New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was spotted wearing a hijab while addressing a predominantly male Muslim audience in New York City on Friday.
Video circulating online shows the Democratic governor speaking in a black headscarf during a visit publicized by the Islamic Center of New York.
“I want to thank His Excellency Mr. [Tareq] Albanai,” Hochul says in the clip, before thanking an imam and other officials associated with the organization.
In Islamic culture, the hijab is traditionally worn as a sign of “modesty,” intended to shield a woman’s body from the gaze of men.
It is not the first time Hochul has worn an Islamic head covering in public.
Hellbound and Down 