ACTION ALERT: SUBMIT EVIDENCE TO THE GOVERNMENT’S WORKING GROUP ON DEFINING ISLAMOPHOBIA

Use MEND’s guidance below on the key points that should be included, while making sure that you write your answers IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

STEP ONE:

The first question will ask  you if you are submitting “on behalf of an organisation or as an individual.” You select “as an individual.”

STEP TWO:

The next four questions ask you for personal information. You can either answer these questions accordingly, or submit your evidence anonymously.

STEP THREE:

The next question asks whether you think when referring to prejudice and bigotry against Muslims, the government should use terms like “anti-Muslim hatred” or Islamophobia. MEND encourages you to answer this question with “Islamophobia.”

It then asks for you to explain your reason for suggesting this term in up to 600 characters.

MEND encourages you to explain – IN YOUR OWN WORDS – that:

The government should adopt the APPG definition of Islamophobia, which defines Islamophobia as being, “rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” This definition is necessary because it recognises that Islamophobia is a form of racialised religious prejudice. It goes beyond simply measuring street-based hate crime, to include cultural stereotyping and socio-economic exclusion.

STEP FOUR:

The next question asks if you think the government should adopt a definition of Islamophobia/Anti-Muslim hatred.

MEND encourages you to answer “yes.”

It then asks you to explain  your reasoning for this in up to 600 characters.

MEND encourages you to explain – IN YOUR OWN WORDS – that:

Campaigners and activists have long called for the adoption of a definition of Islamophobia, especially as rates of hate crimes against Muslims continue to rise, reaching record levels this year. “Islamophobia” aligns with anti-discrimination terms like antisemitism and homophobia, and also reflects the racialisation of “perceived Muslimness.” The APPG definition has also been backed by over 850 groups, 100+ academics, and most major parties.

STEP FIVE:

The next question asks if you think Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia is a form of racism.

We encourage you to answer “yes.”

It then asks you to explain why you think so. MEND encourages  you to explain – IN YOUR  OWN WORDS – that:

Islamophobia is a form of racialised religious bigotry, shaped through a complex interplay between racial and religious discrimination. While Muslims are not a single race, Islamophobia targets perceived expressions of “Muslimness” such as names, clothing, language or skin colour, which are often racialised. Sections 9(4) and 14 of the Equality Act 2010 recognises that racial groups can include multiple ethnic identities and that discrimination may arise from the combination of religion and race. Like racism, Islamophobia constructs a group as “other” and inferior, using cultural and physical markers. This even leads to non-Muslims – especially Sikhs – being perceived and targeted as Muslims.

STEP SIX:

The next  question asks you to give examples of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia that you have experienced, read about to seen. You have up to 1,000 characters to answer this question. We encourage you to fill this in with your own examples.

MAKE SURE WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED YOU CLICK “SUBMIT”