What happened on the next panel?

Umm, how do you know that she chose it of her own volition and was not influenced by peer pressure or her religion? It is not bigoted to point out the atrocities committed in the name of Islam, and to point out that hijab is required in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran.

They are definitely heavily implied to be partners. It was funny when Nita was thinking about how she and Kit could work together when they were older and still be platonic “just” like Tom and Carl.