Model Halima Aden recently made the brave decision to open up about how the fashion industry, at some points, has made her compromise how she wears her hijab.
In a series of Instagram posts, Aden admitted that she “got comfortable” and “carried away” with not acknowledging her core values.
“I can only blame myself for caring more about the opportunity than what was actually at stake,” she said. “I blame myself for being naive and rebellious. What I do blame the industry for is the lack of MUSLIM women stylists.”
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Following Aden’s candid posts, fellow model Gigi Hadid took to social media to praise her for speaking her truth.
Whilst she is not hijabi herself, Hadid noted that many people would be able to relate to what Aden was saying in order to flourish as your “genuine” self.
“It is so important, as a hijabi or not, to self reflect and get back on track with what feels genuine,” she said.
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“I learnt through therapy once that if we are assertive with our boundaries, it does not mean that we are ungrateful for the opportunity, and it will lead to an end result that does not feel hollow.”
Once again praising Aden for her message, Hadid said that the model has “inspired me since the day I met you and you continue to make me proud. Keep shining.”
In Aden’s posts, she detailed a few examples of how her values for wearing the hijab were compromised. It included jeans were placed on her head for a campaign, replacing her hijab; how her scarf style was changed so she could wear a necklace; how she participated in events where the scarf that covers her chest wasn’t present; and more.
Closing off her series of Instagram posts, the model, who became the first-ever hijabi model for IMG, admitted she needed to make the mistakes she has to become a role model.
“I had to make those mistakes to be role model you all can trust,” she said. “Remember I had no one before me paving the way so mistakes are part of the learning experience.
“I did good, but that isn’t enough we gotta have these conversations in order to truly change the system.”
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Images: Halima Aden Instagram, Feature Image: Getty
