"M I P S T E R Z"   

 (MuSLiM HiPsTeRS)

 When I was younger, and still even to this day, I have always been curious of the Muslim hijab (head covering.) Do Muslim women have to wear it? Do they get hot? Do they ever want to let down their hair in public? These questions seem simple and basic but I have always wondered about them. These past few days I have spent time with a wonderful Muslim women, playwright and solo performer named Rohina Malik. Her inspiring one women play is an accumulation of five incredible and unique Muslim women's stories, each experiencing oppressive Muslim bias around the wearing of the hijab. Her play is dynamic, beautiful, emotional and thought provoking. My silly questions never came up, and honestly they are irrelevant now because my understanding of what the hijab represents has reached a new level. Plus, my mind has just been blown because of a music video  Rohina spoke about. The subjects are beautiful, young, hijab wearing women who fill the music video with strutting their stuff, smoking styles, dancing and riding skateboards and motorcycles to the Jay-Z song " Somewhere in America."

These girls are rocking it! Holla! If anyone ever thought wearing a head scarf, hijab, or any kind of head covering for that matter would make you unfashionable they were just proven wrong...for sure. I mean really, a girl wearing tight black and white skinny jeans with high heels and riding a skateboard? Damn...Then two girls fencing with one wearing a headscarf with the American flag printed on it? These girls are fierce and I ate up every last second of the video. They are all having so much fun and look so good doing it, who could complain?!!?!

 

     But of course...

 

People did! Huffington Post did a story on the music video and the responses that these Mipsterz brought about. One person expressed that by trying to "be cool" and fit in with society by showing how wearing a hijab could be hip, was perpetuating insecurity. All I have to say about that, is why is it wrong to morph two aspects of ones life together? Why can't they show their commitment to their faith and belief in the image of themselves, yet still get to dress up in cute stylish clothes and fit in with the trends and high fashion going on right now? I mean have you heard of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Well if not let me enlighten you. The salty, fat, nut butter of peanuts and the sweet, berry spread of jelly TOGETHER on a piece of bread...the best of both worlds. Why do we/they/everyone feel its okay to judge and tell people what is and is not appropriate? If you want to wear lose clothing head to toe with your hijab be my guest, but I think the women in this video should do exactly what they want to do as well. They are being true to who THEY are. They are honoring their faith, having fun, and looking "foxy fine" all at the same time!