Ibtihaj Muhammad might be the first U.S. Olympian to sport a hijab this summer in Rio but that doesn’t stop her from being treated unfairly. Muhammad was asked to remove her hijab for a security photo while at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.
Muhammad wears the head scarf for religious reasons and the fact that she was asked that was out of line. Seeing that she wouldn’t be taking the hijab off while out in the festival, it shouldn’t have caused a problem!
I was just asked to remove my hijab at SXSW Registration for my ID badge.. I can’t make this stuff up #SXSW2016
— Ibtihaj Muhammad (@IbtihajMuhammad) March 12, 2016
Even after I explained it was for religious reasons, he insisted I had to remove my hijab for the photo to receive my badge #SXSW2016
— Ibtihaj Muhammad (@IbtihajMuhammad) March 12, 2016
Muhammad tweeted her experience and how her photo was placed on the wrong badge.
Thennnnn I was given the wrong ID! From now on my name is Tamir & I work for Time Warner Inc #SXSW2016pic.twitter.com/TE3jJR16P6
— Ibtihaj Muhammad (@IbtihajMuhammad) March 12, 2016
SXSW put out a statement, “It is not our policy that a hijab or any religious head covering be removed in order to pick up a SXSW badge. This was one volunteer who made an insensitive request and that person has been removed for the duration of the event. We are embarrassed by this and have apologized to Ibtihaj in person, and sincerely regret this incident.”
Muhammad is 30-year-old and ranked No. 7 in the world and second in the U.S. in saber fencing. She was at the festival to speak on the panel “The New Church: Sport as Currency of American Life.” We hope this didn’t stop her shine because she is a star and we can’t wait to see her try to snag the gold in Rio.
The post Ibtihaj Muhammad Calls Out SXSW For Trying to Make Her Remover Her Hijab appeared first on Her Daily.