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YouTuber reads 47 minutes of abusive comments after giving up hijab

Dina Torkia read out messages she has received since saying the hijabi community is a ‘cult.’

Photo of Samira Sadeque

Samira Sadeque

dina torkia youtube hate comments hijab

Dina Torkia, a British Muslim YouTube star, has revealed a series of abusive messages and threats she’s received since she decided to remove her hijab, the headscarf that many Muslim women wear.

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Torkia, who goes by the username Dina Tokio on social media and has hundreds of thousands of YouTube subscribers, has gained popularity as a fashion blogger who caters to the market of modest fashion.  

In October 2018, she said in an Instagram story, “This ‘hijabi’ community is starting to become a very toxic cult.. the obsession and entitlement is appalling.. I’m out.” She later clarified in a tweet that the comment was in reference to “the onslaught of slander and insults I’ve received from a community that I was very much a part of and helped build… all because of my personal decision to basically wear it when I want to.”

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She also said the hijab would always be a part of her life and heritage.

On Tuesday, she released a 47-minute long video of her reading out the messages she has received since.

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The messages vary from saying she would turn into a porn star, to speculating what “more” she would “reveal” in terms of her clothing.

One user wished death upon her and her family, and others called her “ugly” and a “whore,” among other abuses.

The messages also reveal other problematic layers—namely the vilification of sex work and homosexuality. Many comments say Torkia would become a “porn star” and admonished her for “promoting homosexuality,” insinuating that both are bad things.

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Since she shared the video, she’s also received a lot of support from her fans:

“I have no idea why this video was recommended by YouTube. Watched 9 minutes. Turned it off. I understand you took the Hijab off. It’s your choice. I’m a convert,” reads one comment. “These Muslims who attack you are disgusting. They also attack me because of my tattoos but not to the extreme like I just watched. Any how, don’t show your children.”

“It’s a really weird how ppl talk deeply about islam and deen and hell yet cuss sooooo much in the SAME comment,” wrote another viewer.

“I’ve actually never watched so much of a longer video. I’m so sorry Dina. I’m a mid-twenties Muslim girl whose gt her roots in both the west and the east (like you). These people are (forget religion) not GOOD people, they are bad UNDIGNIFIED people,” another user wrote on YouTube.

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People are rallying for her on Twitter as well:

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https://twitter.com/akkasistan/status/1080391897900875776

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Torkia did not respond to requests for comment from the Daily Dot by press time.

 
The Daily Dot