You’d think we’d left behind the days when a simple scarf could trigger an existential meltdown, but apparently not. It’s 2024, and somehow, a headscarf can still cause panic attacks and “house rules” that rival airport security. Religious bias really knows how to show up in the most random places, with people acting like a piece of fabric holds mystical powers or is some kind of security threat.

But hey, here we are, with one Redditor sharing her bizarre experience of being treated like some kind of terrifying apparition…for simply wearing a headscarf, due to her religion.

More info: Reddit

When a person’s personal religious choices scare someone more than a horror movie, you just know there’s a deeper issue hidden there

Image credits: Ron Lach / Pexels (not the actual photo)

One Muslim student found herself on the receiving end of religious intolerance when her friend’s mom tried to force her to remove her hijab inside their house

Image credits: Kaboompics.com / Pexels (not the actual photo)

The student goes to her friend’s house for a study group, but her friend’s mom says her headscarf makes her nervous and her boyfriend is “terrified” of it

Image credits: gpointstudio / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Image credits: UsefulPossession530

The student refuses to remove her headscarf due to her personal beliefs, which causes the mom to ban her from their house, not allowing her daughter to see her anymore

The OP (original poster) of this story is an 18-year-old Muslim high school senior who joined a study group at her classmate Rachel’s house to prep for finals. All pretty normal so far, right? But the moment the OP walked through the door, Rachel’s mom hit her with “Would you mind taking off your scarf?”

Right away, the red flag parade began. Rachel jumped on the bandwagon, parroting her mom’s suggestion, even saying that the scarf somehow made her mom “nervous.” Nervous? Is the OP’s hijab secretly some high-tech device? A lie detector? Maybe a fire alarm?

Now, our Redditor is no pushover, so she politely declined and kept her scarf on. Not only is it a personal choice and a religious one, but to add a little extra twist here, there was a guy in the house. And, according to their religion’s rules, for a Muslim woman, showing her hair to a man—who is not her family—is prohibited.

Rachel insisted that the house was a “no-guy zone” that night, but surprise, surprise, guess who was lurking around? Yep, Rachel’s mom’s boyfriend. One of the other girls in the group even called this out, but Rachel’s mom acted like he just appeared out of thin air.

Things calmed down for a hot minute, at least. But then, the plot thickened. Rachel texted the OP, saying her mom was having a panic attack because of the scarf and that her boyfriend felt “threatened” by it. How a scarf on an 18-year-old studying for finals could be classified as a threat is beyond me, but apparently, this piece of fabric was just too powerful.

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Rachel’s message went on to decree that, since it was “her house, her rules,” the OP was banned from returning. The next study session would be at another friend’s place, but Rachel wouldn’t be joining because her mom wouldn’t allow her near the OP. If that’s not religious discrimination, I don’t know what is.

When someone is excluded, treated unfairly, or pressured to compromise their beliefs due to their religious practices or symbols, like wearing a hijab, it crosses into discriminatory territory.

According to The Office of Civil Rights (OCR), “Religious discrimination is treating individuals differently because of their religious beliefs and practices, and/or their request for accommodations of their religious beliefs and practices.”

In this case, the OP was pressured by her friend’s mother to remove her headscarf, despite it being a personal and religious choice. And, let’s be real, this mom’s discomfort wasn’t based on any real threat but rather on an unfounded fear or prejudice against the hijab itself.

So, is the OP a jerk for refusing to remove her headscarf? Reddit seems to think not. Wearing a hijab is a choice, a personal decision, and in this case, one that literally harms no one—except, apparently, people with an irrational fear of scarves.

What’s your take on this story? Drop your comments below.

Netizens agree that the student is not a jerk for keeping her headscarf on, saying this is a classic case of religious discrimination

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