Being Different Has Never Happened

Just recently, I had remembered my parents signing an online petition reprehending Islamophobia. With Muslims residing in Canada being stereotyped based on the actions of the uneducated extremists in the middle-east, Muslims are looked at as danger and can be unequally treated when finding jobs, going to school, and even travelling. Consequently, Muslims nationwide wanted some justice for the years of being mistreated and passed an anti-Islamophobia motion – an attempt for social change. I experienced Islamophobia first hand when I noticed the difference between travelling with my mother and father. My mother wore a Hijab, while my father looked somewhat European and almost every time I was stopped at the airport or felt uneasy with my mother and never had troubles when travelling with my father. The Hijab in many ways is a representation of Islam and with it comes all the misleading and controversial allegations against Muslims. I got the same uneasy feeling when I wore a hat that Muslims wear during prayer. Our norms of clothing might be different from the larger culture however we had done nothing

What makes you different then someone else? Do you really believe that someone is different than you by the way they look? do we believe this to be true? Who’s to say we aren’t all the same? While undefined I think it is crazy how they are treated.

My name is Sloan Marmaduke; I am 20 years old, and I wear a hijab. Arabs in America (2016) describe a hijab, an Arabic word for “cover”, to be a veil or headscarf. I chose to wear a hijab shortly after turning 14 to express my love for the Islam faith. Wearing a hijab can be very difficult at times. When I walk in public, I sometimes find people staring at me and it makes me uncomfortable and I have this feeling that I’m not appreciated or wanted. Sometimes, I wish people would step into my shoes for a day to observe and interact with my daily lifestyle. I find myself to be a privileged woman, and I love my life but sometimes, other people’s assumptions about my life based on what I wear on my head can be unnerving.

How you choose to dress yourself shouldn’t be the main focal point of judgements that are passed on to you. Hijabs, and other garments similar to Hijabs such as Turbans, aren’t a way of oppression. They’re also not just a piece of cloth that one has decided to cover him or herself

Being different is all about how you handle it. I choose to compare the poem “What it’s like to be black girl.” And the short story The Welcome Table. These to stories are told from different point of views, although they both made me feel sorry for the person the story was about. In the story the welcome table very few people felt sorry for the old black lady. Mostly they felt like she had step on their toes for having the audacity to come in there all white church. She didn’t fit their color code, or dress code. All they saw was a black lady with a not so pretty dress and ashy legs. It made me feel sorry for her. I also made me think about how I felt when I first started going to my church. I was judge along with other unwed

Thinking as a sociologist, you might ask yourself, why does this happen? What causes people to categorize a whole group of people solely based on their faith? What exactly causes someone to not want to sit with someone, because the other person may be wearing a hijab? When did Islamophobia spread and became an issue? What are some possible solutions?

Islam is a religion I have constantly heard about on the news throughout most of my life. I was six years old and in first grade on when the terrorist group al-Qaeda attacked the world trade center on September 11, 2001. This sickening event wrongfully gave muslims a horrible reputation in the United States. Growing up, even I had the notion that Islam was a radical religion that promoted hate and violence. In my teen and adult life, I have met many Muslims who have changed my beliefs entirely. They have helped me understand the tragic oppression Muslims face by being labeled “terrorists” from the actions of radical extremists who falsely labeled themselves as

Before I came here to start my graduate studies, I was worried if the Americans more friendly with the people from different cultures ,for this reason I have read some stories about racism at the United state, fortunately they are friendly . Since I came here I haven't faced racism, Sometimes get more question from children, they were wondering how I can wear my hijab by this way, it was my pleasure to explain to them why and how I'm wearing my hijab, I got surprised when some adult people ask, some of them yelling to me and ask politely why I Wear this hijab by this way,and often do not ask, just look in strange way, either mostly they do not

