Bella Hadid Opens Up About Her Heritage

Since last year's presidential election, many celebrities have come forward to talk about the issues that matter most to them, and now, a certain model has started come forward. In an interview with Porter, Bella Hadid talked about her Muslim heritage and how proud it makes her. And now that topics concerning refugees, like Trump's travel ban, are coming up in the news every day, her words are more important than ever.

While talking to the magazine, the 20-year-old opened up about her father — who was a refugee himself — raising his children to be proud of their Islamic upbringing, and how this means that Donald Trump's policies are hitting close to home for her. Since it's such a personal topic, it's no surprise that she hasn't spoken out about her religion many times before, but even so, it's clear that this is an important part of her and her family's lives.

She told Porter (quotes via Us Weekly):

"My dad was a refugee when he first came to America, so [Trump's travel ban] is actually very close to home for my sister and brother and me. He was always religious, and he always prayed with us. I am proud to be a Muslim.”

Hadid and her sister, Gigi, haven't always been outspoken politically, but since Inauguration Day, that's definitely changed. They both marched in New York in January to protest the refugee ban, and seeing them spread a message of love and inclusiveness is awesome, especially since this is an issue that affects their family in a personal way.

It's hard to imagine what people being targeted have been experiencing over the past several months. As a woman, I know how it feels to live in a country where our president can get away with sexist speech, but I also recognize that I am still a straight white woman, so I also realize that I am privileged in ways that many, many other people are not. It's easy for me to march for my rights, but what about those who feel like they have to hide who they are? What about those who feel unsafe in their daily lives, even in America?

That's why it's so important that Hadid is speaking up. It has to be difficult for groups held down by policies like the ones Trump wants to put into practice to make their voices heard, so I'm glad to see that Hadid is using her power as a celebrity for good and raise her voice for those who can't. I'm looking forward to see what her next move is in the future, because I have a feeling she has a lot more to say.