Minneapolis Star Tribune — While other contestants don revealing bikinis during the swimsuit portion of the competition this weekend, she will cover her body from neck to wrist to ankle. Aden, a 19-year-old Somali-American, will wear a colorful headscarf and show only her face.
She will be the first fully covered Muslim woman to compete in the state pageant. She entered intent on breaking barriers for Muslim women, to counter the negative image that they are oppressed.
“The hijab is a symbol that we wear on our heads, but I want people to know that it is my choice. I’m doing it because I want to do it,” said Aden, a freshman at St. Cloud State University. “I wanted people to see that you could still be really cute and modest at the same time.”
