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30 Nov, 2016

"I'm here to bust the misconception and myths about Muslim women," the teenager told ABC News.

Halima Aden, a 19-year-old Somali-American is the first woman competitor in the Miss Minnesota USA Pageant to wear a hijab and model in a burkini.

"The hijab is a symbol that we wear on our heads, but I want people to know that it is my choice. I’m doing it because I want to do it," Halima said in an interview with Star Tribune. "I wanted people to see that you could still be really cute and modest at the same time."

While she made it to the top 15, she did not make it to the final 5. Photo: Facebook
While she made it to the top 15, she did not make it to the final 5. Photo: Facebook

Though she faced criticism for participating in a beauty pageant (including from her conservative mother), the St. Cloud State University freshman was not deterred by it, saying that she "would not compromising her religious principles of modesty to compete."

“We often tell the ladies that the swimwear competition is really won from the neck up,” said Libby Watkins, assistant director of the pageant. “The Miss Universe Organization, and the state pageant producers, always do our best to make it possible for the contestants to stay true to their upbringing and diverse backgrounds.”

While she made it to the top 15, she did not make it to the final 5. However, she is grateful for the support she received.

The pageant contestant hopes to become a U.N. Ambassador. Photo: Facebook
The pageant contestant hopes to become a U.N. Ambassador. Photo: Facebook

"A lot of girls were very supportive of what I'm doing, and that makes it all worth it. This is a big win for us, I'm the first to do this. I want to give a quick shout out to all my Somali girls, know that you're beautiful and you're empowered and you can give anything you want a try," she said in an interview with ABC.

Born in a Kenyan refugee camp, Halima and her family immigrated when she was 6 years old. According to The Independent, the pageant organisers did not see the hijab or burkini as grounds to prohibit Halima from participating in the competition.

"The hijab is a symbol that we wear on our heads," she says. Photo: NPR.ORG
"The hijab is a symbol that we wear on our heads," she says. Photo: NPR.ORG

The director of Miss Minnesota USA and Miss Minnesota Teen USA, Denise Wallace, said, "The organisation continues to evolve as women evolve. The Miss Universe organisation is proud to be the forefront of the diversity of beauty."

Her participation in the pageant has affected her relationship with her mother. Photo: MJBSTAR
Her participation in the pageant has affected her relationship with her mother. Photo: MJBSTAR

Halima hopes to become a U.N. ambassador one day and said, "You don’t let being the first to do it stop you or get in the way. When I see that there hasn’t already been somebody, I take that as a challenge for me to give it a try."

Here's to not letting clothes define women regardless of religion!

Comments

Momtaz Ahmad Ghulam Rasool Nov 30, 2016 06:22pm
Congratulations and keep your modesty while looking pretty
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Abraham Haque Nov 30, 2016 06:42pm
Bravo way to go Halima
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Rao Nov 30, 2016 07:04pm
Perhaps this is the first crack in US Islamophobian attitude.!
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tomUHTO TAWMAYTO Nov 30, 2016 07:09pm
Is there a swimsuit round? That should be interesting...
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Vijay,Salem Nov 30, 2016 07:11pm
Funny!!!
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sajj Nov 30, 2016 08:17pm
incredibly brave!! Well done and good for you!!
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Ak Nov 30, 2016 09:46pm
By the way, Minnesota is in United States of America, in case you were wondering what country would show a Muslim girl from Somalia such support and dignity to be proud of who she is and how she was raised. That my friends is called Tolerance and judging people for the content of their character and not by Race, Religion, Ethnicity, Color or Creed.
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brr Nov 30, 2016 10:29pm
If hijab and burqas are all about "modesty" based on "god's commandments", then why would a "modest" person participate in "beauty contests"? What is modest about a beauty contest? Total oxymoron.
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Chirag Patel Nov 30, 2016 10:32pm
what about bikini round....will she wear bikini with hijab?
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iztraab Nov 30, 2016 11:02pm
Now this is extreme height of stupidity. Entire purpose of wearing hijab is to avoid women objectification. where women is not treated as an object or toy to please men dominated society. covering just hair and showing your body with tight clothes do not meet the purpose of hijab. i am pretty sure, so called liberals will associate it to the freedom of women and BLA BLA BLA.
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only Nov 30, 2016 11:16pm
What's the point. Did any one force her to participate?
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Hopeful Nov 30, 2016 11:43pm
Good job.
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Suman Nov 30, 2016 11:59pm
What is harm in following world, why to differentiate yourself every time and at every place; it is just stupidity.
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Masood Dec 01, 2016 02:01am
She is very pretty and very determined.
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IMTIAZ ALI KHAN Dec 01, 2016 03:10am
Beautiful woman, with or without hijab.
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Rashid Nasim Dec 01, 2016 03:14am
You go girl. Proud of you.
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Abbas khan Dec 01, 2016 05:00am
MashAllah. What a brave young lady she is...
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dubi Dec 01, 2016 05:25am
She's cute and what she puts on her head ain't going to matter.
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Tamilselvan Dec 01, 2016 05:34am
But what about swimsuit competition. How would she appear? Burkini, I guess.
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Mowgles Dec 01, 2016 08:59am
how's she gonna do the swimsuit portion?
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MA Dec 01, 2016 11:13am
She looks brilliant
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BAXAR Dec 01, 2016 12:17pm
@iztraab She is not posing as a model of modesty, but showing that beauty is apparent even in unconventional attire. Don't be judgemental, this is how conceptions evolve. Sometime you do the opposite of what seems to be required.
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sjaja Dec 01, 2016 12:26pm
@Chirag Patel : why not-- hijab is all that is prescribed and rest comes under freedom of humans.
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Asif Ali Dec 01, 2016 12:31pm
Wonder , why she need to join a beauty contest.
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musa ali Dec 01, 2016 08:02pm
nice
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justrandomperson Dec 01, 2016 08:30pm
@iztraab yet here you are judging such women. People like you look for reasons to justify your own acts and emotions. Learn to respect others choice of life and if you think they are wrong then pray for them to get better instead of wasting your energy on judging them.
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fayza Dec 01, 2016 10:20pm
@Chirag Patel She wore a burkini for the swimwear round in case you missed out the point in the article.
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fayza Dec 01, 2016 10:21pm
@tomUHTO TAWMAYTO She wore a burkini for that round.... read the article carefully.
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NASR Dec 01, 2016 11:37pm
This was a pageant contest in US. And in my beloved country most of the time when I see coverage of fashion fairs I see almost 50% of the models wearing shoulderless dresses.
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Be YOU Dec 03, 2016 06:31am
Honestly why does religion matter? Judge someone by their PERSONALITY not religion. This girl is modest enough to cover herself on the media. AND to the haters: share love not hate. If you have nothing nice to say then don't say anything at all. Thank you.
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Be YOU Dec 03, 2016 06:34am
Judge someone by their personality NOT their religion.And do you see her showing skin?This girl is trying to help girls and you guys are judging her like this!Disguisting If you don't have anything nice to say dont say anything at all.
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