The Niqab Ban, Discrimination Against Hijabis, and Turning Nothing Into Something

There’s a lot of concern on the Internet and all over the world lately about the way Muslimahs choose to dress. The sisters in France, and other countries where the right to observe niqab has been banned have become a hot topic of controversy. I never thought I’d live to see the day when wearing too many clothes would be considered offensive. This situation smells more like an issue of human rights, but I digress…
Make no mistake, niqabis aren’t the only ones facing discrimination. Hijabis are feeling it too. According to a study conducted in September of 2010 by Professor Sonia Ghumman (University of Hawaii at Manoa Schidler College of Business):

• 30% of Muslim women who wear hijab while seeking employment experience a higher incidence of discrimination than other religious groups who wear some sort of religious attire.
• 88% of Muslim women said they were not willing to take off their hijabs when applying for work.
• 63% of Muslim women said they were aware of incidences where women wearing hijabs were refused work.
• 22% of Muslim women said they were personally denied work because of their attire. Many believe employers stereotyped them as old-fashioned, unprofessional, or worse – a terrorist. (www.physorg.com)

The research goes on to reveal that in 2003 the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported a 153% increase in workplace discrimination claims filed by Muslim following the 911 attacks.
Clearly this is not good. Experts say the economy and job growth are rebounding. Slowly. But I speak from experience when I say none of that matters when you have to keep a roof over your head, and provide food and clothing for yourself and family. According to CNN it takes about four to six months on average to find a job – and that’s without wearing hijab.
Fortunately, there are other options. During these economically lean times, many people are pulling themselves up by their own boot straps, using their training and skills to start businesses of their own. Before the recession only one in three people in the U.S. was self-employed.
What many people have started realizing is when jobs aren’t available you may have the ability to create your own opportunities. I won’t lie to you – it takes work. It’s not easy. It’s both scary and exhilarating. But it’s an option that may provide a sense of self-sufficiency and financial security that many traditional “jobs” are failing to deliver these days.

Muslimahs Working at Home was created to provide women with a financial alternative to earning an income outside of the home. Our objective is to share resources and tools needed to operate a successful, home-based business.