Sweden: First police cadet with a headscarf
8 December 2011
6 Comments
Donna Eljammal
Via metro (Swedish, h/t Muslimska friskolan)
Donna Eljammal (26) is Sweden’s first police cadet with a headscarf. She had wanted to join the police long before she started wearing a hijab.
“Ever since I was little. I want to help others and move instead of just sitting in front of a computer.”
A few years ago it became possible to wear a headscarf or turban as part of the police uniform, after some debate.
Q: Do you see the headscarf as a disadvantage or asset in your future career?
A: An asset. Swedish is a multicultural country and it’s important that, within each field, there will be people of different backgrounds, since it increases knowledge and understanding.
Donna Eljammal has had time to get used to the attention.
“I grew up in little Piteå and we were among the first immigrant families there. Also when I worked in the prison service I was the first with a headscarf. But there weren’t many who made comments about the headscarf when they got to know me as a person.”
Q: Will you take off the headscarf for your work?
A: No, not really, I see the headscarf as part of me. I can do everything with the headscarf so i see no point in taking it off.
Original post: Sweden: First police cadet with a headscarf
A sister with a scarf and an MP5, lol. Would she patrol the streets at night??? I guess the wrong profession.
10 December 2011 at 5:45 am