In recent years, the global conversation around feminism has gained momentum. From calls for equal pay to reproductive rights, women’s voices are demanding change. But in the name of progress, some of those very voices are being silenced. Across Europe and beyond, hijab bans are increasing, and they are often defended under the banner of “liberating women.” But here lies a deep hypocrisy. When feminism ignores or undermines Muslim women’s right to choose their clothing, it stops being empowering and starts becoming oppressive.
The hijab is not just a piece of cloth. For millions of Muslim women, it is a spiritual choice, a symbol of modesty, identity, and autonomy. Yet, many Western governments and institutions claim that banning the hijab is a step toward women’s freedom. These policies are usually framed as efforts to protect secular values or combat extremism. In reality, they often result in discrimination, exclusion, and Islamophobia.
France, one of the most vocal nations in support of hijab bans, prohibits the wearing of “religious symbols” in public schools and government jobs. These laws disproportionately affect Muslim women. Girls are forced to choose between their education and their faith. Women are excluded from job opportunities for wearing a hijab. Under the guise of protecting women’s rights, their freedom to choose is taken away.
Feminism, at its core, should be about choice and empowerment. It should include every woman’s right to define what liberation looks like for herself. Yet when Muslim women speak out in defense of the hijab, their voices are often dismissed as brainwashed or oppressed. This dismissal is not just offensive. It is a form of cultural erasure.
What makes this worse is the silence of many mainstream feminist movements. While they rally against patriarchal dress codes in conservative cultures, they remain silent when women are punished for covering up in liberal societies. This double standard reflects a selective feminism , one that supports only the rights of women who fit a specific image of modernity.
True feminism must be intersectional. It must consider how race, religion, class, and culture impact women’s experiences. Muslim women are not a monolith. Some wear the hijab, some do not. But all deserve the dignity to make that choice without interference from the state, the media, or even other feminists.
The hijab bans also feed into a larger narrative of Islamophobia. By framing Muslim practices as threats to national values, these policies alienate entire communities. They create environments where Muslim women are targeted, harassed, and even assaulted for simply wearing their faith. Far from promoting freedom, hijab bans reinforce fear and division.
Moreover, the media plays a critical role in shaping public perception. Headlines often portray hijabi women as victims in need of saving. Rarely are Muslim women invited to share their own stories or explain why they wear the hijab. This absence reinforces the stereotype that they are oppressed and voiceless, when in fact many are leading voices in education, politics, science, and activism.
It is also important to highlight that Islam grants women the right to dress modestly by choice, not by force. The problem is not the hijab itself, but any system that removes a woman’s ability to choose whether it’s forcing her to wear it or forcing her to take it off. Both extremes violate her autonomy.
The fight for women’s rights cannot be won by marginalizing the very women it claims to uplift. Feminism should not be a weapon used to justify discrimination. Instead, it should be a platform that champions the rights of all women, regardless of religion, race, or clothing choices.
If the global feminist movement wants to be inclusive, it must stand with Muslim women, not against them. That means listening, not assuming. That means defending their right to wear what they choose, whether it is a hijab, a sari, a suit, or a bikini. Empowerment does not come from banning clothing. It comes from respecting women’s decisions about their own bodies.
The hypocrisy of hijab bans lies in their contradiction. They claim to free women while stripping them of agency. They speak of progress while enforcing conformity. And they silence Muslim voices while pretending to speak on their behalf.
It is time for feminism to do better. It is time to move beyond the false idea that liberation looks the same for everyone. Real empowerment lies in choice. Real freedom lies in respecting that choice ,even when it looks different from our own.
