Dealing with stereotypes in western society as a muslim girl. By going to college it will help break away from stereotypes and embrace my identity,
Start the essay with this: “Khadija here is your folder” I burst out laughing, as my name is not Khadija. The actual Khadija is a few inches taller, a Sudanese girl with mocha-colored skin. One thing we do have in common, however, is our hijab. After taking the folder from my teacher I got up and walked over to where the actual Khadija was sitting. Giving her a knowing smile I hand her the folder with her name and said “they mixed us up again.” Although I was laughing on the outside I was cringing on the inside at the stereotypes surrounding Muslims in modern society.
Growing up, I often found myself frustrated by how people lump Muslims into one common category. Wearing a hijab from a young age, a symbol of my faith and culture, seems to automatically label me as a representative of the entire Muslim community. People often made generalizations and assumptions about me, assuming they knew who I was and what I was like, solely based on the cloth over my head. It was demoralizing to see that they failed to recognize me as an individual with my own unique opinions and personality.