Navigating Online Spaces as a Muslim Woman

To be fair, I've only been a Muslim woman since last October. I deleted all social media aside from Pinterest (which barely counts as social media) in 2021. I started my most recent accounts in early 2024 after changing my perspective on social media and deciding to use it as a tool to connect with a global network of Muslim women. 

If I posted something online a year ago, it would be received as a representation of my personal thoughts and opinions. Now, as a hijabi, it seems what I or other Muslimas post online is often taken not as a representation of personal opinion, but of all Muslims and Islam as a religion. I've noticed that in the West, Muslimas tend to be viewed as a collective instead of unique individuals.

This is an odd burden, and to have acquired it in adulthood as a European American woman is a strange thing. However, it's made me more empathetic not only to the experience of Muslim women, but of minorities in the United States in general. 

I recognize that I can't deprogram the general public from viewing me as a spokesperson for all of Islam when I wear hijab. Instead, I focus on what is in my control: my speech, manners, deportment, and actions. Online speech is especially important, because it's preserved as part of your digital footprint. Before posting, I use the old Mormon 3-prong speech test: is it true, is it kind, and is it necessary? What I write has to pass at least 2 of the 3 criteria to be posted. 

I've found this to be a sound guide to follow. It's not good enough for something to just be true to post, it must also be necessary. This is the area I struggle with the most, because it's not always easy to determine if a message is necessary to share. There are several humanitarian causes I am strongly allied with at the moment, but sharing everything related to them is not necessary, and may actually hurt the causes I care about. I try to only share things I would bring up during in-person conversations. 

Many "jokes" don't pass the 3-prong test, because jokes on the internet are often unkind and unnecessary (and untrue?). It's easy for sarcastic jokes to be taken out of context and used against you. Because it's easy to feel overwhelmed with negativity on the internet, if you feel like posting something negative, try to share a message of gratitude instead.

None of us are perfect, but when we focus on guarding our inner peace and sharing positivity, we can improve our own lives and the lives of others.