Blaming the society as a whole is to say the least is generalizing. But while finding these terrorizers what is truly worrying are the studies that support that women subdue their own gender more than anyone else. Belonging to the same gender, perhaps the difference in upbringing and the sexist harassment of their own formative years has traumatized them enough to turn a blind eye against other young girls and even add on their existing problems.

‘We are Yuvaa’, a YouTube channel, uploaded a video which is an open letter in spoken word poetry form called Dear Aunty. The video although inspired from the recently viral video of a Delhi woman condemning a girl to be raped for the length of her dress, was more a message for the general biased society that slut-shames a girl for her choice of apparel. Because the problem can only be solved by addressing the classically conditioned notions of a few and helping them understand the bane of womanhood by educating them about the freedom and power woman of today can access.

On the other hand, a much overlooked social plague is the expectations from women in Hijab. They fight a psychological war with their peers of ticking the boxes of being a ‘modern woman’ at the same time blamed for accepting and propagating years of religious oppression. As the generation today is trying to fight its predecessors measurement of virtue to that of their how short their skirt is, another perception to wage war against is ‘The longer the burqa, smaller the feminist’.

Showing your skin and being comfortable in it is beautiful, so is covering your head and being comfortable with your faith. Being a ‘modern woman’ has a subjective definition. And as long as we are breaking preconceived notions of expectations from a noble woman it is also time to fight the stereotypes or judgments passed on a hijabi girl. She is a part of the lady squad and can choose to wear or not wear her hijab as it is a part of her expression of faith.

Exempting her from any feminist or progressive alliances is reinforcing the regressive opinions she is fighting against. Freedom of choice is her fundamental right too and she is the protagonist of her own story. Deeming her to be an extremist like the ignorant few of her community is the failure of logic and reasoning.

Rashida Islam, Muslims for Choice Founder, fights for women’s right to make a choice in her life and is working actively towards it. She writes in the Abortions rights blog, “When I tell people that I founded Muslims for Choice and that I am part of the Abortion Rights campaign I am met with a lot of surprise and incredulity. Lots of people ask how I reconcile being Muslim and being pro-choice.”

Mahdia Lynn, a Shia transgender is one of many who felt unaccepted and decided to create a space which would accept her and her faith together. She established Masjid-al-Rabia which is a women-centered LGBTQ+ all sect inclusive mosque in Chicago.

Hijab, burqa, niqab, thawb are all but apparel choice made by individuals. It is not a definition of who they are or an opening for jokes or snide comments. Wearing a niqab is not asking to be stereotyped or judged, it is not asking for it. These individuals are just exercising their rights and making it through the day one task at a time, much like others. They yearn validation, human connections and purpose, much like others. Inclusion is key, being scared of them or rejecting their choices is phobic and oppressive.

However, overcoming these fears and accepting that the differences we have is what makes the worlds so unique would birth a generation of togetherness.

Triumph in this mission of expression would omit missing out on glamorous performances like that of the costume changes of the flamboyant Lady Gaga on the red carpet at the Met Gala or athletes like Ibtihaj Muhammad who won the US a bronze medal in fencing in the 2016 Olympics. Leading to a generation of women who are so comfortable with who they are un-tethered to what they wear.