A rant about converts, hijab, and muslim women.
OP - September 14, 2016, 10:41 PM
Recently I watched a youtube video by a popular convert Muslim woman based in the UK. The video was about the difficulties of being a Muslim (specifically a convert). She talks about the social judgement that she faces from friends, family, and colleagues. She talks about how people will supposedly assume that you are a terrorist when you walk by in public, and how wearing the hijab has posed new difficulties that she overcomes with encouraging thoughts on how she is doing it for the sake of allah.
Now, for the record, I KNOW that there is discrimination against Muslims. As an ex muslim woman, I have taken my hijab off in places that I feel safe to do so, and keep it on most of the time in my daily life. There is a significant difference in the way people treat you without it. People are more open, give more eye contact, are more receptive to starting conversations with you. I have been in many situations in which I (while wearing the hijab) was sidelined and ignored in conversations when I attempted to join in or start one (this happens a lot less when I am not wearing it).
BUT
What she fails to mention is the fact that the same sort of discrimination occurs on the opposing side as well. On the Muslim side.
I'm an ex muslim woman. I can't tell anyone, lest I be disowned, or ridiculed, or even killed. I cannot eat, say, do, or wear what I want. The entire Muslim community is terrifying to me, because I know how prevalent negative views against non muslims and ex muslims are.
I for one, get really annoyed when I hear a Muslim speaking publicly about Islamophobia, only to privately shit on non muslims right in front of me. The fact that she has the PRIVILEGE (and I hate using this word) to speak her mind without significant threat of any kind, and having the entire muslim community at her back protecting her and supporting her in her ideas, and I do not have any of that is unfair. It is a problem that Muslims fail to address continuously whenever they have meetings and articles talking about how lovely Islam is to women, how women choose to wear the hijab, and how prevalent islamophobia is in society.
Well I'm about to coin a new word. It's called Kaffirphobia. And it's just as much of a problem, if not more than islamophobia, because it is ignored. Some muslims may argue that non muslims in general cannot suffer as much in terms of discrimination (against them) as muslims because muslims are a smaller group. Well ex muslims are an even smaller group. We are basically overshadowed and censored by the large mass of muslims that hover over us.
No matter what, I will always be a part of the muslim community. Even as an ex muslim, islam has helped shape my opinions (it's just in this case I'm against it), and I grew up in that community. No matter what, it will always be a part of my life and identity.
Another annoying thing is when Muslim women talk about how they have the choice to wear hijab (especially convert muslim women). You do not have the choice to wear hijab. It is MANDATORY. Islam does not have a hadith that says "hey ladies, whenever your ready". So stop lying, just because you happened to make the 'correct' choice, that does not mean islam gives women the freedom to choose whether or not to wear it, it does not mean that women who do not want to wear it are at fault, or do not count as part of your "perfect" picture of happy hijabies.
And lastly, I am sick and tired of hearing Muslim women say that Islam gives them rights. Islam does not give you rights, democracy does. Islam in many places makes it clear that women are inferior to men from anything from intellect to ability to testify, to inheritance, to the ability to get a legal divorce, to spirituality. And although I'm not going to give scriptural examples here, there are many hadiths and verses supporting this viewpoint.
In short, Muslims need to stop lying for Islam, and ex muslims need to stand up and fight our marginalization in society. I'm sorry if this was unreadable. These were my raw thoughts with no editing. What do you think? Discuss.
Topic: A rant about converts, hijab, and muslim women.