3.18.2017

Hijab is not a limitation

And this one just in! For real. This happened around 8.30pm yesterday, which is just few hours ago. Four hours ago to be exact. This one... This one is... I don't have words to describe it. Really. So here it is.

There was I, sitting in the office's pantry, reading news in my phone and drinking water when suddenly this guy from Dev Team (I mentioned this guy also before in here), came in. I don't really like when I'm in the same room with him, especially in the pantry. Why? Because he likes to ask personal life, the one he likes the most is my lovelife which is now in hiatus. And the most irritating part is, he likes to ask about it when I'm on my break eating my lunch. I really really want to just eat my food peacefully without having to get any disturbance (re: tons of questions about my personal life). Especially not from him.

So when I noticed that he came, my mood dropped and touched the floor. Because I know he will linger around asking me question. And I was right.

At first he was talking about having this trip with some guys in Dev Team and R&F's girl next weekend. He asked me if I want to join, but then I said I can't because I have work that time. He said that they're all going trekking, and I said I wish I could come because I really want to go see the mountain and nature. Which led us to here:

Dude: D
Me: M


D: So you like outdoors?
M: Yeah
D: But you hate beach right?
Me: What?! No, why do you say that? (I already knew where this would lead)
D: You know because you wear that (hijab).
M: And what it has to do with it? *tone raised a little bit*
D: Because you know, you have to put that on.
M: And because I'm wearing this so I hate the beach? You see in my Instagram feeds that most of my pictures are beaches right? (I tried my best to not losing it)
D: Well yeah. but those are before you wear that.
M: So?
D: Well, because you have to wear that when you're in the beach
M: It's really rude you know. (there you go, I totally lost it this time. It was just plain stupid to give an assumption like that)

*silence*

D: wha-... I'm sorry I don't mean to offend you
M: But you just did
D: I know, I know and I'm sorry, I know it sounds racist
M: Yeah it is
D: I'm sorry, I really am, because that's just how I see it, you know with you guys wearing that and beaches. So what happens when you're in the beach? Do you take it off?
M: No, I still put it on
D: Even when you're swimming?
M: *inhale* *exhale* have you ever seen a full-body swimsuit? Like from head to toe? Like the one divers wear?
D: Uh-uh?
M: We wear swimsuit like that.
D: Oh I see, I'm so sorry Icha I really didn't mean to offend you.

And I didn't talk to him anymore because I got so irritated with him. Thank God I still have my water that time, I just kept on drinking it. The water helps though, to easen up my emotions. But seriously, that was the stupidest and so small-minded thinking I have ever heard about hijab. Because why? He thought that just because I'm wearing hijab, it will instantly make me hates stuff, like beaches, because I can't take it off when I'm in the beach. He thought this hijab as a limitation of doing stuff or going to places everybody else's doing or going. No, it is not a limitation.

I'll show you the proof that it's not a limitation at all.

1. Kubra Dagli, Gold medalist, World Taekwondo



2. Ibtihaj Muhammad, Bronze medalist, Fencing Olympic 2016



3. Amaiya Zafar, Boxer



4. Stephanie Kurlow, Ballerina



5. Amna Al Haddad, Gold medalist, International Weightlifting Federation Asian Interclub Championships (2013)



6. My friend on the boat, off to snorkeling.



See? Hijab is not a limitation. We still can do what you guys are doing, there's no different at all.

I'm sorry. I am so sorry I got so emotional when I'm writing this. I'm sorry. *inhale* *exhale*. I am sorry you guys, I lost my patience again. It was really hard to keep it cool like it doesn't offend you, seriously it's really hard huhuhu. 

But at least with that conversation being said, he get more idea about how hijab actually works. At least there's a lesson learned, for him, and also for me.

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