Secularism and the Demise of Religious Garb

            In The Language of Clothes, Alison Lurie explores how we use clothes as an unspoken language that can identify us within a group, or as Shabana Mir contends, can exclude us in the case of the hijab. This phenomenon can certainly be seen on campus, for example the popularity of pastel shorts and boat shoes sends a message, as these items are commonly signifiers of “preppy” culture. However, there is surprisingly few, if any, religious attire on campus.

            Hamilton is a pretty secular campus, yet I struggle to think of even one example of religious wear beyond the occasional necklace. Is this just a result of every single student being that secular, or has the campus culture changed those that might otherwise dress religiously? A Jewish friend of mine attends a liberal arts school, which has a similar campus atmosphere as Hamilton. Throughout his life, even in high school, he wore a yarmulke. However, within only a few weeks into college he shed it for a more secular, less “unique” look. According to him, he felt awkward meeting new people with it on as he felt immediately judged, a very similar experience brought up by Mir on the hijab.  To fit in and be socially accepted, he felt the need to change the way in which he expresses his religious beliefs. As Lurie puts it: “Apart from the chameleon, man is the only animal who can change his skin to suit his background. Indeed, if he is to function successfully he must do so” (209). If people who commonly wear religious garb feel isolated and pressured to change, do the rest of us have a responsibility to be more welcoming? Is it even possible to do so, or is this exclusionary effect just a universal result of a secular environment that can’t be helped?