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Muslim students in the United States—from middle school through college and university—are experiencing harassment, discrimination, and bullying at scary rates, surveys show.
On college campuses, 49% of Muslim students experienced harassment or discrimination due to their Muslim identity, they told the Council on American–Islamic Relations-CA in 2024. More than one in three felt targeted by professors; more than half by their peers.
Among middle and high school Muslim students, 47 percent report feeling "unsafe, unwelcome, or uncomfortable" at school because of their identities. One in four say they've heard a teacher or other adult at school make offensive comments or act in a way offensive to Muslims. For students who wear hijabs, it's especially threatening: about a third say their hijab has been pulled off or touched in an offensive way.
This is what Islamophobia looks like—and it stems, at least in part, from a lack of awareness, understanding, and empathy among non-Muslim people, suggests Nazma Khan, the founder of World Hijab Day.
Since 2013, World Hijab Day has provided an opportunity for non-Muslims to support Muslims and share their experiences by simply wearing a hijab. This is not an act of cultural appropriation; it's an act of cultural appreciation, Khan notes.
"What if women from all walks of life, irrespective of their religion or faith, walk in my shoes by wearing the hijab for just one day?" says Khan. "Then perhaps these women will understand that it's just a piece of cloth we wear. Then perhaps these women can be our allies when somebody is bullied on a train."
Learn more about the who, when, where—and most importantly, the "why" behind World Hijab Day.
https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/recognizing-world-hijab-day-supporting-muslim-women
On college campuses, 49% of Muslim students experienced harassment or discrimination due to their Muslim identity, they told the Council on American–Islamic Relations-CA in 2024. More than one in three felt targeted by professors; more than half by their peers.
Among middle and high school Muslim students, 47 percent report feeling "unsafe, unwelcome, or uncomfortable" at school because of their identities. One in four say they've heard a teacher or other adult at school make offensive comments or act in a way offensive to Muslims. For students who wear hijabs, it's especially threatening: about a third say their hijab has been pulled off or touched in an offensive way.
This is what Islamophobia looks like—and it stems, at least in part, from a lack of awareness, understanding, and empathy among non-Muslim people, suggests Nazma Khan, the founder of World Hijab Day.
Since 2013, World Hijab Day has provided an opportunity for non-Muslims to support Muslims and share their experiences by simply wearing a hijab. This is not an act of cultural appropriation; it's an act of cultural appreciation, Khan notes.
"What if women from all walks of life, irrespective of their religion or faith, walk in my shoes by wearing the hijab for just one day?" says Khan. "Then perhaps these women will understand that it's just a piece of cloth we wear. Then perhaps these women can be our allies when somebody is bullied on a train."
Learn more about the who, when, where—and most importantly, the "why" behind World Hijab Day.
https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/recognizing-world-hijab-day-supporting-muslim-women
