So, I have decided to keep on covering, since ‘it just feels right.’ And I did something today that might have been awesome. or it might have been ridiculously stupid. Either way, what’s done is done.
I wore hijab to work. I’ve been thinking about it. I hate hate hate the little triangle kerchiefy things I’ve been wearing. Man, are they ugly. I was thinking about getting a white square hijab online and wearing it tied behind my head, instead of pulled around front, hijab style, but today I decided to just do it. I basically wear hijab everywhere else outside of work. I have been surprised at the complete LACK of comments I get in hijab in public, so I decided that it would just be much simpler if I wore hijab to work.
I walk in and immediately am asked “Are you Islamic?” Okay, granted, that was expected. “Nope. I’m Christian.” One man told me a couple of times I looked like a nun and that his wife wore scarves after she washed her hair and then curled it. I got another “nun” comment from a lady as well. There were several people that questioned me about it.
“What does ‘this’ symbolize?” While pointing around her face.
“Are you dana? Why are you wearing that?”
“Who are you, with that scarf on your head?” Said by a favorite old lady with a smile on her face. My favorite response “The same person I was yesterday, just with a bigger scarf!”
I got a few questions from family members, nurses and oriented residents who probably wanted to ask earlier with the smaller scarves, but didn’t and this pushed them over the edge.
I don’t think I was the most eloquent, and I think the part about “I think this is what God is asking me to do.” made a few people uncomfortable. (one resident in particular would ask a question, I would respond, rather awkwardly — give me a break, i’m socially awkward to beging with and I’m not used to these questions– and she would apologize.)
I’m not ashamed of this. A little uncertain of how to talk about it, but given my history with religion, my being able to say “I think this is what God is asking me to do” to a mere acquaintance is UH-MAZIN’!
Tags: head covering, hijab, hope, i love america, rural life, undercover, work
Holy Jesus Snack Cup 
29 December 2008 at 4:46 pm |
Maybe it would help thee if thee did not label thyself. It’s just a headcover, for heaven’s sake! Women have worn covering for most of the time we have had fabric to wear. When I find myself in situations where the prayer cap just isn’t working, I tie on a large triangular kerchief that covers everything, even my long hair if I don’t pin it up. I get the nun comments. I get the hippie comments. I get questions from bishops: “What’s this for? It does look nice, by the way.” Call it hijab, call it veil, call it prayer covering. It’s just what women do. Funny, isn’t it, that someone with less fiber on her body than you’d find in the top of an aspirin bottle, AND her hair dyed pink, no one says anything. Cover thy head, and thee is a religious freak. Oh, well. Serve God as thee must, and rejoice.
2 January 2009 at 1:13 pm |
Yeah, I’m finding whenever I try to label myself, I begin to move out of that label, naturally, though the ‘hijabi’ was intended to be a happy remark. Hm…
“Serve God as thee must, and rejoice.” “We will, with God’s help.”
9 January 2009 at 7:44 pm |
I’ve been trying lots of ways of covering, too, including the hijab, and have of course run across the same sorts of issues. Right now I am experimenting on what I’m calling “everyday veils” to see how well they work out. So far the effect is varied, depending on color and pattern of the fabric.
My big challenge is looking corporate and professional while covering. Generally, bandannas are right out. But many hijabs and under-hijabs, even when worn in a non-Muslim fashion, still slide off my head and that’s no good either. I found that do-rags such as what motorcyclists wear stay securely put on my head. I also found that Wal-Mart has some bandannas in unusual prints, plus I can use scarves and fancy napkins too – any fabric that is more or less square.
What I do is fold one edge of the fabric square over to make a kind of border and then sew that along the front edge of the do-rag. Voila – instant veil that is easy to get on and off and stays put.
I really do have to take some pictures soon. It’s hard to describe verbally. What’s relevant to your post is that while people look at me with all the gears in their heads running, they don’t actually -ask- me anything. It’s as though they haven’t found the question yet. This type of veil isn’t really associated with much of anything (although if done in black or navy it can look a bit nun-ish).
Plus – inexpensive. Do-rag – $1.44 and bandanna – $.99. Nice cloth napkins and scarves at Goodwill are even less.