Muslim American Women
Muslim women in America are constantly reminded of their intersectionality on a daily basis. They are marginalized due to their gender, religion, ethnicity, and in addition, Africa-American, Muslim women are also subjected to racism. These Muslim African-Americans are often torn between “relating to their religious brothers and sisters or to their ethnic peers” (Ahmed). Muslim women must also deal with the public’s perception, which often views them as extremists (Mogahed). This erroneous perspective is propagated by the media’s coverage of terrorism and the Muslim religion (Halimah). Muslim women are at the intersection of gender, religion, ethnicity and race, and are constantly marginalized by American society.
Today, …show more content…
This intersection of gender, religion and ethnicity, creates issues which Muslim women face on a daily basis. These Americans are constantly barraged with comments that vacillate between being called oppressed or labeled a terrorist, all due to a simple piece of clothing; the hijab. Interestingly, it is hard to imagine a devout Catholic or Baptist, who wears a hat to services, being subjected to the same remarks. Nevertheless, Muslim American women are often asked why they wear a hijab and or if they feel oppressed by it? Dalia Mogahed, Director of Research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, responded with the following: I wear the hijab, “because it’s an act of devotion to God. This is, as I understand my faith, a commandment that I should follow” (Halimah). In her Ted Talk, Mogahed explained that wearing the hijab was a choice she made as a 17-year-old girl (Mogahed). She even describes it as a “feminist declaration of independence, from the …show more content…
To many, the Muslim woman 's headscarf marks her as a terrorist or co-conspirator to terrorism. Meanwhile, her gender marks her as easy prey to cowardly acts by those who seek to violate her body and personal dignity” (Time to Address Violence Against Muslim Women). Despite these misogynistic, anti Islamic occurrences, that threaten Muslim American women at every interval, women’s advocacy organizations have failed to act. “The silence of the American women 's rights groups is deafening” (Time to Address Violence Against Muslim
Muslim women in America are constantly reminded of their intersectionality on a daily basis. They are marginalized due to their gender, religion, ethnicity, and in addition, Africa-American, Muslim women are also subjected to racism. These Muslim African-Americans are often torn between “relating to their religious brothers and sisters or to their ethnic peers” (Ahmed). Muslim women must also deal with the public’s perception, which often views them as extremists (Mogahed). This erroneous perspective is propagated by the media’s coverage of terrorism and the Muslim religion (Halimah). Muslim women are at the intersection of gender, religion, ethnicity and race, and are constantly marginalized by American society.
Today, …show more content…
This intersection of gender, religion and ethnicity, creates issues which Muslim women face on a daily basis. These Americans are constantly barraged with comments that vacillate between being called oppressed or labeled a terrorist, all due to a simple piece of clothing; the hijab. Interestingly, it is hard to imagine a devout Catholic or Baptist, who wears a hat to services, being subjected to the same remarks. Nevertheless, Muslim American women are often asked why they wear a hijab and or if they feel oppressed by it? Dalia Mogahed, Director of Research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, responded with the following: I wear the hijab, “because it’s an act of devotion to God. This is, as I understand my faith, a commandment that I should follow” (Halimah). In her Ted Talk, Mogahed explained that wearing the hijab was a choice she made as a 17-year-old girl (Mogahed). She even describes it as a “feminist declaration of independence, from the …show more content…
To many, the Muslim woman 's headscarf marks her as a terrorist or co-conspirator to terrorism. Meanwhile, her gender marks her as easy prey to cowardly acts by those who seek to violate her body and personal dignity” (Time to Address Violence Against Muslim Women). Despite these misogynistic, anti Islamic occurrences, that threaten Muslim American women at every interval, women’s advocacy organizations have failed to act. “The silence of the American women 's rights groups is deafening” (Time to Address Violence Against Muslim