What’s it Like to Come from a Culture that Wears Religious Head Coverings?

Growing up, I knew that we were different from the other families in my neighborhood. As Sikhs (that’s the name of my faith — it’s pronounced Si-ckh and not Seek), we stood out because my father wore a bright red turban to cover his unshorn hair and my mother would sometimes wear a scarf to cover hers.

From constantly being stared at to being asked strange questions (e.g. Do you wash your hair with milk?) to often hearing overtly racist remarks, sometimes it was really hard to withstand the experience of being made to feel so different.

As an adult, being on receiving end of this type of behavior has lessened, however I’ve noticed the biases related to coming from a faith that wears religious head coverings continue on — beliefs like people thinking that Sikhs are oppressed, fanatical, and conservative. And as I share this about people from my faith, I know that the same biased, ignorant beliefs are held about people who are Muslim and Jewish.

In this video, I set the record straight by explaining (a) that wearing religious head coverings is a choice and (b) why it takes tremendous resilience, courage, and strength to do this in a society that judges us for it. Let’s reframe our thinking going forward!

Watch now!