Hijab and the American Divide: What Are We Getting Wrong?

Laura El Alam

Over eighty percent of Americans believe our country is currently more divided than united.¹ However, at a time when the Left and Right cannot seem to find common ground on most issues, there is one thing they often seem to agree on: the condemnation of hijab.

For many Conservatives, the hijab is a symbol of the religion that they wish to portray as an enemy of Christianity and the American way of life. For many Liberals, it is a sign of misogyny and oppression. Why does hijab seem to be an obsession with so many people who have never been asked, much less required, to wear one?

Whatever the reason, it is a frequent topic on social media, even on posts that, on the surface, have nothing to do with Islam. For instance, a Facebook friend of mine had posted an article about the overturn of Roe v. Wade. In the comments, her friend wrote, “Next, they [the U.S. government] will be forcing us to wear a burqa.” Her remark got several likes, indicating that she was not alone in her thinking.

Similarly, in a recent Facebook post about the New York City mayoral race, a woman named Stephanie commented, “The problem with this religion, other than women wearing hijabs, is that their religion tells them to kill the infidel, i.e. anyone who is not a Muslim.”

When some readers responded to her comment, trying to show her the gross inaccuracy of her statements, Stephanie tried to clarify her reasoning, as if it was just an issue of semantics: “I thought [hijab] was the one where their faces are all covered up in. They’re dressed from head to toe in black.”

Upon reading dozens of similar online comments, it becomes clear that people’s perceptions about Islam and hijab are based on widespread misinformation and stereotypes. For instance, many people, like Stephanie, don’t know the difference between hijab, niqab, and burqa and use the words interchangeably.

The word “hijab” literally means “cloth barrier” in Arabic but is widely used in English to describe the headscarf that covers a woman’s face and neck, leaving her face visible.

Hijabs are worn throughout the world and are considered a religious obligation by almost all traditional Muslim scholars. The vast majority of women who wear hijab do so by choice, as an act of worship, to feel connected to their Creator, to be recognized as women of faith, and to privatize their body. Most Muslim-majority nations do not legally require women to wear a headscarf, and many secular countries make it quite difficult for women to do so. Nevertheless, millions of Muslims worldwide freely choose to embrace the hijab.

The niqab is a fabric that covers the face, leaving the eyes visible. It is sometimes worn in addition to hijab. Some Muslim women prefer to cover their face for extra privacy, and a minority of scholars believe that it is a religious requirement. Niqab is not considered mandatory by the majority of Muslim scholars, though, and it is only legally required by a tiny minority of the vast Muslim population. In Afghanistan, for instance, women are required to wear a niqab or a burqa in public.

The burqa is a garment that covers the entire body and face, from head to toe, with a mesh screen over the eyes. It is required in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, but is uncommon elsewhere and is actually banned in some Muslim-majority nations such as Tunisia, Algeria, and Turkey. Some women might choose to wear it, but the Quran never mentions the word “burqa,” and traditional scholars of Islam do not consider it to be a religious requirement.

It is important for my fellow Americans to realize that hijab–and various forms of modest dress –  are freely chosen by most Muslim women. In fact, we believe that “liberation” is found not in exposing our body, but in controlling who has access to it.

For any Liberals who insist on bringing up hijab or burqa every time they speak about oppression or misogyny, I encourage them to recognize that our own country and culture have plenty of flaws. We don’t need to look to Afghanistan or Iran to find examples of mistreatment of women; we have lots of examples right here. In fact, it is hypocritical to pretend we are an enlightened society where women are safe, valued, and treated as equals when clearly females in the U.S. still face many forms of discrimination.

Women in the U.S. still earn less money than men, and the wage gap is actually widening as of 2025.² American women still face discrimination in the workforce and are doing a disproportionate amount of housework, even in “egalitarian marriages” where both spouses are contributing equally to the combined earnings.³ Eighty-one percent of American women report experiencing sexual assault or violence at least once in their life.

So, before anyone throws stones at “oppressive” religions or nations, they ought to look at our own glass house. Do Americans really have the right to be arrogant or judgmental? Do they have the right to label clothing “oppressive” if they’ve never bothered to talk with the women who wear it?

For any Conservatives who see hijab as a symbol of the enemy, or as “un-American,” I ask you to challenge these false assumptions. Have you ever taken the time to learn about Islam from a neutral source? Have you read any mainstream Islamic publications to see what Muslim Americans actually believe? Have you gotten to know your Muslim neighbors and coworkers? Do you truly respect this country’s First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of religion? Did you realize that Muslims have been a vibrant part of the fabric of this country for centuries, even before the Pilgrims?

In truly United States, we would respect each other, learn from and about each other, and try to work together for the common good. In a land of religious freedom, we should not vilify those who worship differently.

My fellow Americans, we could potentially unite over so many things: the values we share, our hopes for the next generation, our concern for the planet we live on together, the stability and safety we all crave. Let’s not come together in petty ways, in arrogance and ignorance, over a “common enemy” that is not an enemy at all.

Want to learn more about Islam? Call 877-WhyIslam. You deserve to know!

[1] Americans view country as deeply divided, but believe most have much in common | Ipsos

[2] After years of shrinking, why is the gender pay gap getting wider? : NPR

[3] Women are earning more, but they’re still doing more housework and caregiving : NPR