[Pics] Black Muslim Women Push Back Against Erasure With #BombBlackHijabis

On March 11 Black Muslim women used the hashtags #BombBlackHijabis and #BombBlackMuslimah to flood social media with images of themselves. The movement was an attempt to claim space and visibility in a religious and cultural community that often overlooks them. According to writer Safura Salam at Muslimgirl.net, the need a social movement like this is long overdue:

“In the conversation about Blackness in Islam and about Women in Islam, the intersection of Black Muslim Women’s issues are often ignored. While South Asian and Arab women have many struggles in common, the struggle of the Black Muslim woman is unique. Often, speaking about us makes others uncomfortable. They aren’t sure how to relate. They want to sweep us away under the rug of an Islam that is “color blind”.

The intersectionality of race, gender and class that #BombBlackHijabis occupy, present too many challenges to their world view. They don’t yet have the language to articulate the fact that they have internalized the European colonial mentality about color, race, and class. They aren’t ready to admit that they see Black Muslim women as a necessary evil, but not a thing that could be beautiful, honorable, desirable, or strong. After all, you can’t stop people from practicing Islam, can you?”

Check out some of the images that were posted;

https://twitter.com/fatimatitan/status/708289693490745344

Rocking my #Somalia jersey #BombBlackHijabis #Somali 🇸🇴🇸🇴🇸🇴 pic.twitter.com/OctO8UIFOv

— Amo.… (@Miszamo) March 11, 2016

https://twitter.com/hva_y/status/708377257803251712

https://twitter.com/Califormora/status/708375818037137408

#BombBlackHijabis pic.twitter.com/IAH6yzy2Ut

— krista coleman (@kristadashaun) March 11, 2016

https://twitter.com/_bellisimo/status/708322143499587584

https://twitter.com/seemaboo/status/708292992000462850

https://twitter.com/afrohijab/status/708415081474818049

https://twitter.com/ubax__/status/708270192825122816

My contributions to this jam. #BombBlackHijabis pic.twitter.com/T0bKbvpHC5

— Donna Auston (@TinyMuslimah) March 11, 2016

https://twitter.com/Xabiiba_/status/708433155775188993

It’s a description NOT a directive! #BombBlackHijabis pic.twitter.com/JBWLCDTjnS

— Yasmine Yasmine (@yasmineyasmine) March 11, 2016

Deen over Dunya. 👑 #BombBlackHijabis pic.twitter.com/uSKbWmG9ML

— TaweelahDCR🌹 (@TaweelahThe19th) March 12, 2016

https://twitter.com/seemaboo/status/708457488409034752

I’m part of the movement. Hope you sisters join too. Cheers to you, melanated queens. #BombBlackHijabis pic.twitter.com/ZzSQaJGQE2

— Miss Salam (@safuea2856) March 11, 2016

https://www.instagram.com/p/BC34OXlIQ42/?taken-by=d.noelle1089

https://www.instagram.com/p/BC3aCywmEw-/?tagged=bombblackhijabis

https://www.instagram.com/p/BC1mq49r0‑W/?tagged=bombblackhijabis

https://www.instagram.com/p/BC2SlIRNf3h/?tagged=bombblackhijabis