#LetUsTalk (Persian: بگذارید حرف بزنیم#) is a campaign against silencing criticism of the Islamic law and especially hijab in the West through accusations of Islamophobia. This campaign has started when a letter written by Dr Sherif Emil—a Canadian Children’s surgeon—and published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, in which he criticizes promotion of hijab as a symbol of diversity, was retracted due to the accusations of Islamophobia.[1][2][3][4] Many middle eastern women, including Iranians and Afghans, have shared their lived experience and stories of being oppressed by the Islamic law using this hashtag.[5] The campaign defends the right of criticizing Islam and protests the censorship of such criticism with the accusations of Islamophobia.[6][7][8]
Creation
editThe Canadian Medial Association Journal (CMAJ) had published a photo of two young girls, one black and the other with hijab; Dr Sherif Emil, a pediatric surgeon, has written a letter to the journal stating:[9]
“Don’t use an instrument of oppression as a symbol of diversity and inclusion […] It has become “liberal” to see the hijab as a symbol of equity, diversity and inclusion. […] But respect does not alter the fact that the hijab, the niqab and the burka are also instruments of oppression for millions of girls and women around the world who are not allowed to make a choice”.
— Dr Sherif Emil, Don’t use an instrument of oppression as a symbol of diversity and inclusion, cmaj.ca
The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) reacted to Emil’s letter calling it Islamophobic[10] and asked for its immediate retraction.[11] The letter got retracted[12] and the editor of CMAJ apologized for publishing a “wrong, hurtful, and offensive” letter.[13]
This story has created various reactions in Persian Twitter. Masih Alinejad published a tweet[14][2] and said that in the West criticism against Islam is silenced in the guise of Islamophobia.[15][16]
“In Iran I was told if I don’t wear hijab, I get kicked out from school, I get jailed, lashes, beaten up, and kicked out from my country. In the West I’m told, sharing my story will cause Islamophobia. I’m a woman from Middle East and I am scared of Islamic ideology. Let us talk”.
— Masih Alinejad, Official Twitter
Charlie Hebdo’s Article on the Campaign
editCharlie Hebdo published an article written by Inna Schevchenko supporting the campaign[17] “This is the #MeToo of clothing harassment. Voices of Middle Eastern women living in the West—or not—who had to wear hijab—or still do—are rising. They claim that the Islamic veil is not a harmless trivial garment and even less a freedom for women. Hoping to be heard by some feminists who repeat like a mantra that the veil is a choice”.[17][18][1]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "کمپین زنان خاورمیانه علیه آزارهای حجاب اجباری؛ مسیح علی‌نژاد آغازگر این اتحاد بود". صدای آمریکا (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ a b "اعتراض زنان و مردان ایرانی به حجاب اجباری و ایدئولوژی مذهبی با هشتگ "بگذارید حرف بزنیم"". ایران اینترنشنال (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ ""بگذارید حرف بزنیم" تازه‌ترین کمپین علیه حجاب اجباری؛ "قوانین اسلامی کل زندگی ما را کنترل می‌کند"". صدای آمریکا (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ "نشریه شارلی ابدو: کارزار بگذارید حرف بزنیم واکنشی به بزدلی در برابر اتهام اسلام‌هراسی است". melliun.org. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ "Iranians Show Resentment Against Official Restrictions On Lifestyle". Iran International. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ Adenor, Jean-Loup (2022-01-12). "#LetUsTalk : des femmes réclament le droit de critiquer le port du voile en Amérique du Nord". www.marianne.net (in French). Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ "Hvor er engasjementet for kampen mot hijabpåbud?". www.aftenposten.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). 10 January 2022. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ ""Laissez-nous parler"". Le Journal de Montréal. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ Emil, Sherif (2021-12-20). "Don't use an instrument of oppression as a symbol of diversity and inclusion". CMAJ. 193 (50): E1923. doi:10.1503/cmaj.80742. ISSN 0820-3946. PMC 8687514. PMID 34930770. (Retracted, see doi:10.1503/cmaj.212121, PMID 34949711, Retraction Watch)
- ^ "Tell CMAJ to Apologize and Retract their Islamophobic Article". NCCM - National Council of Canadian Muslims. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ "Letter published in Canadian medical journal leads to apologies and calls for a retraction". CTVNews. 2021-12-22. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ "Canadian Medical Association Journal retracts controversial hijab letter". CTVNews. 2021-12-24. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ "CMAJ letter regarding the hijab: apologies and lessons". Canadian Healthcare Network. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ "با هشتگ 'بگذارید حرف بزنیم / LetUsTalk'، اعتراض زنان ایرانی به حجاب اجباری". خبرگزاری فارس نیوز 24 (in Persian). 2022-01-02. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ ""Mit dem Kopftuch habe ich meine Individualität verloren": Drei Frauen – und ihre drei Sichtweisen auf den Hidschab". plus.tagesspiegel.de (in German). 2022-01-11. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ "Accusato di "islamofobia" per aver criticato il velo. Ma le donne musulmane lo difendono". ilGiornale.it (in Italian). 2022-01-13. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ a b Charlie, Je suis (2022-01-14). "#LetUsTalk : le ras-le-bol des femmes sans voile". Charlie Hebdo (in French). Retrieved 2022-01-16.
- ^ "دفاع نشریۀ "شارلی هبدو" و مسیح علی‌نژاد از زنان مسلمان بی‌حجاب". ار.اف.ای - RFI (in Persian). 2022-01-15. Retrieved 2022-01-16.