Muslim Feminist: By Skipping Headscarf, FLOTUS Wasn’t Fighting for Feminism

FARROW: "Linda, I want to start with this characterization from Ted Cruz. Certainly, we all know people in our lives people who voluntarily and happily wear the hijab. Is it fair to say that it is a statement of feminism or support for women around the world?" 
SARSOUR: "Absolutely not. As you can see, I wear hijab. It is a choice for me to wear and cover my hair for religious observation and I consider myself to be a feminism and someone who supports the rights of all women. So this conversation we're having needs to be about not obsessing over Michelle Obama wearing or not wearing a headscarf, which she is not required to do in a place like Saudi Arabia, specifically in Jebda. She was not a mosque so she was not required. So what about women who choose to wear hijab. What about women who do wear a hijab? And I'm proud of the hijab I wear." 
FARROW: "And she wasn't in a mosque. She was a foreign dignitary visiting. And my understanding that not wearing the head scarf was not a breach of standards?" 
SARSOUR: "Absolutely not. It was not a breach. She was advised by both folks on the Saudi and American side that she dressed modestly and this is not the first time our First Lady has been criticized for breaching a protocol with dignitaries like she did in England when she slightly put her hand on the back of Queen Elizabeth. Again, we need to be focusing on much larger issues in places like Saudi Arabia, or women's rights, or human rights in general, than what our First Lady is wearing when visiting India or Saudi Arabia."