(BALTIMORE, MD, 2/2/2023) – The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today applauded Howard County Executive Calvin Ball’s solidarity with Muslim girls and women on the occasion of #WorldHijabDay and condemned the Islamophobic hate directed toward him on social media following the event.
Last evening, County Executive Ball attended an event hosted by Muslim Women of Howard County to help destigmatize and demystify the Islamic headscarf, which has been banned in public spaces in many cities and countries around the world. Muslim women who wear the hijab in countries like France and India consistently face scrutiny, persecution and oppression.
SEE: Repression and fear: Life as a hijabi Muslim in Modi’s India
https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/india-islam-hijab-repression-fear-life
“In times when many girls and women who choose to wear hijab are judged, shamed and harassed, it’s heartening when our elected representatives recognize, respect and appreciate this important part of our identity,” said CAIR’s Maryland director Zainab Chaudry. “Howard County is truly fortunate to have a leader who raises the bar on celebrating diversity and religious freedom. We applaud County Executive Ball for his principled allyship and condemn the shameful slurs and messages that won’t diminish the symbolism of the occasion.”
BACKGROUND:
World Hijab Day was launched by Bangladeshi-American Nazma Khan in 2013 as a vehicle to convert negative attitudes and perceptions about hijab, the Islamic headscarf many Muslim girls and women wear, into a positive, uplifting experience. It occurs annually on February 1st of each year in 140 countries worldwide. Part of the objective is to empower girls and women who wear hijab; address the curiosity and lack of awareness about it by encouraging women of diverse backgrounds to experience it for a day; and to educate and raise awareness about what it symbolizes.
SEE: World Hijab Day
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR Office in Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, 410-971-6062, zchaudry@cair.com