The Hijab-for-All Fiasco: Unravelling Wales' Viral Quote and the Absurdity of "Cultural Experience" Through a Scarf! By Mrs. Brittany Miller (London)
Swirling in the ceasing vortex of online outrage, few quotes have ignited as much fire as this one: "I was wondering if we could get every child [in Wales] to wear a hijab so they can experience the culture." It's popped up everywhere — from X (formerly Twitter) threads to conservative blogs, Instagram reels, and even YouTube rants — often with zero context, just enough to fuel accusations of "Islamification" or "woke indoctrination." But what's the real story? Is this a sinister plot to drape Welsh kids in veils, or just another overblown soundbite? Let's track it down, dissect the context, and critique why the whole idea is as superficial as slapping on a beret and calling yourself French. Spoiler: Wearing one piece of clothing reveals about as much about a culture as dipping a toe in the ocean tells you about marine biology — next to nothing.
Hunting the Source: From Senedd Speech to Viral Meme
The quote traces back to Bethan Sayed (formerly Bethan Jenkins), a Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd (MS) for South Wales West from 2007 to 2021. She's no stranger to progressive causes, having advocated for everything from Welsh independence to social justice. The infamous line comes from a 2019 Senedd session (the Welsh Parliament), where she was praising the work of the Ethnic Youth Support Team (EYST) in Swansea — a charity focused on supporting ethnic minority youth through education and anti-discrimination programs.
In the clip — which resurfaced and went mega-viral in October 2025, racking up millions of views across platforms — Sayed recounts a EYST initiative where schoolgirls (including white Welsh ones) tried on hijabs for a day. The goal? To foster empathy by letting participants experience how "other communities" are treated. Sayed notes that the girls reported being treated differently in public — less harassment, perhaps? — and muses about expanding it nationwide: "I was wondering if we could get every child to wear a hijab so they can experience the culture." She wasn't mandating it; she was floating the idea while pushing for more funding for EYST's "anti-racism" workshops.
Why the resurgence in 2025-2026? Blame the algorithm. Posts from influencers like @BGatesIsaPyscho and @SamanthaTaghoy amplified the clip, framing it as evidence of "Labour lunatics" forcing "Islamification" on 94% white Wales. Sites like Jihad Watch and Twitchy ran with it, decrying one-way cultural adaptation: Why not have Muslim girls remove hijabs to "experience Welsh culture"? By February 2026, it's everywhere — Facebook videos, Instagram reels, even Rumble embeds — often stripped of context, morphing into a symbol of Western self-erasure. And, not without good reason.
Is it real? Absolutely. The video is authentic, from official Senedd archives, though the exact session date is fuzzy in viral shares (likely pre-2021, given her tenure). No evidence it's fabricated.
The Critique: Why This "Experience" is Peak Absurdity
Now, to the heart of it: Yes, the idea is utterly ridiculous. Proposing that kids don a hijab to "experience the culture" reduces a complex, multifaceted Islamic tradition to a costume party prop. The hijab isn't just fabric — it's a symbol laden with religious, cultural, and political significance, from modesty in faith to resistance against oppression (or, in some views, a tool of it). Slipping one on for a day doesn't unlock "the culture"; it barely scratches the surface. What about learning Arabic prayers, fasting during Ramadan, or understanding family dynamics in Muslim households? A scarf won't teach empathy for the discrimination Muslim women face — like hijab-ripping assaults or workplace bias — any more than wearing a kilt makes you comprehend Scottish history.
Worse, it's one-sided. As critics hammer home, why not reciprocal exercises? Have Muslim kids wear crosses, eat pork pies, or join a Morris dance to "experience Welsh culture"? This asymmetry reeks of virtue-signalling, where majority kids adapt to minorities but not vice versa, potentially reinforcing divides rather than bridging them. And for young girls? It's insensitive at best — normalising a garment tied to gender norms that some feminists decry as patriarchal. Sayed's logic — that starting young "alleviates potential problems" — sounds like pre-emptive conditioning, not education.
Broader context? Wales is pushing "anti-racist" education, with programs like EYST funded by the Welsh government to combat Islamophobia. Reports from UK Parliament highlight real abuse against hijab-wearing women — spitting, threats, assaults — so empathy-building is needed. Yet, superficial stunts like this trivialise it. Better alternatives: Classroom discussions, guest speakers, or history lessons on multiculturalism, giving both sides of the coin. Not dress-up day.
The Fallout and Why it Matters
The viral backlash has been fierce. X users call it "clinically insane," with thousands of likes on posts decrying "ideological grooming." Even U.S. commentators like @DerrickEvans4WV weighed in, linking it to "coercion." Sayed hasn't publicly responded to the resurgence, but the episode underscores how old clips can haunt in the age of eternal internet memory.
In the end, this isn't about banning cultural exchange —it's about doing it right. Wearing a hijab for a day? It's absurd, reductive, and misses the point entirely. True understanding comes from dialogue, not dress rehearsals. If Wales wants kids to "experience the culture," start with books, conversations, and mutual respect — not a scarf that reveals zilch about the depths beneath.
Oh, also Bethan should lead the way by wearing the head gear, and full body cover for a day!
