British retailer Marks and Spencer has been at the center of controversy after releasing a school uniform line that included a hijab for kids.
The decision has been met with intense backlash online by many who've called the product a "form of oppression" and an attempt at "sexualizing young girls."
The retailer has explained that they released the product in response to increased demand from schools.
"We provide bespoke uniforms for 250 schools across the country and they tell us which items they need as part of their school uniform list. For a number of schools this year, they requested the option of the hijab," M&S wrote in a tweet.
The controversy doubled after this Twitter user began conversing with the retailer
In response to the user's tweet, M&S said that the product is "in our schoolwear range - it's not available in adult sizes."
That's when the Twitter user kept the conversation flowing to see what age range of kids could wear the hijab.
The user asked if the hijab would fit his "three year old twins" to which M&S said "a medium would."
"If M&S don’t backtrack on selling hijabs for 3-year-old children, I will never step foot in one of their stores again"
"There is just no need for young girls to wear a hijab under the guise of modesty"
"It's their right to choose profit over values. But it's our right to shame them for doing so"
Maajid Nawaz, an LBC (Leading Britain's Conversation) presenter, sparked a heated debate on the matter after tweeting his point of view on the topic last week.
He described the store's decision to sell the headscarf as "facilitating medievalism."
Nawaz elaborated on the matter further during his LBC show.
"If it's not for you to have a view on the morality of stocking headscarves that are designed to preserve the modesty of fully sexual adult human females, it's not for you to take a view on stocking these for children, why don't you stock Confederate flag t-shirts as well. If there's a demand for it, why not stock it?" he said.
"The face of Neo-Liberalism"
But, valid points were raised ...
In letters sent to The Independent, many Muslim women defended M&S' decision.
"As Muslim women, we are aware of our rights in Islam and in society. If Nawaz wishes to promote the views of feminists and activists, he should do in a manner which will not jeopardize Muslim girls and women who choose to observe the hijab, turning them into a target of ridicule and harassment," one woman wrote.