I think about the women in places like India and France, who are not allowed to wear their hijabs, and the women in Iran who are forced to. My heart goes out to Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian who was murdered by “morality police” on September 16 of this year for wearing her hijab in a way they deemed improper. The women in these countries are facing opposite restrictions but fighting the same fight for their freedom to choose. Even so, the news of women in Iran being forced to wear hijab sparked a much fiercer fire in the Western world than the women who were forced not to.

Nafiza HasanDecember 6, 2022Identity, Discrimination, Islamophobia

Colorism Follows You Everywhere You Go

Even though I didn’t experience Islamophobia or anti-Muslim sentiment growing up, there was another form of racism I grew up experiencing from people in my own community. The Arab world is not excluded from the treacherous colorism that dominates so many societies, with the appearance of white skin and white features celebrated and coveted. Since Dearborn is a mini-Middle East, the immigrants brought with them their customs and traditions, including colorism—sadly, it did not drop in the Atlantic Ocean on their way to America.

Eman MohamedFebruary 4, 2022Anti-Racism, Discrimination, Identity

My America: Confronting Islamophobia as a Medical Doctor

I would later learn from a colleague that he had asked about me. Sam wanted to know where the “towel-head” doctor was. Fortunately — or unfortunately — the Islamophobic slur did not faze me. I was born and raised in a country where some people are profoundly disturbed that I dare to wear a cloth around my head.

Expressions: The Muslim Women’s Narrative Project

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