Prejudice Against The Hijab In Canada By Iffat Batool

 By Iffat Batool | For Ms. Walling's ELA 30 Blog Spot | Posted January 20, 2023

A woman who wears a Hijab is at risk of being the target of violence and harassment. Muslim women who commemorate their love for their religion through the Hijab, face the risk of being publicly mistreated due to the simple fact that they are different in society. Even in a country such as Canada that is deemed safe, there has/have been problems that involve cruel mistreatment towards Hijabi women.

Hate speech has become the main area of interest from perpetrators towards women that wear a hijab. They will use words such as "Terrorist," "Bomber," and "Raghead" to show their hatred and dislike. It has become a countrywide issue that is finally being brought to light by the victims. 

In an article by CBC, Aysha Yaqoob, a university student and teacher in Regina, speaks about a situation in Dollarama where she faced discrimination by an employee. She was harassed about her faith and the way she looked in front of other customers in the store.

     

   "I don't think people can see beyond just my physical representation of my faith," she said. "It's exhausting because I am the same person whether I wear the hijab or not."

             - Aysha Yaqoob

Many women across Canada have come to the conclusion that the place where they live has no impact on the discrimination they face. Even in Canada, a place known for being a "welcoming" and "considerate" country, racism is a daily occurrence for Hijabi women.

In another article by the CBC, Duaa Azeem a woman living in Calgary, faced a similar situation where she was confronted by a group of men who disrespected and harassed her.

   

     "One of them spat directly [at] my face." "And I don't know, that was like a moment of shock for me because I had never experienced anything like that before, and I felt singled out." 

                  -Duaa-Azeem Choudhary

The sad reality is that Hijabi women who get racially profiled don't see it as appalling. They are so used to the remarks made about them, the looks they get when they walk into a room, and the mistreatment they receive from people close to them when they publicize their faith. It's so crazy that this has become their new normal, even in the generation that we live in. We need to recognize these problems and find a solution, because no woman should be afraid of wearing something that represents their faith.

                                                             Works Cited

“Regina Dollarama Customer Says Management Response to Anti-Muslim Harassment Was Dismissive | CBC News.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 30 June 2021, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/regina-woman-dollarama-discrimination-1.6084942. 

Regina Dollarama customer says management response to anti-Muslim harassment was dismissive | CBC news (2021) CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/regina-woman-dollarama-discrimination-1.6084942 (Accessed: January 19, 2023). 

Facing Islamophobia, Calgary's Muslim women share their experiences of discrimination | CBC news (2023) CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/muslim-women-calgary-alberta-hijab-1.6706113 (Accessed: January 19, 2023).