Veiled: Perspectives 1 | Page 56

VEILED: PERSPECTIVES Family is a huge influential factor in our lifes. Our decisions and lifestyles largely come from who we are within our family and how we’ve been raised. Amal’s family wanted to educate her on their religion - what did it mean to be Muslim and what does wearing hijab stand for. Around the age of 10, Amal’s parents shed some light on the topic. Prior to this, she had never worn hijab other than when at the mosque. After taking in the information her family had shared, Amal started wearing hijab. She was fond of the purpose and significance of hijab. It began as a progressive transition. At age 10 she wore it loosely draped around her head and eventually around 3 years later she began to wear more traditional attire alongside her hijab (i.e. loose fitting long skirts). Since then, she has always worn the hijab when in public. Ignorant comments will always be made, not only about Islam but any issue at hand. Prejudice tends to form the intellectual framework based on the environment an individual has been raised in. Only with easily accessible and informative resources and the ability to challege a consciously or unconsciously biased mind can these prejudices begin to be broken d own. Uninformed commentary will always exist. For some it is easier to ignore that commentary and not let it affect your daily life but for others, it really gets to them, especially if it feels like the whole world is standing against your beliefs and choices. 45