What does it mean to be different? What does it mean when you are told that you are peculiar or an outsider? I always figured that because everyone had differences; I was completely normal. My mindset started to shift the summer before 5th grade. I knew since I was little that I was gay, but I didn't see it as a problem. I found it bewildering, but no one seemed to care until I got to middle school. During an age when the intention was to appear to be a carbon copy of other kids, I was different and that was not something anyone embraced; it was something that was frowned at. Luckily, No one was directly rude to me, but hearing people call others gay as an insult scared me. I wanted to fit into the social norm and not stick out. Being

The wearing of a hijab or also known as a veil has lately become a problematic issue in numerous locations around the world, in particularly the Western part of the world. Hijab or veil is a headscarf that is regularly worn by Muslim women. Muslim women will wear a veil as a sign of favor to their faith. On the opposite side, others will wear it because they have no other choice from the pressure of their family members and religion. Individuals will even argue that the wearing of a hijab is a spiritual liberation. Other individuals will have a difference in opinion by saying that by wearing a hijab is an unjust to women, they believe that the wearing of a hijab is part of a Muslim system that brings women under command and control.

My earliest recollection of learning that people are “different” was in pre-K. Pre-K was the first time I was introduce to other children. My pre-K class was diverse with children from different background. I can recall there were blacks, white, and Spanish students. One of the class lessons in pre-k was teaching us about why we have different color skins and how we are all equal and friends. I realized I was different from some of the children because I had brown skin, and thick shoulder length hair. My brown skin did not make me feel out of place, however, I was jealous of the girls with longer softer hair than mine. The Spanish, white and Chinese girls usually had their hair out or in a nice long ponytail. During playtime, they will make

I was born into a family of mixed cultures and religions. My father was Christian and my mother was of an Islamic descent. I was always respectful to any religion, regardless of it’s beliefs, because it is a symbol of devotion and peace. When I grew up, I was fascinated to see how quickly Islam started to spread in Western parts of the world. My fascination was also followed by disbelief of how ignorant and cruel anti-islamic activists were, blaming every single act of terror and violence onto a religious group. I could believe it on a global scale, but I never knew it was something that could wait for anyone wearing hijab, right around the corner. In my first semester at Hawaii Pacific University, I decided to wear hijab to school, just

Muslim females, starting in their early teens, began wearing head scarves of many different types. The first kind is a niqab. This is a full face veil (Awan para. 17) with an opening for the eyes (Edmonds 2). Secondly, islamic women may wear an abaya. This is a full body cloak that covers everything except for the eyes (Edmonds 2). Also, they may wear a hijab. The word hijab can be used to describe all religious headscarves (Edmonds 2), but it usually refers to a specific headscarf that covers the head and chest area (Awan para. 9). Finally, they might wear a burkini, a full body swimsuit with an attached burqa, so they can participate in summer activities. No matter what type an Islamic women decides to wear; they start wearing them around ten to twelve years old to show their commitment to Allah, and express their purity, dignity, courage, and self

Among other studies done on young Muslim women who hijab, one women said “"I lived in a co-ed dorm and it was really the first time I had to deal with unwanted attention from guys. I guess that was the first time I really understood why it was necessary to wear a scarf, because as soon as I did, all the idiots left me alone” (Ali, 2005). Another woman’s view was “because I began to realize that what people think is nowhere compared to Allah, and so, how could I blatantly disobey an order because of 'standing out?” (Ali, 2005). It would also surprise many that in some of these women’s cases, their choice to hijab was not only not forced, but also not even supported by family members. Some of these women’s parents had hard times coping with their daughters taking up this wardrobe.

The hijab used as a symbol of the Muslim culture is just one characteristic of how it can be perceived; the hijab is also a sign of life, safety and personal identity (Tabassum, 2006, p. 37). Tabassum (2006) interviews an individual by the name of Raheelah who identifies the hijab as not just a piece of clothing that covers a Muslim women’s face, but also as a portrayal of themselves as a person (p. 37).