Judge in hijab says she gets mistaken for an interpreter

THE first UK judge to talk openly about wearing a hijab in court has told of the discrimination she faces, and revealed that she still gets mistaken for an interpreter.

Raffia Arshad, 40, was appointed a deputy district judge on the Midlands circuit last week following a 17-year career in law. She said that she hoped to encourage other young Muslim women within the legal profession to follow her lead, and “make sure the sound of diversity is heard loud and clear and that it gets to the appropriate places”.

However, Ms Arshad also revealed that she continued to encounter discrimination. “It’s definitely bigger than me; I know this is not about me,” she told Metro.

“It’s important for all women, not just Muslim women, but it is particularly important for Muslim women. It’s odd because it’s something I’ve been working towards for a number of years and I always imagined I’d be absolutely ecstatic when I found out. I was happy, but the happiness I’ve had from other people sharing this is far greater.

“I’ve had so many emails from people, men and women. It’s the ones from women that stand out, saying that they wear a hijab and they thought they wouldn’t even be able to become a barrister, let alone a judge.” She added: “Recently, an usher asked, ‘Are you a client?’ ‘No I’m not’. ‘You must be the interpreter?’ ‘No I’m not’. ‘Are you here on work experience?’ ‘No, I’m actually the barrister’.”

“I have nothing against the usher who said that, but it reflects that as a society, even for somebody who works in the courts, there is still this prejudicial view that professionals at the top end don’t look like me.”