When Amaiya Zafar first started boxing, she was prohibited from competing in her first tournament because she was wearing long sleeves, leggings, and a hijab underneath her uniform. Zafar didn’t take disappointment lying down. Instead, she fought to get the official rules changed so that she could compete wearing a uniform that complied with the standards of her religion.
Watch the video above to hear more about why Zafar fell in love with boxing and her journey to be accepted in the ring. The Secret Life of Muslims is a video series produced by Smartypants Pictures in partnership with Gizmodo Media Group. You can find more episodes on Splinter and Facebook.
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