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She said, \u201cI think growing up in the UK, people didn\u2019t really treat me any differently, like I was just another black girl before I started wearing the hijab<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPeople didn’t really see my Muslim side, but I did notice changes when I started wearing the hijab, like I started noticing different treatment from people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou don’t have to choose your race over your deen, you can do both, you can be a proud black Muslim, there is nothing wrong with that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI even had a video on TikTok, where my afro hair was under my hijab, and I had to turn off the comments because of other people’s reaction\u2026 people will have a lot of things to say about your hair as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Much of the mainstream representation of Islam in the UK and the West in general does not create space for diverse experiences of being a Muslim woman, often conflating religion with culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The aim here is not to reclaim Muslim women’s representation or redefine it but to make space for more inclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Religion, race and gender are all at play here regarding the potential hurdles that can be faced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is exacerbated by a lack of representation of black Muslim women, which would save them from having to explain themselves constantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Machiami Kamara, a West African hijabi influencer currently living in New York, said: \u201cRepresentation has improved, but it\u2019s still not where it needs to be, especially when it comes to race, body type, and style diversity. Muslim women are not a monolith, and we need more narratives that reflect that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alongside being an example of much-needed representation, she is a creative at Veiled Visionaries, which is a \u201cwas born from a longing for sisterhood and safe spaces as a way to bring Muslim girls, especially Black Muslim women, together to feel seen, heard, and celebrated.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n We need to see more Black Muslim women, more plus-size hijabis, and more voices that challenge stereotypes. Real representation happens when we stop being tokenised and start being authentically included.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, platforms and communities such as Veiled Visionaries have thrived on social media by creating spaces for Black Muslim women and increasing their visibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The combination of cultural fashion and faith has been accomplished through several ways, from beautifully styled hijabs, to printed abayas, to simply cornrows beneath hijabs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That being said, navigating the overlap of modesty alongside westernised beauty norms, particularly surrounding hair, fashion and the hijab, can be difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/heritagemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/50\/2025\/05\/IMG_1546-1-edited-1.jpg\")
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