
Women in Wisconsin and across the country used social media on January 3 to share photos of their traditional Palestinian gowns. It was a celebration of the day that Representative-elect Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) was sworn into the 116th Congress.
Along with Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota), Representative Tlaib is one of the first two Muslim women to join Congress. She announced last month that she would wear a Palestinian thobe when she was sworn into Congress.
The hand-embroidered gowns are considered one way Palestinian women can show pride for their heritage. The gowns typically represent the city the person wearing the clothing is from.
Susan Muaddi Darraj, a professor and novelist from Maryland, created the #TweetYourThobe hashtag on social media, asking people to share photos of themselves in the traditional garment. She wanted to do something to educate people, while also celebrating Tlaib’s achievement.
“Palestinian-American women all have these thobes. They are given to us by our mothers and are often handed down through families,” Muaddi Darraj explained. “They are worn to very special occasions, weddings, baptisms and graduations, so it’s very appropriate she’s wearing this dress, which her mother gave her, to her swearing-in.”
Congresswoman Tlaib’s decision to wear a thobe on the House floor sparked a wave of social media users to share photos of themselves in the gowns with the hashtag #TweetYourThobe.
Congresswoman Omar will be the first person to wear a hijab or headscarf on the floor after gaining religious exemption from the 181-year-old rule barring hats in the chamber.
Across Wisconsin
Across Social Media
This collection of posts come from Twitter and Instagram, and share the national excitement and solidarity of Palestinian Americans for Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib.
With my amazing sisters @RashidaTlaib and @AyannaPressley. I can't wait to see the things we will accomplish together.#116thCongress pic.twitter.com/0KsCzwbaca
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 4, 2019
I’m all for supporting Palestinian women ??❣️ #tweetyourthobe pic.twitter.com/mbexurmPus
— تمام (@Levantinian_) January 4, 2019
.@RashidaTlaib Four generations of Palestinian-Americans have waited for your arrival. Welcome home. Welcome to the House! #TweetYourThobe #Palestinian pic.twitter.com/hR8WgolTHE
— Zaha Hassan (@zahahassan) January 3, 2019
rashida & mayaar rocking #palestine history and future in #congress @RashidaTlaib @huwaidaarraf #TweetYourThobe pic.twitter.com/g799S3cv3J
— adam shapiro (@adshap) January 3, 2019
4 generations-in our traditional Palestinian dress-wishing everyone a great 2019! With peace and empowerment #TweetYourThobe @RashidaTlaib pic.twitter.com/2zvCoEZsYp
— Manal (@sireen415) January 3, 2019
@RashidaTlaib official #TweetYourThobe pic.twitter.com/x6ewuTZoGo
— adam shapiro (@adshap) January 3, 2019
#TweetYourThobe so excited for @RashidaTlaib getting sworn in today! Its an inspiration to all us politics lovers especially us Palestinian politics lovers!! pic.twitter.com/G3ST4srS2C
— Renad (@ririfalastine) January 3, 2019
#TweetYourThobe love this hashtag??❤️ pic.twitter.com/wixJCsdIBN
— دينا حمدان (@DeenaHamdan) January 4, 2019
Three generations of resilient Palestinian Muslim women - my grandmother, my mother and myself. Today we celebrate @RashidaTlaib - the first Palestinian Muslim Woman in Congress. We are all rooting for you. #TweetYourThobe #proudpalestinian pic.twitter.com/bIFajHC300
— Dounya Hamdan (@doonz____) January 3, 2019
#TweetYourThobe in celebration of Rashida Tlaib, the first ever Palestinian-American Muslim congresswoman to be sworn in today while wearing her traditional thobe. A historic moment for Palestinian-American woman everywhere pic.twitter.com/cHmeDjK07U
— Tala (@AlfoqahaT) January 3, 2019
#ThobebackThursday to when I graduated with my MA, in honor of @RashidaTlaib being sworn in today #TweetYourThobe pic.twitter.com/wJViIe8Vmz
— Hanna Alshaikh (@yalawiya) January 3, 2019
