- You won't walk alone

My mom said, “You know the best. It’s your life eventually.”

I wanted to veil willingly in the 8th grade, without family pressure. When I opened it up to my mom, she said I was too young, and I shouldn’t veil now if I’m going to take it off in the future. But I said I

I hadn’t finished middle school yet, and I was dreaming of unveiling in university.

How do the stories of most of us begin? A conservative family, an authoritarian father. Mine was a little more than this. We are living in a family apartment, with 4 nuclear families. What I wear, how I leave the house is criticized not only

I do not have the power to hear the opposite of the words and insults I heard while defending the headscarf.

I’m a 29-year-old woman, and I’ve been wearing a headscarf for 10 years. I read some of the stories written here. My story is a little bit different. I grew up in a family where my mother’s side was left-wing, and my father’s side was

I would say, “If my mother will find out that I have menstruated, I would rather die.”

I was terrified of menstruation. I was born in a conservative, right-wing, religious, and even bigot family in such a country. I often think about what could be worse in a person’s life. I was going to Qur’an courses every summer, which started at the

I want to unveil the day I start university.

Hello, I gathered all my courage and decided to write. When I was in 5th grade, my father became an imam and my mother got in the hijab after this. I was put in the hijab in 6th grade when I haven’t had my period

I don’t want to be buried under the etiquette “theologist hodja lady”.

I’m a person who got in the hijab at the age of 11 by being influenced by her best friend. My family didn’t pressure me on this issue, but they also didn’t say “Don’t do it, you’re too young.” I have been veiled as long

People cannot even stand on others paying the prices of their own “sins.”

One cannot know where to begin such a story. I feel like betraying the pain I’ve felt, the contradictions I’ve got into when unwritten. Like most of the others, my story started with the pressure I had experienced during my childhood. I couldn’t wear tight

I’m still a Muslim girl and I’ll confront people with my literacy.

My family is okay, but what about other people? Hello, I’m writing here for the first time. I’m 16 years old. I’ve grown up captiously on many issues such as religion, respect, manners and morality. I was sent to mosques since the 4th grade to

I thought no one on this road to freedom would support me.

Hello, A long time ago, I wrote a letter saying that I wanted to stop wearing a hijab, but I was waiting for college. I thought I could make people used to it and get less reaction, but it didn’t take me long to understand

“How are you going to be a theologian by doing this?”

Hello, I am Tuğçe. I want to tell you guys about my life and how I feel. After studying in the Child Development department in high school, I suddenly decided to be a theologian – even though I wasn’t a woman who wears a headscarf,

Islam is not responsible for this pressure on women.

Hello. I thought I was the only one with my problems, but it seems that I have so many sisters sharing the same issues as me. I have a long story to tell. I don’t know if anyone reads but, please share your comments with

What’s harder than carrying the burden of a religion you don’t believe in?

Hello. I need to pour my heart out. It’s 5 in the morning, and I can’t sleep because of thinking. This is the second letter I’m writing here. Like most of you, I’m in the hijab because of family pressure. I can’t convince my family

I couldn’t say, “Mum, this headscarf is choking me.”

I’ve been reading your letters on this website for a few hours, you are so much like me. I was also forcibly made to wear a headscarf. I guess my situation was a little worse than yours. I wore a headscarf in the 3rd grade

Because only this way, the Devil was far away.

God, did you really create me as a slave? Unfortunately, this is not a success story. I was born in an extremely conservative family, which had gotten into a cult long before I was born. Although they don’t do everything right, criticize everyone they think

For us, not wearing a hijab was never an option.

I have a very religious family. They are not traditional Muslims. My sister and I grew up with Islamic traditions. In middle school, I went to a religious school. In the 5th grade, almost everyone was open, but my friends became hijabi one by one

I’m an atheist devotee.

Hello! I’m an atheist devotee. Let me explain for those who wonder what devoutness is; devotee is the name given to the members of the Naqsbandi order. When I was 14-15 years old, my father forced me and my brothers to be a member of

I have no fear anymore!

Hello, I have studied at university as being non-hijab. In the last year of university, I turned to religiosity, and as a result, I found it appropriate to wear a hijab. I never forget the following words my father said when I decided to wear

They said that someone put a spell on me.

My family is entirely religious. They have been forcing me to worship since I was seven, and I have been pretending as I do. When I was 10, even my period didn’t start, they prohibited me from wearing t-shirts and pants. They wanted me to

I will not watch my talents be wasted.

I just want to show my talents, not to die! Hello, now I’m going to bare to you a little bit. I’m 16 years old and have been wearing a headscarf for about 3 years. I don’t want to be veiled. Although I have repeatedly

I was wronging both myself and the headscarf.

Hello. I am 22 years old. After having spent 4 years veiled, I am one of those who have decided to unveil themselves. First of all, I congratulate you. If only I could encounter a platform like this back when I decided to unveil. Yet

The image I was in certainly did not reflect my values!

I wanted to do it, and I did it. I grew up in a conservative family. My sister and mother wear headscarves in my family. I decided to wear headscarves in the summer that I graduated from high school because I thought I should do

I am wearing a headscarf for my father and mother, not for Allah.

I took my middle school education at a religious school solely because of my parents’ decision that didn’t deem my opinion as worthy. We are three sisters, but I’m the only one who is being educated religiously. My elder sister and little sister do not

We don’t choose our parents, but our parents chose our fate.

Why do we have to deal with it? Why do we have to keep fighting for our rights while we are the only responsible ones for our bodies and who we meant to be? Tragically, we need this platform. I wish we didn’t have to

I still cover my hair, but I wish I never had.

I don’t want this, I don’t even know why I cover my hair anymore. I used to think this was just how it was supposed to be, this was the right thing to do, and I shouldn’t have thought otherwise. Thus I covered my hair

I thought secretly to give up wearing a hijab, but I’m afraid to get caught, and I can’t go to school.

Hi, I’m a 17-year-old high school student. I wore a hijab in secondary school with enthusiasm and as a necessity of studying at a religious school. It was mandatory to go to school with ferace and headscarf; otherwise, you couldn’t check into it. I swore