In Egypt, where the hijab, a headscarf worn by muslim women, is woven into religious, cultural, and social identity, a growing divide is emerging at the intersection of religion, fashion, and class, where the hijab may unite, but class sharply divides. Non-veiled and turban-wearing women frequently gain access to restaurants, venues, hotel pools, and clubs, while others wearing traditionally conservative or full-body coverings are perceived as less fashionable, backwards, or lower-status, and get turned away. “When I wear my turban, the guards at the beach politely let me in, but when I wear my headscarf traditionally, they ask me if I can change my hijab into a turban, to adhere to the management’s policy,” Radwa Mahmoud, 24, human resources recruiter, told Egyptian Streets. “How can the same hijab, wrapped differently, be treated so differently?” she wondered, pointing to the double standards that shape everyday interactions for veiled women. Hijab as identity and status Historically, the hijab in Egypt has served multiple symbolic functions. It has been an emblem of resistance, identity, protection, or even modern fashion. According to Walter Armbrust, a lecturer in Oriental Studies at the University of Oxford,…
