1. by Abigail Hasler and Bekah Pinoli
Empathy Experience
by Abigail Hasler and Bekah Pinoli

2. Questions we started with
Do people act differently around you because of your hijab?
Are you self-conscious because of how you look with your hijab?
Do all Islamic women have to wear hijabs?
Are there different hijab regulations for Sunni and Shiite?
What is the purpose of wearing a hijab?
Do u feel more comfortable around Muslim people more than anyone else?
What people are nicer, or meaner to you because of how you express yourself
Do people stereotype you into that “oppressed woman” group because of your hijab?
What is the difference between Islamic culture and Muslim religion?

3. What happened
-people smile at us more either they think we're stupid or cute I'm looking out for other Muslims -I can't tell the difference between Hispanics And Muslims -more elderly people stare at us -"look at those HEEJABS" -bekah said bitches and they looked at us super weird. -some girls our age laughed at us -Arabic people stare at us more -when we were in a store someone walked up to the entrance then saw us and turned around and left -people went in front of us in line -I feel more comfortable around Muslims because they aren't judging me -4 types of people... scowling/glaring, people who awkwardly glance and look past.. but they look at us back again, nice Muslims people who smile at us and mean Asians. -there were lots of Asian people who looked at us and turned around -there was a lady who cut us in line and was rude -both of us felt like we needed to act super nice even though we were feeling awkward... We also weren't judging other people who looked a little different (like pink/purple hair and others who had afros) -When we were in checkout lines the people manning them kind of tested us out to see if we were nice or not -Nobody came up and directly spoke to us

4. Pictures

5. Talking to Hind
1. Do people act differently around you because of your hijab?
Most people don’t act differently. Usually older people look at them more harshly.
One time however, there was a lady who was giving her dirty looks throughout a store they were at. They were at the checkout together and the lady kept giving her dirty looks. Hind had her child in the basket (in the part where he wasn’t supposed to be) because he didn’t like sitting on the seat. Hind was okay with this because she made sure he sat down. The lady finally said, “He is not allowed to sit there.” She spoke like Hind couldn’t read and like she was stupid. Hind responded, “I am his mother and I will do what is best for him, he doesn’t like sitting in the other part. You don’t need to be rude.” The checkers kept apologizing because of the rudeness of the other lady.
Sometimes people when she is driving honk at her and flip her off for no reason.
2. Are you self-conscious because of how you look with your hijab?
“No people don’t look at me differently most of the time.” However she is used to it and she doesn’t notice it.
3. Do all Islamic women have to wear hijabs?
Yes. It is required in the Qur’an (to cover themselves and hide their beauty.) The only men that can see them without their hijab are their: Father, brothers and husband.

6. Talking to Hind 2
4. Are you Sunni or Shiite? Are there different “hijab regulations” for these two sects?
She is Sunni. The Shiite don’t fully respect Muhammed. However she does but more than any other sect she follows the Qur’an.
Typically Shiite Muslim women wear gray, brown and black colors… But the way she was brought up as long as your hijab isn’t a neon or overly bright you are allowed to wear it.
* Scholars say covering the face is more optional
5. What is the purpose of wearing a hijab?
To cover yourself and not draw attention to your body. This helps you to be more holy.
6. Do you feel like you are not being able to express yourself because of you hijab?
“I don’t express myself by how I dress” she says that she expresses herself by how she acts and speaks, that is more important than how you dress.
7. Because of what is going on in the Middle East do people react differently around you/ are harsher/ mean?
Yes others react differently towards them and Islam. Even they [Muslims] act different to themselves. “ISIS is not part of Islam.” The media is partly to blame for spreading bad things about Islam. She doesn’t like that they are doing those horrible things in the name of Islam. Islam is the Religion of Peace. It is so that you can have a clean heart and forgive

7. Talking to Hind 3 8. Is it a burden to wear your hijab? Nope.
9. Do u feel more comfortable around Muslim people more than anyone else?
“Yes, they have the same guidelines and standards.” It is easier because she isn’t with people who have different/ conflicting points of view.
10. If a women wears a more modest hijab, does it mean she is more devoted to her religion?
Not necessarily- you don’t know how much a person is devoted to their religion, so she doesn’t judge… God is the only one who can judge.
11. What are your thoughts on the arising "westernized Muslim"? Are they equal to the original Muslims?
For the most part she is okay with it. “They need to feel comfortable, not hate their religion.” She said that they needed to let go of things but keep God in your heart…“keep the important things.”
Scholars say pants that are tight are not okay to wear. But before you get older (while you are a teen) you are in an unstable point in your life so it might be okay to wear tighter pants. But when you get older you could be punished for it.

8. Talking to Hind 4
12. Have you ever been in a situation where you missed an opportunity (couldn’t get a job, couldn't get into a school) because someone wouldn't accept that you were Muslim?
In Morocco (where she grew up) she wanted to go to an engineering school. You had to have good grades to get in and she did. But there was one regulation: you couldn’t wear a hijab/ head scarf while you were going to school there. “Some Islamic women did and after they stopped going to school there they put it [hijab] on and continued to wear it. “It is a choice.”
She ended up going to a school in the US where they were fine with it.
13. Do any other kinds of people wear hijabs other than Muslims?
“Not that I know of. Sometimes people do because of their culture but not with our same standards.”
14. Muslim women are sometimes thought to be “oppressed” (because they have so many regulations on what you have to wear). Do you feel like you are oppressed?
No! Besides the fact that she has to wear certain things outside of her house and that she can’t talk to men that are strangers outside of a work settings, she has a very good life.
The man is responsible for providing everything his wife needs. He is responsible for buying her clothes, food and jewelry. Muslim women can work and often do to help support their families. However, Islamic men can’t take money from their wives (unless their wife offers it) that is her money and she can do what she wants to with it.

9. Did we experience empathy?
Yes we understood what they’re going through and could relate to their experiences.
The only thing that we would need to change is talking to a person our age and doing all the prayers.

10. Don’t judge a person by their choices and groups, but as a whole.