Jordana Salma , Shara Wajih -
Edmonton Journal
There is renewed attention over the past year to violent Islamophobic attacks in our home city of Edmonton. Sadly, Islamophobia in Canada and across provinces has been steadily on the rise and older Muslim women are wondering who will speak up and demand change.
© Provided by Edmonton Journal
Demonstrators demanding action and protection for Muslim women gathered in solidarity during the Enough is Enough rally at Churchill Square in Edmonton, on Friday, June 25, 2021.
Islamophobia is the disproportionate fear and/or hatred of Islam, Muslims, and people who are perceived to be Muslims, leading to systemic discrimination, aggression and violence. Canadian data shows that hate crimes in Canada more than tripled in recent years with some of the highest percentages perpetrated against Muslim women.
The true numbers are much higher as two-thirds (66 per cent) of hate crimes go unreported due to fear of retaliation, shame, and other systemic barriers. Recent violent physical and verbal attacks on racialized Muslim women in Edmonton occurred in broad daylight in everyday community spaces while doing daily activities like shopping or going for a walk. Many targets of such aggression are older women.
We are members of the Muslim Seniors Research Committee (MSRC), an advisory group that supports, through research, healthy aging in Muslim communities. As Muslim women in Canada, we have passed the phase of being apologetic or defensive for our beliefs, our visible differences, our apparent contrasts, or our clothing — and we challenge the anti-Muslim hostility and discourses that permeate our society. The voices of other women like us are loud and clear in rejecting Islamophobia and the practices that fuel it.
In an ongoing research study (funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council), older Muslim women in Edmonton have been sharing pictures of their lives and telling their stories over the past year. What we hear is a strong sense of contribution and belonging to Canada, and pride in their identities as Muslims, mothers, professionals, elders, and community members.
There are, however, persistent stressors underpinning their lived-experience in Canada that disrupt their self-identity and challenge the normalcy of daily life. Some women have become hesitant to walk outdoors, or carry on with daily activities unaccompanied due to fear of violent attacks, while mosques (spaces for women to find friendship, support, solace and comfort) are viewed as potential targets of violence.
As we enter a period of post-municipal and federal elections, we ask our policymakers and leaders for concrete actions on Islamophobia. We need to continue to press for actionable plans at the federal, provincial and municipal levels of government that respond directly to the 61 recommendations made by the National Council of Canadian Muslims. These comprehensive recommendations present a holistic approach and include human rights legislation, supports for survivors of hate crimes, anti-racist training, and opportunities for capacity building within Muslim communities.
The solution, however, goes beyond policy, to the conduct of individuals who are elected and entrusted to represent their constituents, and to the very systems they operate within. The solution must be one that actively prevents re-entrenchment that challenges, erodes, or neutralizes developments and headway made in addressing Islamophobia. We encourage responsible conversation, as words not only matter but can be deadly when used to justify violence against others.
Finally, we need to see more BIPOC and Muslim women in the public eye, at the decision-making table, and at the helm. Muslim women in our city of Edmonton, in Alberta, and across Canada are engaged in activism and community service, although their work is not always made visible. MSRC is just one example of Muslim women coming together to advocate for aging with dignity which necessitates feeling safe in our communities and welcome in our public spaces.
Dr. Jordana Salma is a researcher and educator at the University of Alberta faculty of nursing, Her program of research (IREA: Implementing Research for Equity in Aging) focuses on the health and well-being of immigrant and racialized older adults in Canada.
Shara Wajih is the co-owner of Constructschon Sustainable Urban Development Inc., and a passionate project manager with a love for mixed-use and multi-generational builds that transform lives and build community.
Islamophobia is the disproportionate fear and/or hatred of Islam, Muslims, and people who are perceived to be Muslims, leading to systemic discrimination, aggression and violence. Canadian data shows that hate crimes in Canada more than tripled in recent years with some of the highest percentages perpetrated against Muslim women.
The true numbers are much higher as two-thirds (66 per cent) of hate crimes go unreported due to fear of retaliation, shame, and other systemic barriers. Recent violent physical and verbal attacks on racialized Muslim women in Edmonton occurred in broad daylight in everyday community spaces while doing daily activities like shopping or going for a walk. Many targets of such aggression are older women.
We are members of the Muslim Seniors Research Committee (MSRC), an advisory group that supports, through research, healthy aging in Muslim communities. As Muslim women in Canada, we have passed the phase of being apologetic or defensive for our beliefs, our visible differences, our apparent contrasts, or our clothing — and we challenge the anti-Muslim hostility and discourses that permeate our society. The voices of other women like us are loud and clear in rejecting Islamophobia and the practices that fuel it.
In an ongoing research study (funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council), older Muslim women in Edmonton have been sharing pictures of their lives and telling their stories over the past year. What we hear is a strong sense of contribution and belonging to Canada, and pride in their identities as Muslims, mothers, professionals, elders, and community members.
There are, however, persistent stressors underpinning their lived-experience in Canada that disrupt their self-identity and challenge the normalcy of daily life. Some women have become hesitant to walk outdoors, or carry on with daily activities unaccompanied due to fear of violent attacks, while mosques (spaces for women to find friendship, support, solace and comfort) are viewed as potential targets of violence.
As we enter a period of post-municipal and federal elections, we ask our policymakers and leaders for concrete actions on Islamophobia. We need to continue to press for actionable plans at the federal, provincial and municipal levels of government that respond directly to the 61 recommendations made by the National Council of Canadian Muslims. These comprehensive recommendations present a holistic approach and include human rights legislation, supports for survivors of hate crimes, anti-racist training, and opportunities for capacity building within Muslim communities.
The solution, however, goes beyond policy, to the conduct of individuals who are elected and entrusted to represent their constituents, and to the very systems they operate within. The solution must be one that actively prevents re-entrenchment that challenges, erodes, or neutralizes developments and headway made in addressing Islamophobia. We encourage responsible conversation, as words not only matter but can be deadly when used to justify violence against others.
Finally, we need to see more BIPOC and Muslim women in the public eye, at the decision-making table, and at the helm. Muslim women in our city of Edmonton, in Alberta, and across Canada are engaged in activism and community service, although their work is not always made visible. MSRC is just one example of Muslim women coming together to advocate for aging with dignity which necessitates feeling safe in our communities and welcome in our public spaces.
Dr. Jordana Salma is a researcher and educator at the University of Alberta faculty of nursing, Her program of research (IREA: Implementing Research for Equity in Aging) focuses on the health and well-being of immigrant and racialized older adults in Canada.
Shara Wajih is the co-owner of Constructschon Sustainable Urban Development Inc., and a passionate project manager with a love for mixed-use and multi-generational builds that transform lives and build community.
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