Muslim teen shares dad's response to her taking off her hijab
A Muslim girl living in the US has broken some stereotypes and reinforced others when she revealed how her father treats her regarding her hijab.
Pennsylvania teenager Lamyaa, 17, was engaged in a group chat about President Donald Trump's policies when she identified herself as a Muslim.
The response she received from a friend of a friend was angry and threatening, but what her father said afterward was heartening.
Hurt by online criticism the girl told her father she wanted to take her hijab off. Her father replied that it was a decision no man could make. Other Muslim girls in the conversation said they did not have such freedom
"I personally had very strong views [on President Trump] considering the presidency did impact me because I am an Arab, Muslim woman," the teen told BuzzFeed.
Within moments of revealing her Muslim identity, one member of the group turned on her and attacked her religion.
The person in the chat called her a "bitch", telling her to "shut up" and "stop defending Islam".
They also said: "you couldn't take that scarf off, or your dad would beat your ass".
No stranger to this kind of treatment, Lamyaa texted her father, who lives in Saudi Arabia, to tell him she wanted to take off her scarf.
"Sweetheart that's not my decision to make," he texted.
"That's no man's decision to make.
"If it's what you feel like you want to do, go ahead. I'll support you no matter what."
Lamyaa received much support when she shared the two responses on Twitter, but for telling her story there were other Muslim women who said their oppression was being marginalised.
"So because you're not oppressed, therefore no one is oppressed... so the countless of girls (like myself) who do want to take it off, but can't and face the literal threat of violence from parents, are now all liberated. Thanks!" one Twitter user wrote.
Lamyaa said she was sorry to hear the stories of these women and reached out to them, but acknowledged women everywhere – especially in the Middle East – faced oppression.
The teenager said the oppression was "due to culture not religion".
"People often mix the two and say the cultural practices are religious practices," she said.
"That is far from the truth."
