Hijabi Monologues Give Voice to Muslim American Women

In an effort to inform the Stanford community about the hijab, the headscarf Muslim women use to cover their hair, students will perform a rendition of "Hijabi Monologues" tonight at 7 in Cubberley Auditorium on campus.

After surveying students about "What does Stanford know about Islam?" the Muslim Student Awareness Network (MSAN) found that a common topic of curiosity was the hijab. In response, they decided to join the Stanford Theater Activist Mobilization Project (STAMP) in producing "Hijabi Monologues," a collection of stories based on the real lives of Muslim American women who wear the hijab.

Author of the monologues Sahar Ullah will attend the performance and participate in a panel discussion to follow. 

"We had a huge diversity of responses, from statements like, 'I always wonder how she survives in this heat' to 'Why would anyone want to be subjugated in that way' to 'I really respect her for embracing her background,'" MSAN president Mai El-Sadany said of the survey. "We decided that we needed to discuss the topic of hijab at Stanford." 

People know about hijabis, but they don't know why they wear it or how they feel when they wear it, said Stanford sophomore Sahar Khan, who co-directs the performance with Aditya Singh, also a sophomore and the only man assisting production. "It's a terrain that's not been treaded on very much. Giving it a theatrical place is good, because it's done in a way that is entertaining and not preachy."

The monologues include stories both tragic and heartfelt, "whether with harrowing stories on FBI detention or cute snippets of balancing the need to pray while watching a college football game," said El-Sadany.

The nine actresses—some Muslim, some not—all joined the production for a common cause. "Our purpose is to normalize the hijab," said producer Heidi Thorsen, "to show that it is not a symbol of oppression and terrorism and to demonstrate the importance of religious tolerance."

For actress and Stanford senior Kate Hyder, performing in "Hijabi Monologues" was a way to inform herself about the hijab and Muslims in America. Hyder's monologue, entitled "I'm Tired," is about a Muslim American woman who is tired of representing a world religion just by wearing a headscarf.

"She feels she has to represent the entirety of her religion every time she leaves her house," Hyder said of her character.

Hyder said she believes the production will spark a conversation about the Muslim-American community on campus. "The people who wear the hijab on Stanford campus are very visible. I don't feel we often talk about what the Muslim experience is." 

The idea to present the "Hijabi Monologues" came from the president of the Islamic Society of Stanford University (ISSU), Fatima Wagdy, who upon reading about it immediately suggested Stanford do a performance.

"These stories in no way claim to describe how all Muslim women feel, but instead, provide a set of very different accounts on what it is to wear the hijab, what it is to be a woman, and even, what it is to be a member of this greater global community," said El-Sadany. "I hope students, faculty and community members walk away with a more open mind."

MSAN also plans a Hijab Awareness Day for next week, in which individuals will be challenged to wear the hijab for just one day.

"The hijab means a million things to a million different women around the world," said El-Sadany. "I hope that with these shows, the next time the audience sees a hijabi, they do not immediately judge her or add her to a list of generalizations just because of the scarf she wears on her head."

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