#TweetYourThobe gains momentum as Rashida Tlaib takes oath

On Thursday, Rashida Tlaib became the first-ever Palestinian-American woman to be sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives.

The democratic socialist and representative for Michigan's 13th congressional district had made history when she was elected to Congress in November. She is one of the first two Muslim women to ever make it to Congress, alongside Somali-American Ilhan Omar. 

In December, Tlaib took to Instagram to announce she was going to attend her swearing-in wearing a thobe (embroidered floor-length garment worn across the Middle East). 

Born to Palestinian immigrant parents, the lawmaker attended Thursday's event wearing the iconic outfit in a powerful tribute to her roots and family. 

The congresswoman explained the main reason behind her choice of outfit for the historic day in an essay published in Elle magazine last month.

"This is what I want to bring to the United States Congress, an unapologetic display of the fabric of the people in this country. This is why I decided to wear a thobe when I am sworn into the 116th Congress," she wrote. 

In an interview with CNN, Tlaib also stated that another reason why she wanted to wear the traditional garment was to pay tribute to her mother. 

"Every child of immigrant parents knows what it means when ... their biggest hope is that they want us to succeed, but they also don't want us to lose a part of who we are," she said. 

Tlaib's decision to wear a thobe on such an important day inspired the now-viral hashtag #TweetYourThobe. 

The tag was launched by writer Susan Muaddi Darraj, who explained why she started the hashtag in a statement to the Institute for Middle East Understanding.

 "I was raised in a Palestinian-American family that celebrated the strength of women. Seeing Rashida Tlaib wear her thobe today is a powerful affirmation of that strength. I started #TweetYourThobe to celebrate her achievement and educate my fellow Americans about our culture," she said. 

Thousands are now posting photos of their thobes via the Twitter trend as they continue to celebrate Tlaib's incredible achievement.

Born in Detroit in 1976 to Palestinian immigrants, Tlaib was reportedly the first in her family to earn a high school diploma. 

She went on to graduate from college and law school, all the while helping raise her 13 siblings. In 2008, the lawyer became the first Muslim woman in the Michigan Legislature.

When it comes to her stance on U.S. President Donald Trump, Tlaib is considered a "strong anti-Trump voice." Earlier this year, Tlaib revealed the ongoing prejudice against Muslims and immigrants had pushed her to run for Congress.

"I didn't run because my election would be historic. I ran because of injustices and because of my boys, who are questioning their [Muslim] identity and whether they belong. I've never been one to stand on the sidelines," she told ABC News.

A public supporter of Palestine's Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, Tlaib recently told The Intercept she plans to take a stand against the decades-old traditional trip to Israel for newly elected members, sponsored by the pro-Israel lobby group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC.)

Instead, she will lead a congressional delegation to the Israeli-occupied West Bank.