Al-Qalam 
By Azra Hoosen and Agencies
Australia’s first Hijab-wearing Muslim female in federal parliament, Fatima Payman, made history when she delivered her first speech, since being elected, wearing a Hijab with pride and encouraging young girls “who decide to wear the hijab, to do it with pride”.
At just 27 years old, Fatima Payman, has won Western Australia’s sixth senate spot for the Labor Party. She is the youngest serving senator and the third youngest in Senate history, and also the first Afghan-Australian to enter federal parliament, as well as the first hijab-wearing parliamentarian in the senate.
Payman sentimentally expressed her first gratitude to her late father, Abdul Wakeel Payman, who arrived in Australia after fleeing Afghanistan, and slaved away in the suburbs to give his family a better life, which ultimately opened the doors for her to become a senator. “Who would have thought that a young woman, born in Afghanistan, and the daughter of a refugee, would be standing in this chamber today?” she said.
Payman remarked that she sees herself as a symbol of modern Australia, “I am young, I am progressive, and my family was born overseas. I am a representative of modern Australia”, she said.
Payman is proud to be part of the ‘most diverse government in Australia’s history’. “No matter where you are born, no matter which state and territory you are from, no matter what you choose to wear, no matter who you choose to believe in, no matter who you choose to love, know that Australia is a place where you are welcome and that you can be part of a united collective,” she said. She intends to represent the hard-working class and hopes to incorporate an indigenous voice in the constitution.
She has previously stated that she is aware of the challenges she will face due to being young and a Muslim female, and the blatant negative sentiments towards the Muslim community, but hopes to be the voice that is needed for the multicultural community in parliament. When addressing her representation, she emphasized that the Hijab is entirely her choice, “for those who choose to judge me on what I should wear or judge my competency based on my external [appearance], know that the hijab is my choice”, and “I won’t judge someone wearing boardie’s and flip-flops. I don’t expect people to judge me for wearing my scarf,” she said proudly.
In a time where wearing the Hijab is detested and banned in many countries and deep-seated Islamophobia is a growing concern globally, Payman is now looked to as an inspiration and role model to the youth, especially to Muslim females, as she encouraged young girls to wear the Hijab, “I want young girls who decide to wear the hijab to do it with pride and to do it with the knowledge that they have the right to wear it,” she said.
Paymans’ decision to wear the Hijab in parliament is a progressive step in thwarting the ‘Hijab is oppressive’ misconception for the Muslim community. The ethnic minority still faces a high level of discrimination, bias and anti-Muslim hatred in many countries.
She believes that as a young person, she is better equipped to address issues that the young people in the community are facing, as she is able to relate to them more than the senior members in parliament. She is keen on championing the agenda on the youth’s challenges forward.
Fatima Payman will present her official maiden speech to parliament in September.
Earlier this year, Anne Aly and Ed Husic also made history when they became Australia’s first Muslim ministers.
