17-year-old girl shuts down person who claims she is forced to take hijab

17-year-old girl Lamyaa from Pennsylvania decided to prove her hijab is her own choice

Islamophobia is on the rise in the US. Moreover, the notion that Muslim women are forced to wear the hijab is widespread.

Seventeen-year-old girl Lamyaa from Pennsylvania decided to prove her hijab is her own choice after things got intense in a group chat.

The chat was started by a friend and the subject of Donald Trump and the political climate was brought up.

"I personally had very strong views [on Trump] considering the presidency did impact me because I am an Arab, Muslim woman," she told BuzzFeed News.



A person in the chat tried to shut her down aggressively. They asked her to stop defending her faith that wouldn't allow her to "take that scarf off or [her] dad would beat" her.



In a need to prove this person wrong, Lamyaa texted her dad who lives in Saudi Arabia.

"I was thinking I want to take my hijab off," she message him.

"If it's what you feel like you want to do, go ahead. I'll support you no matter what," her dad wrote back, supporting her decision and saying it was her choice and not anyone else's.



She wanted to share her dad's response publicly to get rid of the mentality that people have of Muslim women who wear the hijab. Her texts with her dad went viral, with over 140,000 retweets.



https://twitter.com/lxmyaa/status/853047555764232192

Lamyaa was criticised by many on Twitter, who pointed out that there are still many Muslim women who are forced to wear the hijab.

So because you're not oppressed, therefore no one is oppressed...so the countless of girls (like myself) who do want to take it off, but

— Fateemz (@athenaaaaaa777) April 15, 2017

"They misunderstood my tweet, but I do understand their anger," Lamyaa said in response. "My intention was in no way, shape, or form to speak over or offend anyone."

"Women — in the Middle East specifically — face oppression but it is due to culture not religion," she added.

"People often mix the two and say the cultural practices are religious practices. That is far from the truth."

She also posted a follow up tweet, clarifying her status

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

Lamyaa also said she's been in contact with these women so she can help them.

"I tweeted some users to tell them that if there is anything I can do to help them that I am here, and that I am so sorry for what they face," she said.

This article originally appeared on BuzzFeed News