Types of Discrimination

 

Click this link to see an interactive map of hate crime in England and Wales in 2014. Credit: Mallak Mansour.

UK Women Tell Story of ‘Life with Hijab and Without’

Many stereotypes associated with the Hijab continue to haunt Muslim women who choose to wear it. Credit: Mallak Mansour

“I probably wouldn’t have employed you if you wore the Hijab during the job interview.”

Sara A., a housewife and a mother of three, recalled the encounter with her former employer, who after coming to know Sara more closely, admitted that she wouldn’t have hired her if she knew Sara was planning to wear the Hijab.

Sara, being a half-Scottish half-Welsh convert to Islam, realizes that many in the UK have a negative view of foreigners and Muslim women who wear the Hijab. “I try not to think about the [related to Hijab] experiences I go through. I try to ignore them,” She said.

A 2012-2013 report by the all-party committee on race and community pointed out that the discrimination is not only about wearing the Hijab, but assuming that “Muslim women would stop working after having children,” therefore, decreasing their chances of being hired.

It suggested that “25% of the ethnic minority unemployment rate could be attributable to prejudice and discrimination.”

Labour MP David Lammy was quoted saying, “it is staggering that in 21st Century Britain there are women who felt they had to remove their Hijab or change their name just to be able to compete on the same terms as other candidates when looking for jobs.”

On the other hand, Aminath S., a 19 year-old Muslim from Bangor, Gwynedd, said that before wearing the Hijab, she never experienced any discrimination.

She started wearing it in 2010, which changed her life drastically. She said, “My uncle told me it wouldn’t be a great idea, because people are going to treat me differently and I’ll have a hard time.”

Aminath became a target of sarcastic comments from other students, offensive gestures and words (such as “fuck Islam”), and a single incident of mud-throwing.

She recalled an incident when a girl refused to sit next to her, and waited until she got off the bus. Aminath said, “It made me feel like an outcast.”

Such experiences affected Aminath and made her go out less often, because she feels like a “breathing ticking bomb that everybody tries to avoid.”

She believes it’s a form of discrimination, because her Welsh and English friends don’t face the same experiences. This pressure drove Aminath to debate on whether to continue wearing the scarf or not. “As I’ve been able to experience how it is with and without the Hijab, I’d say I’ve had less trouble without it.”

Muslim woman in headscarf enjoying a sunny day in Swansea. Credit: Mallak Mansour.

According to a 2013 study conducted in the UK, “Muslim women are more likely to be targets for ‘Islamophobia‘ than men, with 80% targeted for wearing the Hijab.”

Many commentators believe that Islamophobia increasingly spreadfollowing the September 11 attacks in the US. Mainstream media has since played a significant role in establishing a linkage between terror and Islam, even though many daily attacks and crimes continue to be carried out by different groups of varying religious (and non-religious) backgrounds.

Aminath commented, “The media wouldn’t say “a Christian named James Jacobson murdered his neighbor”, but if a ‘Muslim’ did it, they’ll make sure to mention the religion as if all bad things associated with that person are because of the religion.”

Despite the wavering attitudes towards Hijab, there are those who are able to see through major media incitement and stereotypes.

Imogen Elnaugh, a 21 year-old non-Muslim student at Swansea University, who once wore the Hijab as an experiment, said “wearing the Hijab doesn’t change the person who is wearing it. You should respect that the way you respect someone who is a vegetarian, Christian, or follower of any other faith.”

Imogen noted that sadly many in the UK perceive Hijab in a mixed way, with some who are quite against it to the point of being racist and judgmental without justifying it.