People called her and her family sanctified. I didn't really know what it meant at the time. I just knew it was some sort of religious thing. If I had to guess, I'd say her dress and behavior were similar to those exhibited by members of some sort of Pentecostal faith. In studying and hearing that word, it's very reminiscent of what I remember about the little girl and her family.
To me, she always looked so sad.
I mean really...what school age girl wants to dress that way or be alienated from her classmates all for the sake of some religion she's been thrown into. Or maybe she was comfortable in her religious beliefs and accepted that her dress and behavior were different. At any rate, enough peer pressure and needing to "fit in" go along with childhood automatically. As difficult as it was for me, I imagine it was even more so for her.
As we grew older and children became meaner (it's just one of those things), she was taunted unmercifully. The boys on the school bus would snatch her scarf off and throw it around until the bus driver, peering in his big rear-view mirror, would demand that they cut out their foolishness and give her her scarf back.
She sat in solitude without uttering a word most days. She would just gaze out the window, counting the minutes until she was safely home.
I don't know what ever became of this young lady. Many years have passed and life goes on (it's just one of those things). I was reminded of her when I read about Imane Boudlal, a young woman who showed up for work last Sunday at the Storyteller's Café in Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa wearing her hijab. She was promptly given the choice of working in the back of the store, out of public view, or being sent home without pay. She went home.
Disney and all of their rhetoric about cultural diversity has been shattered in one insensitive move.
How many millions has the Disney empire profited from their very own Muslim princess, Jasmine. She's the daughter of a sultan living in the fictional city of Agrabah. I can remember many scenes in the movies about Jasmine where she wore the exact same thing Imane was given such an asinine ultimatum about.
You can stay at work but we'll have to hide you in the stockroom....wouldn't want any of our customers to be made to feel uncomfortable by having a Muslim in our midst. Oh My God. Seriously people?
Incidents like this just reveal how intolerant of differences our world truly is.
It took Disney years to get over the fact that all princesses don't have skin as white as snow or long flowing flaxen locks. But in the case of Imane I guess life doesn't imitate art. A young Muslim girl flying around on a magic carpet helping Disney make more money is acceptable; having one greet your customers is not.
