How Islamic female covering is becoming more mainstream
While Nigerians are talking about the law student Hijab drama, the rest of the world is slowly embracing the veil.
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This has become even more apparent this year with Nike launching its first Sports Hijab. Huffington Post reports that the company has released a hijab for female Muslim athletes.
The lightweight and breathable Pro Hijab is meant to be worn while competing.
Nike launches Hijab with Popular Muslim Athletes
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The hijab was released on December 1, 2017, with the tagline “sports is for everyone.”
The ad campaign had American Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, Emirati figure skater Zahra Lari and German boxer Zeina Nassar sporting the new product.
Reacting to the launch, Muhammed said, “It really sunk in how much my previous hijab was hindering my performance when I tried the Nike Pro Hijab.
“Suddenly, I could hear, I wasn’t as hot and it felt like my body was able to cool itself down better and faster.”
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Muhammad, who just got her own hijab-wearing Barbie, added, “The Nike Pro Hijab will help advance the conversation around hijabs and Muslim women in sports and further make sports an inclusive space.”
She was supported by Lari, who said, “It’s a reminder to us Muslim women that we can achieve anything in the world. What Nike has done for Muslim athletes is a dream that we never thought would happen.”
The hijab prototype was done with help from different athletes including Lari, Nassar, weightlifter Amna Al Haddad and runner Manal Rostom.
Nike may not be the first company to create hijabs for athletes, but the fact that such a huge global corporation is supporting the use of hijabs is a win for everyone.
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Sadly, there is still a lot of work to do
While Nike’s latest product is definitely a step in the right direction — moving the use of hijab forward, not everyone is on board with this movement.
There are still some countries that are still banning and preventing their Muslim ladies from using their hijabs.
In fact, Switzerland may be the next European country to vote against Muslim covering.
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Hijab in Nigeria
The use of the hijab is still an ongoing issue in this country.
While it is common to see Muslim ladies proudly wearing their hijabs we can not deny that there is still a stigma attached to it, thanks to Boko Haram and terrorism.
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Still, we are hopeful that the Hijab will be fully embraced not just in Nigeria, but around the world.
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