This Teen Texted Her Dad She Wanted To Take Off Her Hijab To See How He’d React And His Response Was Heartwarming

Twitter / @lxmyaa

What’s one way to shut down the trolls? Prove to them how wrong they really are.

That’s what 17-year-old Lamyaa did when she received this xenophobic message from a stranger.

Twitter / @lxmyaa

The message read, “Stop defending Islam Bitch shut up you couldn’t take that scarf off or your dad would beat your ass.”

So Lamyaa did the most logical thing she could do: she messaged her dad, who Buzzfeed reported is from Saudi Arabia, to see what he had to say about the subject.

Twitter / @lxmyaa

His response? Absolutely perfect.

Twitter / @lxmyaa

Lamyaa decided to tweet the conversation to shatter some of the stereotypes regarding Islam and women’s roles within the religion.

https://twitter.com/lxmyaa/status/853047555764232192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzfeed.com%2Ftanyachen%2Flamyaa-hijab-text

Lamyaa received a lot of support from the Twitter community from people who encouraged her to keep her hijab and who applauded her father for being a good dad.

https://twitter.com/Lmfaozain/status/853136287636836352

https://twitter.com/pneusonia/status/853379450507067392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzfeed.com%2Ftanyachen%2Flamyaa-hijab-text

Some people were really just surprised that her father bothered responding at all — not necessarily because they thought he’d be upset, but because dads, you know?

He really is the model of a good parent.

https://twitter.com/khamaylee/status/853272636645715968

https://twitter.com/Ur_Sweet_Melody/status/853092367766884352

However, despite the overwhelming support, some people worried that Lamyaa was trying to erase the oppression some Muslim women face just because she personally didn’t live under the same circumstances.

https://twitter.com/pcychoIogists/status/853285058270171138

Lamyaa clarified that couldn’t speak for every Muslim woman in the world — she just wanted to let others know that it was her specific choice to wear a hijab, but that she still plans to stand up for women who don’t always have the choice.

https://twitter.com/lxmyaa/status/853128974578454529

I guess it’s a lesson to everyone — you shouldn’t assume someone’s experiences based on what you think you know about their religion or lifestyle. Thought Catalog Logo Mark


About the author

Callie Byrnes

Callie joined Thought Catalog as an intern in 2017 and now works as the Editorial Director for its sister site, Collective World. She enjoys writing personal essays and articles about pop culture, astrology, and tarot. She published her first book, ‘The Words We Left Behind,’ in 2024.

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