Muslim Women’s voices

The media often convey different clichés concerning Muslim women, for example, that they are oppressed and submissive individuals; they do not have any right or capacity to choose, and that Muslim women are obliged to wear the veil and the hijab, which serve as tools to silence them, while also strengthening the visibility of political Islam.

In Europe, the pressure exerted on Muslim women to unveil as a sign of freedom has colonial roots. This stereotypical view pervades media coverage, resulting in statements which delegitimise their professionalism and which are likely to raise concern among readers, since journalists report them without providing any evidence. All this contributes to outline the biased representation of Muslim women’s participation in society.

The media frequently perpetuate these stereotypes through stigmatising conversations about the Hijab without giving a platform to Muslim women themselves.

Cartoon created in collaboration with Lessons in Humanity.