What My Aunt Said : I love my niece, but sometimes I feel she is too rigid. She graduated with a very good degree and has been applying for jobs everywhere. Recently, she got called for an interview at a top bank, and she came back saying they told her she has to remove her hijab if she wants to work with them. I told her plainly: “My dear, if you want to succeed in corporate life, sometimes you have to blend in. Removing the hijab does not make you less of a Muslim; it is just work. Once you get the job, you can wear it outside office hours. Don’t allow stubbornness to block your opportunity.”
Opportunities do not come every day. If she misses this one, she might regret it. Religion is important, yes, but survival is also important.
My Side of the Story : When my aunt said that to me, I felt so hurt. I know jobs are hard to come by, but my hijab is not just fashion, it is part of who I am. Removing it feels like stripping away my identity just to please people. If they are telling me to take it off now just to get the job, what next will they ask me to compromise? Today it is my hijab, tomorrow it might be my values. I studied hard to earn my degree, I have the skills, I passed their aptitude test, so why should my dressing be the deciding factor?
It is painful because I respect my aunt, but I cannot sacrifice my faith for any company. If they cannot accept me as I am, maybe the job is not meant for me.
After reading both sides, what do you think really happened? Or who do you think is right?
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