Barely a day goes by without a headline related to Islam or Muslims in British media. Despite the many rational and unbiased reminders by intellectuals and political figures to avoid an over-simplified, generalized image of Muslims, the various mainstream media sources do not always heed that advice. Indeed, it is much more sensational to portray the Muslim community as violent, extremist, and backward, and to highlight incidents showing Muslim women to be oppressed and subjugated. Islam continues to be represented as the exotic and potentially-dangerous “other.”
However, some recent articles have stepped out of the sensationalist mold to highlight Muslim men and women’s contributions to the political and social life of the countries they live in. One example is an article titled The Modern Muslim, published in Britain in 2010 magazine, an annual magazine of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Based on extensive research conducted by researchers Dr. Khursheed Wadia and Professor Daniele Joly at Warwick University, the article indicates that, “far from the widespread stereotype of being submissive and victimized, Muslim women are increasingly active participants both in local communities and wider society.”
The research, which tracked the growing role of Muslim women in countries as Britain and France, proved that women have participated (since the beginning of family migration from the developing world) in local migrant associations and mosques to improve the situation of their family and communities. Moreover, many played new, active roles after 9/11, if their husbands or brothers were charged with or imprisoned for terrorism. Whether as breadwinners, fair-trial campaigners, or community organizers, women stepped into more public roles wherever needed; they worked as bridge-builders between their local communities and larger society by playing a greater role in civic life and political life. This responsive call to action was also reflected in the findings of a survey of political participation among Muslim women in Britain and France, which corroborated the view that Muslim women are more likely to vote than the average woman. This was also clearly borne out by the labor government’s launch of “Preventing Violent Extremism: Winning Hearts and Minds” action in June 2007, in which Muslim women were encouraged to participate vigorously in the political life in the UK.
The Warwick study gives much credit to the Muslim women in Britain and France, and aims to inform the policymakers and Western public of their problems, aspirations, and great achievements. In addition to Warwick study’s positive results, the latest statistics show that there are more than 100,000 Muslim women currently working in Britain who share the same ambitions and challenges of other working women. This could be clearly noticed by just having few glimpses over the profiles of the Most Powerful British Muslim Women, a list published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), in association with The Times Online (U.K.) and Emel magazine, in March 2009. The Times Magazine’s article acknowledged that more Muslim women than ever are in leading positions in society, but that fact is often under-reported.
Britain’s first Muslim Women Power List aims to change the usual negative media coverage of Muslims, and recognize the women who are making a difference. As a Muslim woman in Britain, I often get frustrated by typical stories of British Muslims being intolerant, extremist, and less loyal to their country. It seems the media has always worked hard to shape the public opinion of Muslims in a negative manner, while overlooking the sweeping majority of moderate, successful Muslims. With the help of the promising figures of British Muslim women, I hope that in the future, the stereotype of Muslim women will have changed from oppressed, repressed, and depressed, to active and successful in business and society.
Amira Abozeid is a Freelance Editor and Translator based in the U.K. She graduated from Cairo University with a B.A.in Political Science, and attained an MBA Degree in Marketing. She worked as a news producer, editor and Business Studies instructor in Egypt. She can be reached at amira_abozeid[at]yahoo.com.
