The growing emphasis on the hijab among Muslim women has resulted in scholarly attention to the issue of Islamic dress for women. This article, based on life stories from Muslim immigrant women living in the Los Angeles area, compares the use of and discourse about the hijab among covered and uncovered women. Three ques-tions are posed: 1) Which themes are found in the discourses of the women who wear the hijab? 2) What inspired them to cover? 3) Which themes are found in the dis-courses of the women who do not wear the hijab? The narratives show how religious teachings frame identity formation. Specifically, the hijab is used as a symbol to draw boundaries between different groups of Muslim women that are related to inclusion and exclusion in the Muslim community. However, the hijab, as a symbol of community and gender boundaries, is also contested.

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