White woman In a headscarf, would you stare?

[Tooshyshyhushhushidoi]

And conservative/ ‘modest’ clothing. Would you stare? Would you look twice?

context to follow :)

I think you should get a t-shirt/suitable outer garment with

'It's rude to stare' on.

Its got nothing to do with anyone else. Only other suggestion is smile at them, it fools fools.

Not at all, why would I?

I mean if it was a hot day, I might have a brief stare with the thought ‘I hope she’s not too hot.’

I wouldn't stare but I do have a problem with the terminology. A headscarf is something that the queen wore, that my mother wore and that I, myself, have, occasionally, turned a scarf around my neck into when I've been caught outside in bad weather without a brolly, In other words, it's not something that invites attention.
A hijab in a country that is predominantly non Muslim, is a statement, and, to an extent, could be argued to be inviting attention. In the same way that a woman without a hijab in a Muslim country might be said to be drawing attention to herself.

My cousin is married to a Muslim chap but, they live in this country and she doesn't cover her hair. When they visit his family in his birth country, she does. It's all about fitting in I suppose.
That being said, it's rude to stare so I wouldn't but I can see why some people might. I do feel sorry for women in hijabs when the weather is particularly hot as I think they must be very uncomfortable and, imagining myself in the same situation, I'm sure I, personally, would feel oppressed, but stare? No!

Not at all but I’m in London so we don’t stare at anything (except maybe totally naked, but even then we’d just move on and ignore) really. Anything goes. But a headscarf and modest dress on a white woman is totally nothing to even glance at, let alone stare - total no from me, have seen and worked with many.

WTF
can’t even believe this poster wrote this
we are completely screwed in this world if this
kind of comment lands on this site
open your mind and your heart ffs

Just do you OP ignore the ones who make you feel uncomfortable and embrace your hijab ❤️ Remind yourself who your doing it for 🤲🙏 May Allah swt make it easy for you Ameen 🤲

Pah. I don't wear a hijab, but I do wear a sari or a salwar kameez sometimes, because they are beautiful garments, and I couldn't care less about inviting attention. Bring it on. As for fitting in, I fit in just fine in this mostly Christian country with most folks.

A hijab in a country that is predominantly non Muslim, is a statement, and, to an extent, could be argued to be inviting attention.

Yes, it's a statement that the woman is Muslim. And Muslim people are as much a part of modern Britain as anyone else.

As for "inviting attention", you must live under a rock if a hijab is an unusual sight to you. It's no different to a sari, kippah, turban or dashiki. It's cultural/religious dress and we live in a multicultural place. How unbelievable to think that it's about you. Which is what you do think if you believe people follow their faith and culture because they want your attention.

i think someone started another thread based off this one, it doesn’t appear to be going well

Wow! I seem to have hit a nerve with a few people, which was certainly not intentional!
All I mean is that dressing in an unconventional way to the culture of the country in which you are living can seem to be, to some extent, attention seeking, so to do so and then complain about attracting attention seems a little odd. It doesn't get my attention particularly unless, as I said, it's a very hot day and then I feel sorry for the wearer but it's a fleeting thought. And I never claimed that this was a Christian country as one responder alluded to, I said it is non Muslim, which it is. It is, in fact, a predominantly atheist country.

Many people make a statement with their clothing, not always a religious one, most do not. If anyone does anything to make themselves obviously part of some group, then they shouldn't be surprised if some people stare that's all, and if they don't like the staring then perhaps stop doing what causes it? Nobody can have their cake and eat it. If you feel strongly about something, then you should be prepared to stand up and be counted, and stared at if it's the case. I wouldn't be one of those doing the staring was all I was saying.

Oh and I don't live under a rock, I live near some very beautiful rocks, very rurally, and we don't see much diversity here to be honest, I would hate to live in a big city but that's just me, I'm a country yokel but I don't wander about with an ear of corn hanging out of my mouth to advertise it. ;)

No

Trie - but OP's point is that "modest clothing" s now a term used by the fashion industry. Even on M&S website, you can select "modest cloth8ng" as a filter

I cannot type - "trie" = "true"

how f*cked up is it that the OP wearing hijab in modern multicultural Britain is seen by some posters as, well, she's drawing attention to herself and shouldn't wear it if she doesn't want attention. Yet if a young girl, say, were wearing a very short skirt or super tight cloth8ng and was attracting attention, I doubt posters would be saying that she shouldn't dress that way if she didn't want the attention 🤷‍♀️ 🧕

A hijab in a country that is predominantly non Muslim, is a statement, and, to an extent, could be argued to be inviting attention.

aka - ‘she asked for it’.

