Targeting hijabs brings out the haters

Volume of vitriolic messages I get seems influenced by what politicians say and do

Once again, the issue of what a Muslim woman wears, and why, has been thrust into the political limelight here in Quebec, and frankly, it’s frustrating. I thought we were done with this sort of rubbish when we said adieu to Pauline Marois and the Charter of Values. What I wear on my head is no one’s business, and certainly not the government’s. It is deeply regrettable that Premier François Legault’s Coalition Avenir Québec government is gaining popularity despite its dog-whistle politics, which emboldens racists, supremacists and Islamophobes.

Legault’s quick announcement after taking office that he would press ahead with banning religious symbols for certain public employees left our province’s religious minorities with a nervous sense of being othered. And now we have newly appointed minister for the status of women Isabelle Charest sharing her two cents about what she thinks of Muslim women wearing the hijab. (She called the hijab oppressive, but, with no apparent sense of irony, also said women should be free to wear what they want, oblivious to the fact that her government is about to restrict that freedom.)

As Montreal Gazette columnist Allison Hanes noted, it is blatantly apparent that she is the minister of some, but not all, women.

As a Quebec-born Muslim woman who freely chooses to wear the hijab, I can say she certainly does not represent me, my faith or my rights.

Wearing a hijab is my choice.

The stakes are too high for a comment like Charest’s to be tolerated.

As a visibly Muslim public figure, I am outspoken on issues of race, discrimination, Islamophobia and diversity, and work hard in both my professional and personal lives to dispel stereotypes and build bridges between communities. The reality is, however, that having a very active presence on social media opens me up to a slew of hate speech. I recently began receiving a series of hateful emails and direct messages on social media, including one received the same day Charest made her irresponsible comments. It read: “F--- off back to where you came from rag head.”

I’m experiencing some pretty nasty political déjà vu here. I had never seen as much bigotry, overt discrimination and racism as I did after Marois introduced the values charter in 2013. That hostility abated during the Couillard government’s time in office, but now has started right back up. Coincidence? I think not.

I refuse to allow hate to intimidate me. I refuse to let it silence me, though it does give me pause. I reflect on how sad and broken someone must be to take the time to send such a vitriolic, hateful message to another human being. February is Black History Month.

While I love learning about the cultures, traditions and talent from the black community, we would be remiss if we did not stop to commemorate the injustice, oppression and discrimination the black community has suffered. As a society, we need to take a step back and learn from our mistakes, and to not allow ourselves to repeat them with different people.

Less than two weeks ago, we were honouring the six men who were killed in Quebec City.

Less than 48 hours after he spoke to six women whose husbands died in an Islamophobic attack, Legault commented that Islamophobia does not exist in Quebec. (He later backpedalled somewhat.) We need to call out our provincially elected officials for their poor choice of words and remind them that all lives matter, words matter, and to recognize that politics and policies that target some Quebecers as “the other” have a nasty effect on the public. In the interim, to Charest, the minister of some women, I say, hands off my hijab.

Fariha Naqvi-Mohamed is the founder and editor in chief of CanadianMomEh.com, a lifestyle blog. twitter.com/canadianmomeh

The reality is, however, that having a very active presence on social media opens me up to a slew of hate speech.