Under Cover for Peace and Unity

Recently ugly, racist and unkind behaviors have become the norm. Not in my America. I am contemplating how to show solidarity for women of other cultures.  Women who wear scarves are being targeted due to their clothing that reflects their modesty, religious or cultural orientation.  My first thought was to learn more about head scarves - the hijab - worn by Muslim women.  Anyone who knows me, knows that my hair is a bit of a source of vanity and I spend a good deal of time and cash on its color and style maintenance.  I thought the exercise might be a good spiritual journey as well as showing solidarity for others.  

Finding products and videos that illustrate effective ways to tie and assemble the hijab was easy.  Putting that knowledge into practice towards some form of fashion that wouldn’t insult the culture I was trying to honor was quite another thing altogether. 

Scarf would slip one way, the knot another and I looked like I was being attacked by a silky monster. Found a nylon balaclava from some go-karting that we did with the boys in the past.  A second try included wearing that underneath the scarf to prevent fabric slippage.  That was going to cause overheating – a concept I hadn’t considered when looking at this option. It wasn’t going to be a tribute, it was going to be “Look at that poor lady who has had chemo with no fashion sense.”

Next issue is, what to say if someone asks if I wear the scarf for religious reasons. I would need inspiration and time to perfect the delivery of the question, “Why do you want to know?”  Any response other than something that shares culture, educates or spreads goodwill would not serve my purpose where my usual tendency towards a snappy comeback would suffice.   

How will I handle hostility directed at a Muslim when I do not identify as Muslim, but am wearing head gear to protest hostility aimed at their group?

How far am I willing to go to redirect that attention from a negative experience to make people reconsider that their insults and hatred might just show their own ignorance and racist tendencies?

What caused this shift?  Last week while driving to work a young family was walking on Pacific Highway near my home to a bus stop – parents and three young girls, all respectably dressed, mom was VERY pregnant.  Dad was wearing a prayer cap, mom was wearing a full length long sleeved gown and head scarf.  Girls were all wearing pants under their dresses and jackets as it was cold.  As they stood on a corner preparing to cross the street, a driver threw garbage out of his car window at them as he turned right sharply right in front of them.  I did not hear his verbal barrage.  I was so shocked, I did not act.  That won’t happen again.

How far am I willing to step outside of white privilege to make a point that racism, xenophobia and religious persecution exist right on the streets where I live and work?   

Will it be safe to do so?    

Will it achieve the desired outcome of confronting those who think this behavior is condoned and now the norm in America? 

Going undercover to find out may be a bigger commitment than I am ready for, but if I do it just once, it will require courage, strength, wisdom and gain new perspective.