#Hijarbie

Hijarbie – changing the perception of Muslim women 

It’s not the first time Mattel’s barbie gets a make-over. Recently more curvy and colourful Barbies were launched, but this time a 24-year old Nigerian medical scientist, Haneefa Adam, took matters into her own hand and launched an instagram account (@hijarbie) to create a different colourful image of Muslim women. She was tired of misconceptions and negative comments about Muslim women who wear the veil as being “oppressed” or “forced-to-do-so”. For her the project is about showcasing the beauty and diversity with colorful headscarves, flowing abayas and full-length couture dresses to share a different story about Muslim identity.

The account already got more than 78k followers and shows that it does make a difference when you and I speak up, when we feel unfairly represented or stereotyped! Nike recently also ventured into the debate around Muslim women when they launched the Nike Pro Hijab – maybe more companies will follow and at least I’m crossing my fingers for a Hijab clad Barbie collection soon. #Empowerment #Hijarbie