Beyond the Fabric: The Lived Experiences of Canadian Women Who Wear Hijab
TW: Violence and Hate Speech
"I want to kill you all, you terrorists," the man shouted as he tried to run over a Muslim mother walking her children home from school in Windsor, Ontario. Her quick thinking saved their lives, pushing her children and herself out of the car's path just in time.
Then they simply walked home, as if nearly being murdered was just another part of life as a visibly Muslim family in Canada.
For nearly two decades, Hanan buried this traumatic memory until the 2021 London, Ontario, attack that killed the Afzaal family brought it rushing back. "When I heard the news about the London Terror Attack, I froze. I had no reaction," she writes. "It wasn't until the next day that I started shaking, crying and having panic attacks. The trauma I had buried so deep began to resurface. That could easily have been me and my family that were killed. Literally."
Hanan's story is one of many being collected by islamophobia.io, a project gathering firsthand accounts of the Muslim experience in Canada. These stories reveal both the challenges and unexpected moments of connection that come with being visibly Muslim in this country.
The Daily Reality of Visibility
For women who wear hijab, the simple act of moving through public spaces often means becoming a spectacle. As one woman describes in her story: "She could simply be walking down an aisle, and all eyes would be on her as if she was wearing a sign on her shirt. It made her a topic of discussion, hearing faint whispers as we slowly walked away from the strangers on both sides of the aisle."
This hypervisibility creates a constant state of awareness that many Canadians never experience. Recent statistics show that Muslims make up more than 3.2% of Canada's population, with the community evolving from first-generation immigrants to third and fourth-generations proud of both their faith and national identity. Yet many still face the burden of representing an entire religion through their personal choices.
"Leaving my home every day is accompanied by the uncertainty of whether I will return safely, a constant reminder of the presence of Islamophobia, especially as a woman wearing a hijab," writes one Toronto woman. "It feels like even in a welcoming place like Canada, safety is no longer guaranteed."
Beyond Stereotypes: Identity and Choice
One of the most persistent misconceptions about the hijab is that it represents oppression or a lack of agency. Research directly challenges this view, with sociologist Paul Eid noting in his research that "there was a large gap between how Muslim women see the hijab and popular stereotypes that reduce it to a symbol of oppression." His 100-page report submitted during Quebec's Bill 21 trial concluded that "the vast majority of veiled women, in Quebec and Canada, firmly believe in the equality of the sexes and are conscious of reconciling their hijab with their feminist values."
Many women describe their hijab as deeply connected to their identity and faith journey. "She explained how it is a common misconception and that it does not normally bother her as she believes that faith is not something you can wear on one's head, but instead in one's heart," writes one contributor to islamophobia.io, describing her friend's relationship with hijab.
For some women, removing their hijab even temporarily creates a profound sense of displacement. As one woman shared in her personal story: "I felt like I had lost myself. I didn't realize until then just how much the hijab was intertwined with my self-perception and gratitude toward my faith."
Intersecting Identities: Race, Religion and Belonging
The stereotypes about Muslim women extend beyond religious practice to assumptions about ethnicity and cultural background. One story collected by islamophobia.io highlights how a Black Muslim woman wearing a hijab was assumed to be wearing a cultural garment rather than a religious one.
"When I asked my friend why she did not explicitly tell him that she was Muslim, she responded by saying, 'I am used to people assuming that I wear my hijab as a cultural piece'," the writer explains. "Many Non-Muslim Canadians generally associate a Muslim woman who wears a scarf as being of South Asian, or Middle Eastern descent... completely dismissing all the Muslims that come from African countries."
This intersectionality creates unique challenges for Black Muslim women, who face assumptions about both their faith and cultural background. The writer continues: "We Muslims celebrate the fact that we are people of every kind and from every background, yet there are still barriers for our black Muslim sisters that are not being addressed."
From Trauma to Connection
While many stories highlight discrimination and even violence, the collection also includes powerful moments of human connection that offer hope and possibility.
One non-Muslim contributor shared a simple but meaningful experience: "When I moved to a new school for grade 8, a year before going to high school, I was scared and frightened that I wouldn't make friends because I was very shy. On the second day of school, at recess, a classmate who wore a hijab approached me, gave me a little teddy bear and welcomed me to the school."
These small gestures of kindness demonstrate how personal connections can transcend stereotypes and create genuine understanding between communities.
Building Bridges Through Authentic Stories
The islamophobia.io project is a powerful example of how authentic storytelling can bridge community divides. In all their complexity, hijab-wearing women reclaim control over how their experiences are understood and represented by sharing these personal narratives.
This work aligns perfectly with the London & Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership's mission of strengthening social cohesion between immigrant and host communities. The LMLIP aims to "engage London and Middlesex residents in a constructive dialogue about the impact of immigration in London, ultimately strengthening social cohesion between immigrant and host communities."
Personal stories offer a unique opportunity to move beyond abstract policy debates or media stereotypes to a genuine human connection. When Muslim women share their journeys with the hijab, including struggles, pride, family interactions, and personal growth, it becomes more difficult to maintain simplistic stereotypes about their lives and choices.
How You Can Respond
The collection and sharing of these stories create an understanding that can bridge divides within Muslim communities and between Muslim and non-Muslim Canadians. Here's how you can participate:
Listen and learn: Take time to read the stories at islamophobia.io with an open mind.
Share your story: If you have personal experiences with hijab—whether as someone who wears it or has observed its impact on others—consider contributing your story to the project.
Create conversations: Use these stories as starting points for respectful discussions about faith, identity, and belonging in your own communities.
Support visible Muslims: Simple acts of kindness, like checking in with hijab-wearing neighbours or speaking up against discrimination, can make a significant difference.
"I hope this happens one day soon so that my friend can wear her hijab for what it is; not a cultural piece or an accessory but an expression of her Muslim womanhood and faith," writes one contributor. Through sharing authentic stories and building genuine connections, we move closer to creating a community where all expressions of faith and identity are respected and understood.
For more information about LMLIP and its work to strengthen community connections across London and Middlesex, visit lmlip.ca. To read or contribute stories about hijab experiences, visit islamophobia.io.