Islamophobia Archives - Page 4 of 10

11 Reasons Why ‘Ramy’ Doesn’t Deserve a Second Season

People have hailed 'Ramy' as "exciting" because it brings us "something new". But when I consider the messages in the series, it’s clear that it isn't true. CW—ableism, misogyny, sexual assault, anti-Black racism By Zeinab Khalil Ramy has just been renewed for

Aug 12, 2019

OTHERS: Queer Black Muslim Women Are Still Kept Out Of The LGBT+ Community

Body Positivity In Color

LGBTQIA+

Queer Black Muslim Women Are Still Kept Out Of The LGBT+ Community

Our bodies are all read within social and political contexts. But, some of us are never read as anything beyond bodies. By Vanessa Taylor “Thank you for coming,” a white person told me as they eagerly shook my hand. We were at

Mar 21, 2019

News & Politics

Chelsea Clinton and The Insidiousness of Islamophobia

It is an insidious iteration of white supremacy that vilifies Dweick while simultaneously positioning Clinton’s demeanor as that of a victim. Last Friday, Chelsea Clinton attended a New York University vigil in honor of the 50 victims of the white

Mar 18, 2019

Identities

RAG HEAD: Exploring the Violence Perpetrated Against Sikhs in the U.S.

Sundeep Morrison's RAG HEAD exposes the ways in which Sikhs are increasingly unsafe in this xenophobic society. Hate, racism and xenophobia have become a regular part of the lives of Sikh people in the United States. According to a report by

Sep 19, 2018

Culture and Entertainment

‘Crazy Rich Asians’ is Not a Radical Win for Representation

"Crazy Rich Asians" promotes the ongoing systematic erasure and oppression of Singapore minorities on a global screen.

By Sangeetha Thanapal After the trailer for "Crazy Rich Asians" was released, the internet went wild over it, especially those of us who care about representation and diversity. Based on Kevin Kwan’s book by the same title, the film about a Chinese American woman who travels to Singapore to meet the family of her Chinese Singaporean boyfriend, is being lauded as a huge win for people of color. At face value, the movie is a stepping-stone for more representation of Asians in Hollywood, signifying a milestone for diversity. Except that neither this movie, nor the novel it is based on, are even representative of Singapore. After gaining its independence in 1965, the tiny island-state of Singapore has gone on to introduce a set of economic and social policies that are often marvelled at all over the world. The country is touted as a model to follow, both for its economic prowess and its multicultural approach to racial harmony. However, underneath the façade of skyscrapers, is a country that has systematically disenfranchised its minorities. Chinese Singaporeans, at 77% of the population, are the vast majority of the nation and the population’s minorities are Malay and Indian people, who make up 15% and 7% respectively. There is also a sizeable populace of racialized labour from neighbouring countries with construction workers from South Asia and domestic workers from the Philippines and Indonesia. Racism against minorities is endemic in Singapore. Job advertisements frequently only ask for those who can speak in English and Mandarin, and even if minorities are able to do so, they are told that only ethnic Chinese are wanted. Muslim women in hijabs are kept out of certain civil service jobs because of their headwear. While there are police bans on speaking in Tamil, there are yearly tax-funded programs to promote speaking in Mandarin. Minority representations are rife with stereotypes and the idea of the quintessential Singapore girl is one that embodies only East Asian beauty standards. The country’s ruling power has stated that Malay-Muslims in Singapore cannot be trusted in the armed forces due to their divided loyalties between religion and state. It has further accused them of being unable to ‘integrate’ an irony considering that Malay people are considered the original inhabitants of the land. The founding father of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, holds views on genetics that would seem disconcertingly similar to eugenicist and white supremacist ideals, as he has touted the genetic superiority of the Chinese as stronger and hardier, with Indians not being as bright, but still better than the lazy, un-driven Malays. Chinese people wear Indians in ‘brown face’ and many elite public schools are reserved for them.