Over the last eighteen years, I have seen more and more Muslim American women covering their hair otherwise known as wearing hijab. Over this period I have had the opportunity to talk with multiple Muslim American women about their choice to embrace the hijab and the reasons they decided to. I try to keep an open mind. I am Muslim and I understand the rationale many present for their choice. But I do have to admit that growing up as a Muslim in America, I can’t say I saw many women wearing hijabs. This was likely because there were not many Muslims in my small town or it maybe it has to do with the more deep-rooted history of the hijab.

In my family, the hijab was viewed as a garment to oppress women. In countries where women were forced to wear hijab, women had fought to ban laws enforci...

Please subscribe to keep reading.