A growing number of millennial and Gen-Z women are embracing Islam, attributing their decision to reading the Qur’an and witnessing the unwavering faith of Palestinians during the Gaza war. This trend gained momentum after the outbreak of the Gaza conflict on October 7, resulting in over 12,300 Palestinian casualties.
Among the converts is 24-year-old Madison Reeves from Tampa, Florida, who initially became interested in Islam after conversing with a Muslim girl on a language app in September. The intensification of the Gaza war further solidified her commitment to convert, as evidenced by her sharing a hijab-clad video on October 24.
Madison’s journey mirrors that of others, such as TikTok influencer Megan Rice, who converted to Islam in October after establishing a World Religion book club to delve into the Holy Qur’an amidst the ongoing Gaza genocide. Another recent convert, Alex, a self-described ‘leftist queer gremlin’ TikToker, countered criticism in a video, asserting her sincere commitment to Islam and rejecting the notion of reverting to Western ways once the perceived ‘fad’ subsides.
Experts suggest that for many, this choice represents the “ultimate rebellion against the West.” Lorenzo Vidino, the director of the Program on Extremism at George Washington University, sees these conversions as a form of youthful rebellion, describing them as “anti-Western, anti-capitalism, and anti-establishment.”
