Texas Muslim-Only Pool Party Sparks Political Backlash and Threats
A private pool party in Texas, initially planned as a "Muslims-only" event to celebrate Eid al-Adha, has ignited a major controversy across the United States. The event was organized by Dr. Amina Nayt, a 43-year-old former New York teacher and daycare director from Fort Worth suburbs, who sought to create a comfortable environment with modest dress codes for Muslim women and girls at Epic Waters, a large indoor water park in Grand Prairie. The park, owned by the city but operated by a private entity, is regularly rented for private events by various community groups.
Nayt's intention was to provide Muslim families a space to celebrate without feeling out of place due to modest swimwear, such as burkinis, which often attract stares and comments. This was not her first event; two years ago she held a similar gathering during regular park hours, and last year she rented the entire park for nearly 600 attendees. This year, the plan included closing the park for several hours, serving halal food, playing Arabic music, and providing a prayer area with a modest dress code. However, the flyer stating the event was "for Muslims only" sparked widespread backlash.
Nayt clarified that the event was open to anyone willing to respect the modest dress code and that non-Muslims were welcome, but conservative influencers and right-wing media quickly framed it as religious discrimination and part of an "Islamization" of Texas. Texas Governor Greg Abbott intervened, sending an ultimatum threatening to withhold over half a million dollars in state grants from Grand Prairie if the event proceeded, calling it unconstitutional religious discrimination in a public facility. The city subsequently canceled the event.
The controversy unfolded amid Abbott's broader campaign against Muslim institutions in Texas, including labeling the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) a "foreign terrorist organization" at the state level and opposing a Muslim housing project near Dallas. Democratic lawmakers criticized Abbott for singling out the Muslim community, noting that public facilities are frequently rented to Christian groups without similar threats.
Following the cancellation, Nayt received racist threats and hate messages, forcing her husband, Imam Muhammad Abdallah, to guard her daycare center for several nights. A tense press conference at Grand Prairie City Hall, attended by Muslim, Christian, and Jewish leaders demanding explanations, was disrupted by anti-Muslim protesters shouting hateful slogans. Nayt, visibly emotional, emphasized her pride in being both Muslim and American and called for coexistence despite the hostility. The planned party will no longer take place, marking a painful chapter in Nayt's life and the local Muslim community's experience.
