Event Post

During Atlas week I attended a couple events that were totally relevant to a couple things we've discussed in class. My favorite event was the hijab awareness discussion. With this event, girls who do not usually wear the hijab were asked to try it out for a whole day, then come share their experience with a group of both male and female students who do and do not where the hijab daily. When the event first started, there was about 5 people who are either male and come from a family where a women wear the hijab, or female slu students who shared their young and current experience wearing the hijab. I LOVED this event and recommend everyone to either come to it and try wearing the hijab for a day or just come and listen. The speakers were obviously just fellow young slu students, sharing their experience (usually with some comic relief) to other slu students. My favorite speakers were a girl from Nigeria, and a junior boy whose mom wears the hijab. She talked about how where she is from most girls wear the hijab so it had never been questioned by others or herself. At first she felt uncomfortable coming to St.Louis and being asked about the hijab, but now she says she appreciates it because the questions asked are usually coming from genuine curiosity and finding out the answers to those questions help her herself learn more about her religion. The boy talked about growing up in a small Illinois town and dealing with 'casual racism' through 'well-intentioned' jokes that secretly rubbed him the wrong way, then coming to Slu and gaining the confidence to stand up for himself when someone is 'just joking around'. After the speakers were finished, girls who wore the hijabs for just a day spoke about their experience. I honestly was busy with other Atlas events and totally forgot that it was that day until I saw it on my passport haha so I did not wear the hijab that day, but I imagine my feelings and experience would be similar to some of the girls who spoke. They talked alot about being subconscious because they are white wearing a hijab, and were self conscious people might think that because of this they are in a cult and not simply muslim (which led to a well needed conversation on race and religion and the sub conscious thoughts attached to clothing etc.) They also discussed how they actually felt sexier wearing the hijab which I thought was interesting and an unintended affect? It was all really cool to discuss and hear and I'm glad I got to be apart of it!