Hijab-wearing boxer faces Islamophobia, makes Olympic history for Australia

Australian boxer Tina Rahimi has spoken out about the Islamophobia she has faced, particularly concerning her hijab. She recounts receiving negative comments online, such as "You don't belong here" and "Why is she dressed like that?" Rahimi has learned to block out this "noise" over the years, questioning why people care about her personal choices regarding dress.

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People always have something to say about the way I dress. Just go onto my Facebook, scroll through the comments. There's always just random people commenting 'You don't belong here', 'Why is she dressed like that?', 'Why is there a towel on her head?'

Rahimi recently made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics as Australia's first female Muslim boxer. She competed in a full-coverage uniform and hijab, an item banned for athletes by the host nation, which drew significant public attention. Rahimi became a vocal opponent of France's hijab ban, asserting on social media that "Women have the right to choose how they want to dress. With or without hijab." She emphasized her personal choice to wear the hijab as part of her religion and expressed pride in doing so, stating, "You shouldn't have to choose between your beliefs/religion or your sport."

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It's something that I've just gotten used to over the years and learnt to block out that noise, but it's like, 'Why do you care how I choose to dress?' I'm not forcing anything on anyone. 'Do you know me?'

Despite her Olympic participation and media attention, Rahimi admits she still feels "different" in Australia. She notes that two years after the Games, the prevalence of Islamophobia in the country's political and cultural climate means the "noise" is always present, sometimes in the foreground and sometimes in the background. This sentiment is echoed by recent findings from the Australian Human Rights Commission, which documented a substantial increase in Islamophobia, particularly online abuse targeting visibly Muslim individuals. The Islamophobia Register of Australia recorded 366 cases of online abuse between January 2023 and November 2024, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by the Muslim community.

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It was more about performing for my fight; that's where the nerves [now] really come from.