Veiled: Perspectives 1 | Page 108

VEILED: PERSPECTIVES Hirra’s family was different in the sense that she wanted to cover but her family didn’t want her to cover, not only because she was young. Her move towards hijab was a multi-step process where she initially tried veiling around age 11. It began as an occassional dress where she would sometimes go to school with the scarf and other times she would not. Hirra began observing the hijab as a means of exploration of her religion. About 3 years into exploring the hijab, Hirra began to wear it more frequently. On rare occassions she would go about her day without the veil but for the vast majority of the time she would be wearing it regularly. “Family can influence your decisions, but your decisions are not only from nurture. A lot comes from who you are as a person and how you feel comfortable in your own skin and under your own circumstances.” People often assume that your family would be happy when their daughter takes it upon herself to practise veiling. It was a different situation for Hirra. Based off how she was raised and her cultural background emerging from Pakistan, wearing the scarf on your head was seen as slightly extreme within her family. At first her mother brushed off Hirra’s decision as a phase she was going through during her youth. However, come around the time she wore it more frequently, her family became slightly concerned that it was a choice that would stay. Regardless of their disagreement on the topic, they did not force her against it either as it was solely her decision to make and it effected no one else other than herself. With time, her family grew accustomed to her decision that was set to stay. Their personal perceptions may or may not have changed about the veil but their support for Hirra’s choice to veil as she feels has grown immensely. Her family has accepted her exploration of the hijab as it is something that she likes and makes her feel comfortable. 97