Zohran Mamdani Ignites Firestorm Over World Hijab Day Post

Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing a wave of international and local condemnation following a social media post from his office on Sunday, February 1, 2026, celebrating World Hijab Day.

While the Mayor’s office framed the hijab as a “powerful symbol of devotion,” the message has been met with fierce pushback from activists who view the garment as a tool of state-sponsored oppression in several theocratic regimes.

The controversy highlights the deep cultural divide between Western “choice-based” narratives and the lived realities of women in countries like Iran and Afghanistan.

1. The Post: “Faith, Identity, and Pride”

The post, shared by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) on X, aimed to show inclusivity toward New York’s large Muslim population.

• The Message: “Today, we celebrate the faith, identity, & pride of Muslim women & girls around the world who choose to wear the hijab.”
• The Intent: City Hall officials defended the post as an effort to combat Islamophobia and support the religious freedom of New York citizens.

2. The Backlash: “Standing with our Jailers”

The reaction was swift, led by prominent human rights defenders and members of the Iranian diaspora who argue that celebrating the hijab ignores the global struggle for bodily autonomy.

• Masih Alinejad’s Rebuke: The renowned Iranian-American journalist launched a blistering critique, stating she felt “tortured” seeing such a celebration in her own city. “You are not standing with women. You are standing with our jailers,” she wrote, noting the Mayor’s silence on the recent executions of anti-hijab protesters in Iran.
• Lived Experience: Users shared personal stories of forced veiling, with one woman, @chloekhani, recounting being forced to cover her hair at age 7.
• Accusations of Misogyny: Commenters labeled the post “moral rot,” arguing that labeling a mandatory religious garment as “empowerment” is a form of “misogyny dressed up as progress.”

3. The Shadow of Mahsa Amini

Many critics invoked the memory of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old whose 2022 death in custody sparked the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement.

• The Context: Amini was killed by Iran’s “morality police” for allegedly wearing an improper hijab.
• The Movement: Her death led to months of protests where women publicly burned their headscarves and cut their hair—acts of defiance that resulted in over 500 deaths and thousands of arrests.
• The Disconnect: Activists argue that for a high-profile Western politician to celebrate the hijab without acknowledging those killed for refusing it is an “insult to the victims of the clerical regime.”

4. Comparative Perspectives on Hijab Laws (2026)

Region	Status of Hijab	Legal Consequence of Refusal
New York City	Protected Choice	None (Protected by 1st Amendment)
Iran	Mandatory	Fines, Imprisonment, Flogging, Execution
Afghanistan	Mandatory (Full Burqa)	Detention, Physical Abuse
France	Restricted (Schools/Public Jobs)	Fines, Barred from Education/Work