Recognition

I wear the Hijab for the same reasons women indulge in designer goods.

I sometimes wondered why someone would hold on to, say, a Louis Vuitton or a Gucci bag considering they’re so unbearably uncomfortable to carry. The zippers get stuck, the leather is rigidly stiff and the pattern is tediously repetitive. If not for the brand logos etched on to the products, I doubt anyone would pay anything for them. Considering thus, I decided it was all about the name.

The label gives you recognition, it makes people look at you, admire you, even envy you… and that makes you feel good. As I said before, my Hijab does the same for me; it gives me recognition, and that makes me feel good too. Brands help you advertise your money; my outer garb helps me advertise my faith. The designer name boosts your confidence and portrays your modernity. My covering, likewise, makes me feel liberated and self-assured.

How amusingly similar the effects, yet, how starkly different the approach.