#tweetyourthobe Congratulations to Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib ! A proud day for Palestinian women. A great role model for young girls. God bless Palestine. pic.twitter.com/Z207o4zJPT
— alice muaddi (@umaboud) January 3, 2019
#tweetyourthobe not a palestinian but incredibly proud to see representation of them in our country for once ?? pic.twitter.com/XdMaRC99Fo
— sophie (@peachyjew) January 3, 2019
fun fact: my grandmother hand made these for my mother & her sister when they were younger #TweetYourThobe pic.twitter.com/UCLXxdrtUQ
— aloncé (@alaaak_) January 3, 2019
Congratulations! @RashidaTlaib #tweetyourthobe pic.twitter.com/uf2EOaJO68
— Layla Azmi Goushey (@lgoushey) January 3, 2019
As a Palestinian American, I wear thobes embroidered by the women in my family to honor their legacy, style and tragedy. @RashidaTlaib wearing a thobe while being sworn into congress amplifies the journey of Palestinian women and I couldn’t be more in my feels #TweetYourThobe ?? pic.twitter.com/HmLDXIK19Y
— Samar Marwan (@HellaSamar) January 3, 2019
Here’s my #tweetyourThobe pictures. It’s a big day for both the Palestinian Community and Muslim Community :’) pic.twitter.com/mViNwLeVOZ
— Rasha (@RashaMK) January 3, 2019
Congrats @RashidaTlaib! From the Milbes family, with love. This photo was taken at a cousin's wedding a couple of months ago. #TweetYourThobe #TweetYourThob pic.twitter.com/wxpKN6kKY5
— Alaa Milbes (@alaamilb) January 3, 2019
My lovely sisters Noor & Shams in their beautiful Palestinian traditional dress. #tweetyourthobe pic.twitter.com/2omfyIySsK
— Yasser Ashour (@yasserashour95) January 3, 2019
Palestinian women across the globe are posting their traditional Palestinian thobes using the hashtag #TweetYourThobe in honor of U.S. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, who is wearing her thobe today while being sworn into the 116th U.S. Congress. pic.twitter.com/dMP4j1m0ah
— The IMEU (@theIMEU) January 3, 2019
My sister and I during her henna #TweetYourThobe pic.twitter.com/BaDGz0tfhp
— لينة (@LinahAlsaafin) January 3, 2019
Palestinian & Proud! Celebrating @RashidaTlaib & this historic moment! #TweetYourThobe w/ @4noura pic.twitter.com/LDAVfhQw1q
— Huwaida Arraf (@huwaidaarraf) January 3, 2019
Can I join? #TweetYourThobe pic.twitter.com/wv3wrhTzky
— Bushra Hussein (@BushraHusseinn) January 4, 2019
Thank you sis @SusanDarraj for inviting us to celebrate @RashidaTlaib today and to express love and solidarity for Palestinian women and culture. My first #TweetYourThobe of the day! ❤️ We have planned a group tweet event tomorrow @PalestineCenter at 1 pm. All invited. ?✊???✌? pic.twitter.com/Ou4fQR7TSU
— Kim Jensen (@KimJensen66) January 3, 2019
Like Representative @RashidaTlaib, I take pride in my Palestinian ancestry. This thobe, which is over 100 years old, belonged to my great sitty, my mother's grandmother <3 #tweetyourthobe pic.twitter.com/2NkHJzlaf2
— Laila Mokhiber (@lailamo) January 3, 2019
Here’s the picture I’ve been waiting for all day!! #TweetYourThobe #palestinianamerican pic.twitter.com/cjeIp2UUlA
— Lena Khalaf Tuffaha (@LKTuffaha) January 3, 2019
"Rashida Tlaib’s Expletive-Laden Cry to Impeach Trump Upends Democrats’ Talking Points" by NICHOLAS FANDOS via NYT https://t.co/HsOp0Kfm3C pic.twitter.com/q5Sm85TtpI
— Fouzla.Bioffu (@Fouzla_Bioffu) January 5, 2019
To our new Congresswoman, Rashida Tlaib, congratulations and thank you for doing this for all of us. ???#tweetyourthobe #webelong #representation #womenofcolor #RashidaTlaib #IlhanOmar #Congress #PalestinianAndProud pic.twitter.com/fGoyzFoYlg
— Shorouq Matari (@szmatari) January 4, 2019
They ain’t ready. pic.twitter.com/4ChWrBOkRH
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 3, 2019
Some of my favorite comrades and I wearing thobes to dance dabkeh at our university. We live in exile, but carry the fight for liberation everywhere we go #FreePalestine #TweetYourThobe #ColumbiaDabkeBrigades pic.twitter.com/OUawm6F6xr
— رندا / randa (@randawahbe) January 3, 2019
So proud to be a Palestinian-American woman today #TweetYourThobe @RashidaTlaib pic.twitter.com/jbGDHD4fuG
— Zaina (@Zkahuk) January 3, 2019