I am MORE than just "covered"

I started wearing a platinum, black coloured hijab when I was 11 years old. The colour of my hijab evolved over the years from various shades of pink to different blends of blue and green then finally my favourite, purple mash, but my classification, based on hijab,  never left my side.
When I was in grade 7, someone stopped me in the school playground to ask, if I even had a boyfriend. The world fell away.  I knew I would be a little socially awkward for a while, but I didn't know wearing the hijab would also make me unlovable.  When I was high school, crossing the street, someone said I looked scary. They laughed and I turned away, face burning. No one ever though I looked scary in a tuke or a winter scarf, why is hijab any different. When I was in university, someone on the subway said to me, “Your husband is not here, you don't have to wear that over your head.” I quickened my steps in fear,  I am not even married.  

I remember not being able to speak up. I should have told them that I wasn't bald under my hijab, nor do I have head lice; I chose to wear hijab on my own and that I am saving love for marriage.

We, hijabis, have it tough. Collectively speaking, we are not aggressive, but that doesn't mean we pack an IQ of 20. Here are four ways to effectively sabotage that "oppressed" stereotype, and be taken seriously, once and for all:

Command respect

Whether you are in the workplace, university or in a personal setting, show that you mean business. Using bad language, playing with your clothes or jewelry, or cracking your gum and appearing to be an unassuming female will not help your stance. Instead, be sure to flash a confident smile, be prepared to wield a firm greeting and let verbal eloquence shine through your conversation. Once someone sees you as a formidable employee or a confident student, his or her perception of you will drastically change. At the same time, you don't want people to fear you. Give people the same level of respect and courtesy you wish to receive from them. 

Voice your opinion

Don’t be a passive aggressive martyr who just avoids arguments or opts never to vocalize your beliefs.You matter and your voice deserves to be heard. This reigns true in the classroom, workplace and within relationships. Don’t sit back and take it; state your point of view (in a highly cordial fashion, of course). You do not want to be that girl who does not know how to make a judgment call or stand up for herself. If Linda Sarsour can stand up in front of a hundreds of thousands of people and cameras day in and day out and boldly give them a peace of her mind, so can you.

Have fun, but with dignity

Don’t take sloppy selfies for the social media. Don’t dress risqué with a matching hijab. Don't text a "brother" to the extent that if your grandmother was to read your messages, she would be shocked and appalled. Conduct yourself in an appropriate manner. You can let loose and have fun, but don’t let it get to the point that your dignity and self-worth is compromised.  

Be yourself

As previously stated, once others are aware of your internal makeup, they will not read into your hijab with such a fine-toothed comb. Randomly whip out your ability to speak fluent French. Talk about your 350-page dissertation and how it’s been published in medical journals. Give opinions on the defensive strategy that your native hockey team recently implemented in last night’s game, or how the cacao content of Café A’s espresso rivaled the bitterness of Café B’s. Don’t be afraid to show your smarts. You may intimidate people (especially because they may assume that hijabis aren’t that smart). But, stay true to you.