My opinion piece has been published in the Times:
I grew up in a liberal household in the Middle East where religious practice was never forced on me. But when I was 17 I made the choice to wear the hijab (headscarf), in the belief that this was a religious obligation and symbol of modesty. At times, I even wore the niqab, a veil of thin chiffon cloth that covers the face.
I knew that the niqab wasn’t a religious obligation, unlike the hijab, but I wore it in markets and malls — any place where I wanted to be hidden from the prying eyes of men. Although it was restrictive — it’s difficult to manoeuvre in busy shops, to eat or cross the road — that didn’t bother me. When I wore it, I felt comfortable knowing that my face would not be known, that I would not be leered at by men. And I certainly did not feel out of place. Many women around me wore it, too, not because it was a legal requirement or because of family pressure, but out of choice.