@Ifeelsuchafool don't feel sorry for us - a flowing lightweight hijab or scarf is actually pretty cool, and keeps hair from sticking to skin in the heat, and avoids the frizziness my hair does in humid heat (thank you, fine hair for refusing to comply with any amount of styling).

It's also worth considering that, in multicultural Britain, there are a lot of people from different parts of the world. For many people, the weather we find hot is actually pretty cool!

All I mean is that dressing in an unconventional way to the culture of the country in which you are living can seem to be, to some extent, attention seeking

Hijabs are not unconventional in Britain. They're a common sight. And even if they were unconventional, it's incredibly offensive to suggest that Muslim women wear them for attention rather than because it is a part of their culture, faith and identity.

Just stop embarrassing yourself and placing yourself at the centre of a major and very old world religion and culture. It's not about you and your attention.

@DarrellRiversCriminalBehaviourOrder

dressing in an unconventional way to the culture of the country in which you are living can seem to be, to some extent, attention seeking

And that is wrong? I have been, in my life, a Mod, a hippy, a glam-rocker, a Goth, Rockabilly, a 1990s crimplene freak (Sarah Cracknell), and lately a septuagenarian normcore or menocore (but with little quirks). Maybe the latter doesn't count so much, but, my God, what's so great about looking 'normal'?

I wouldn't stare but definately would look twice, each to their own but its unusual in this rural area where i live, but im also a people watcher.

At the start when I started wearing it I did get asked alot of intrusive questions like " why are you wearing that" etc, they didn't bug me at the start and I would get fed up with answering questions and their was times when I felt like just taking it of but now I've been wearing it for about 13 years I've honestly found it doesn't bother me anymore and I don't mind talking about my experience or why I wear it etc to others if it comes up in conversation that I am revert etc, after this many years though it doesn't come up much with people anymore, only if they start asking about where I come from and I mention it that I'm a revert.
I've found with myself in my experience that the more time you wear it people just get used to it and with time people just get on with it and stop staring and asking questions and don't see you as any different from anyone else.
Again in my own experience I've found with time and after wearing it for a long time now people's questions don't bug me anymore if i get asked.
Do you have a supportive family and friends? Luckily mine where really supportive and I felt that really helped too.

I think the thing that helped me get through it also, was that I kept reminding myself their will probably always be something that people stare at you for anyway and I am also someone who gets really upset and anxious thinking people are looking at me but like I said the longer you wear it it gets so much easier and you will find it really doesn't bother you or bug you anymore with people staring and questions.

Hope that helps!

@DarrellRiversCriminalBehaviourOrder
I'm not in the least embarrassed thank you very much. Hijabs are not a common sight in the most rural parts of this country and many people, including relatives and friends of mine, follow Islam in the UK without wearing them.
However, it is perfectly right that some people wish to advertise their faith and there is absolutely nothing objectionable about that but why be surprised if it excites curiosity? Why see that as a bad thing? Why not see it as an opportunity to talk about and extol the virtues of one's faith?
As for constantly harping on about it being all about me, I fancy there's a certain amount of projection going on here not mention bigotry. Diversity begins when one can accept that other people have different thoughts and opinions to oneself and accept that without resorting to insults!

The angry man in this article reminded me of some of the batsh*t posters on this thread this morning....

No. Had a friend marry a Muslim and she took on his religion and beliefs and dressed conservatively

Quite.
Why do people feel they have the right to listen into other peoples conversations anyway?!
Even more ignorant when you think we English go abroad and don’t speak ‘their’ language or follow their beliefs! … I know some places ask you to dress a little modestly if you go to certain places, but I’ve never been abroad and been told ‘speak our language’…
Posts like this are so ignorant

Hijabs are not a common sight in the most rural parts of this country

They're a common sight in Britain and no matter where you live, you should know that. It's not anyone else's failing if you don't.

However, it is perfectly right that some people wish to advertise their faith and there is absolutely nothing objectionable about that but why be surprised if it excites curiosity?

They're not "advertising their faith", ffs. They're living in accordance with their beliefs and culture. Why are you so unable to grasp that it isn't about you? They're not advertising anything to you. And you're not talking about "curiosity", you accused them of being attention seeking.

Why not see it as an opportunity to talk about and extol the virtues of one's faith?

Oh, so now your own insular outlook is their failing? They effectively owe you an explanation because you've somehow reached adulthood without realising hijabs are common in Britain? And without understanding that following their faith isn't about you?

Just stop it already. If you're serious about hearing all the virtues of Islam, stop attacking women who wear the hijab, stop centring yourself in their decisions and stop patronising them about the "virtues of their faith". Hijabs are part of modern Britain, there's nothing unconventional about them, they are about Islam and they aren't about you and your attention. It's nobody else's fault if you can't grasp this.