For decades, the Islamic headscarf worn by some Muslim women, known as the hijab, has been the center of political and religious debates.
On one hand, Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab have been struggling to be accepted by non-Muslim societies.
Meanwhile, women in some conservative Muslim communities have been battling societal and legal obstacles to freely choose whether or not to observe the hijab.
It all boils down to the freedom of choice, as a healthy society means a society where women are empowered enough to make their own decisions.
The hijab controversy has been making the rounds on social media since last week, when people launched the #NoHijabDay hashtag in support of women who are forced to wear the hijab.
The hashtag saw women present arguments against the hijab, with some going as far as burning their headscarves, drawing mixed reactions online.
The viral hashtag kicked off in response to World Hijab Day, which was celebrated on February 1st.
Promoters of the hashtag aimed to express solidarity with women who wear the hijab against their free will, especially in light of the recent anti-hijab protests taking place in Iran.
This comes as Iranian authorities have arrested at least 29 women for taking off the hijab in public in protest of the compulsory hijab in the Islamic republic.
The hashtag also shed light on the violence some women are subjected to for refusing to wear the hijab.
Twitter users shared footage of them taking off and burning the hijab
"Freedom"
"This is the true happiness"
"It feels so liberating"
A reminder that many girls and women continue to face abuse for refusing to wear the hijab
It's all about personal choice
"Liberated from hijab"
"It's extremely frustrating how these protests are being stripped out of their contexts"
The movement has plenty of opponents
Many people took issue with the burning of the hijabs
