New York Governor Kathy Hochul ignited a social media firestorm Friday when she appeared in a black hijab at an Islamic center, just days before the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The move sparked immediate criticism and revived accusations that Democrats weaponize religious symbols for political gain.
Feminist Governor Sparks Hijab Controversy
Republican Rep. Brandon Gill (R‑TX) posted a tweet condemning the gesture, calling it pandering and exposing what he termed the Left’s favorite cultural wedge issue.
“Democrats: ‘Sexist Republicans are turning America into the Handmaid’s Tale!’ Also Democrats:” Gill wrote, attaching a photo of Hochul in the headscarf.
Critics noted this was not Hochul’s first hijab appearance; she wore one at the July 2025 funeral for slain NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, a fact highlighted by RedState.
Female Democratic leaders — including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez, and Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan — have all donned hijabs to court Muslim voters, the report said.
Democrats have repeatedly invoked Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” to portray conservative policies as a march toward a theocratic “Republic of Gilead.”
Sen. Yassamin Ansari (D‑AZ) declared in 2024 that “we’re living in the Handmaid’s Tale – in the state of Arizona,” a claim amplified by her high school AP English teacher, Sen. Christine P. Marsh.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D‑MA) told a national TV audience that fears of a GOP‑led “Gilead” were “not hyperbolic,” validating the smear.
Former MSNBC host Joy Reid routinely brands red states such as Texas as “Handmaid’s Tale” territory, while “The View” co‑host Sunny Hostin shamed Republican women, asking if they “want to live in Gilead.”
Left‑wing groups like Democrats Abroad have published presentations equating GOP platform proposals and Project 2025 with Atwood’s dystopia, and protesters have marched in crimson robes and white bonnets.
Democrats accuse conservatives of oppressive “Gilead” policies while freely draping themselves in religious coverings, a double standard that fuels the current backlash.
