Women Show Off Palestinian Thobes in Support of Rashida Tlaib

Women are sharing photos dressed in Palestinian thobes to support the first Palestinian American sworn into Congress.

Rashida Tlaib represents Michigan’s 13th district. She and Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar are the first Muslim women ever elected to Congress.

At her official swearing in, Tlaib wore a thobe, a traditional Palestinian dress typically hand-embroidered. Palestinian Americans shared what the moment meant for them online.

 

Every thobe is a dress embroidered with the stories, the loves, the tragedies of Palestinian women. The world will never be broken, because we will always stitch it back together & make it beautiful. #tweetyourthobe#palestinianwomen#palestinianamerican#rashidatlaib#congress pic.twitter.com/glNazfgHcL

— Susan Muaddi Darraj (@SusanDarraj) January 3, 2019
 


Tlaib have considered swearing on Thomas Jefferson’s Quran but last minute changed her mind.

“Why uplift someone else? It’s starting a new era in social justice… It just occurred to me: Why am I not using my own?” she stated.

Tlaib has spoken proudly about her Palestinian heritage and plans to ensure Palestinian issues stay visible in Congress. Omar and Tlaib are the first House members to openly support BDS, which stand for boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel’s government.
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Tlaib also wants to send a congressional delegation to the West Bank as an alternative to trips offered by the American Israel Public Affairs Commission.