New York City's Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, sparked controversy with a social media post regarding World Hijab Day. The post, shared by his Office of Immigrant Affairs on 'X', praised the hijab as a symbol of faith, identity, and pride for Muslim women. However, many criticized the message, citing ongoing protests against compulsory hijab laws in Iran.
The post stated, 'Today, we celebrate the faith, identity, and pride of Muslim women and girls worldwide who choose to wear the hijab.' Social media users reacted strongly, especially highlighting the arrests, beatings, and deaths of women in Iran for not wearing the hijab.
Source: aajtak
Iranian-American journalist and human rights activist Masih Alinejad addressed Mayor Mamdani directly, stating it is painful to celebrate World Hijab Day in a free city like New York when Iranian women face imprisonment and death for rejecting the hijab. She accused the post of siding with oppressors and criticized Mamdani's silence on the suppression of women in Iran.
Source: aajtak
French writer and philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy questioned the timing and message of the post from Mamdani's Office of Immigrant Affairs. He asked how it is appropriate to celebrate such a day while thousands of women are persecuted in Iran for not wearing the hijab. Other critics also dismissed the post as a symbol of oppression against women.
Source: aajtak
Turkish-American economist Timur Kuran described the hijab as a contentious symbol even within Islam, seen as oppression rather than pride in many countries. He cautioned that glorifying a single religious attire on a governmental level could promote religious bias. This controversy is also linked to Mamdani's previous statements about increased discrimination against Muslim women in America post-9/11.
