Shireen Ahmed's article "Off-Record but on-Field: Veil, Burka, Babushka or Bedsheet?" is selected as one of the Most Compelling writings on football. Congrats Shireen!
Who is Shireen Ahmed: Shireen Ahmed is a frontline worker in Social Services, writer and footballer living in Toronto. Her passions include advocacy, her amazing family, following Football Club Barcelona , coffee and her two cats. She writes about her experiences in football and sport in her blog “Tales of a Hijabi Footballer” at www.footybedsheets.tumblr.
Her Article: Off-record but on-field: Veil, Burka, Babushka or Bedsheet?
I am far beyond the usual barrage of questions regarding my hijab.
I live in Toronto. Hijab is hardly a foreign concept. Many women from varied ethnic communities choose to cover. Some fully. Some partially. Some in amazingly-coloured, culturally-inspired fabrics. Some in pristine designer brands. On the subway. On the street. At concerts. At a Masjid. At schools. At the flea market. Wherever.
Questions come flying at me on the football pitch. Where women my age (30+) are NOT routinely seen on a team or part of a recognized & affiliated club.
My generation of empowered Pakistani-Canadian Muslim women with opportunity, seldom engaged in contact sports. Heavily in Academics, also Art and Music. Definitely not in football / soccer. If they did, they stopped by 12 or 13 years of age.(... Continues)
Continue: http://footybedsheets.tumblr.com/post/27395541349/off-record-but-on-field-veil-burka-babushka-or
Other Nominated Writings: http://afootballreport.com/post/39295318242/the-best-of-football-writing-in-2012
