I started wearing the hijab when I was 11 years old.
I took the decision to take it off.
At work, Hassan, the security guy didn’t recognize me right away.
“Good morning, Ms. Why did you do that?”
I know he meant well.
My not-very-religious colleagues were happy with my decision,
But the religious ones didn’t approve,
Because I was no longer one of them.
My Christian colleagues thought I had become an atheist.
They found it weird that I didn’t get my frizzy hair done that day.
People think women should get their hair done when they decide to take off the hijab.
“What’s it to you?”
That was my go-to reply four years later,
After I figured out that they’re discriminatory, self-righteous and ignorant.
But at that time, I felt a weird sense of estrangement.
It was as if Hassan, the security guy, was the closest person to me.