or following beauty norms. Being judged or discriminated against is not acceptable whether it is because differing ideologies or how a person