Halima Aden’s emergence stirred up a debate from the day she stepped on the pageant stage, to her appearance on the runways, to landing on the front cover of predominantly skimpily- clad- dominated Sports Illustrated magazine, to her current announcement of quitting the fashion runways. Despite wearing a headcover wherever she appears, Halima, admittedly said that in several instances she did not feel comfortable. The fashion world’s glamour and prestige had put to test her faith as a covered Muslim woman. But in such a short time, a span of 4 years more or less, she made an icon of herself.
To reckon, she and her Somali family who came from a Kenyan refugee camp immigrated to the US in 2003. It was a life-changing move not only for her family but most of all for her. Although she struggled to wear the hijab growing up, especially while attending school, it eventually paid off when she started getting recognition for it.
Her persistence to wear her Muslim identity led her to become the first semi-finalist contestant to wear a head cover in Miss Minnesota USA, a precursor pageant for Miss USA. Even though it sparked controversy among Muslims, her move encouraged other hijabi girls to join beauty pageants later on. In 2018, a Malaysian- born Nurul Shamsul competed in hijab in New Zealand Miss Universe. Recently in Britain, Sarah Iftekhar also joined the Miss Britain pageant following Muna Juma in 2017.
After Halima debuted in the fashion world, other hijab-wearing models like Mariam Idrissi, Shahira Yusuf, Ikram Abdi Omar, Ruba Zai, Amina Adan, Ugbad Abdi, Feriel Moulai frequent the runways of big fashion brands. It is a game-changer for the once-vilified covering to be accepted as a fashion trend, and for the ones wearing them as humans.
When we read the stories and motivations of these girls, it comes the bottom line that their only purpose is to send a message that they are just like any other girls. They have talents, intellect, and beauty to compete with the rest of the world, but, that this is how they dress.
Although it is still a taboo among the majority of Muslims, this new generation is unstoppable. Yet, there are boundaries of the religion that become a common obstacle for girls like Halima and others. They argue that their purpose is to integrate their community with that of the society they live in. By participation and not by seclusion. Some will see the plight of these girls as a selfless act, as they sacrificed their peace of mind for the good of their people, but there are some who see it as a sign of disobedience and ignorance.
But how much of the religious boundaries can one sacrifice for self-worth? Or for the common good? Is it the Muslim community? Are we fashion-forward enough? How much of the religion does fashion want to accept and vice versa?
Photo credit Getty Images
By Jonquil Dun
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