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Fears Labour’s Islamophobia definition could silence women’s rights campaigners - Baroness Falkner

236 replies

IwantToRetire · 08/12/2025 01:02

Labour's Islamophobia definition could be used to silence women’s rights campaigners, the recent head of the equalities watchdog has warned.

Baroness Falkner said the new definition could be weaponised against those who “dare” say that Muslim women are being suppressed.

The new definition – which has not yet been published by Communities Secretary Steve Reed – has been criticised by Tories as a route to a “de facto blasphemy law”.

Criticising the plans, Baroness Falkner told Sky News: “If they’re going to bring in yet another area where, for example, anyone who’s defending women’s rights is going to be accused by those ethnic minority men of Islamophobia, if they dare say something about how Muslim women are suppressed.

“I’m a Muslim woman myself. I know all about this.

“I know the community.”

NB source is the Sun! Link for full article https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/37562911/labour-islamophobia-definition-silence-womens-rights/

Fears Labour’s Islamophobia definition could 'silence' women’s rights activists

LABOUR’S Islamophobia definition could be used to silence women’s rights campaigners, the recent head of the equalities watchdog has warned.  Baroness Falkner said the new definition could be …

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/37562911/labour-islamophobia-definition-silence-womens-rights/

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6
Igmum · 08/12/2025 06:19

It’s the job of the EHRC to help balance rights so it will be against wording protection of one protected characteristic in such a way as to limit the protection of another, regardless of which characteristics are involved.

EmpressaurusKitty · 08/12/2025 06:12

Is this going to affect campaigns in support of Afghan women?

The Taliban, after all, are a bunch of evil sexist bastards who quite clearly hate & fear women.

Squishedpassenger · 08/12/2025 06:01

Bringemout · 08/12/2025 05:46

Well if they aren’t oppressive whats the big deal? It won’t make any difference to the women in muslim communities who are not oppressed. It may make a difference to women who are facing oppression.

How does curtailing speech help?

It will, because people dismiss said women assuming they are oppressed and therefore do not really have independent opinions.

Squishedpassenger · 08/12/2025 05:57

quixote9 · 08/12/2025 05:42

Interesting that the immediate reaction among quite a few people is not, "Well, we do have to be sure women are treated with respect."

It's "We do have to be sure Muslims are not offended."

Many Muslims are women.

Bringemout · 08/12/2025 05:46

Well if they aren’t oppressive whats the big deal? It won’t make any difference to the women in muslim communities who are not oppressed. It may make a difference to women who are facing oppression.

How does curtailing speech help?

quixote9 · 08/12/2025 05:42

Interesting that the immediate reaction among quite a few people is not, "Well, we do have to be sure women are treated with respect."

It's "We do have to be sure Muslims are not offended."

Ereshkigalangcleg · 08/12/2025 05:05

Whether you do or do not believe that to be the case, it shouldn’t be against the law to say so, should it? That’s the point, the curtailment of freedom of speech and the way that can be abused against your political opponents.

Morningsleepin · 08/12/2025 02:37

There are nasty misogynists in every community but please stop trying to make it sound like all Muslim men are misogynists and their wives and daughters are all downtrodden

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 08/12/2025 02:34

Compare with report in the Telegraph:

She told the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips show on Sky News:

“We have a situation now where the Government has told us they’re bringing in a new definition of Islamophobia that will be more speech curtailing, more speech chilling...

“At the Equality and Human Rights Commission, as you know, we’re responsible for religion and belief. We are the regulator of religion and belief discrimination.

“If they’re going to bring in yet another area where, for example, anyone who’s defending women’s rights is going to be accused by those ethnic minority men of Islamophobia, if they dare say something about how Muslim women are suppressed. I’m a Muslim woman myself. I know all about this. I know the community.”

Article in the Daily Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/12/07/labour-islamophobia-definition-harm-womens-rights/ can also be read in full at https://archive.is/w1Hhb

(If anyone is confused, as I was, by the use of the title Lady Margravine apparently that is because her full title is Baroness Falkner of Margravine)

Fears Labour’s Islamophobia definition could silence women’s rights campaigners - Baroness Falkner
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Original poster
IwantToRetire · 08/12/2025 02:23

Aisha176 · 08/12/2025 01:55

That Falkner was the EHRC chief & seriously believes generalising stereotypical behaviour to muslims isn't racism 101 tells you how mind blowingly unfit she was for that job.

I suppose what more can you expect from the fellow incompetent bigot who appointed her Liz Truss?

As I said in the OP the source is the Sun who may well have selected some phrases from a much longer statement.

Do you know if that is what she said in total, or the Sun has carefully curated it.

Maybe that is the story.

OP posts:
Aisha176 · 08/12/2025 01:55

That Falkner was the EHRC chief & seriously believes generalising stereotypical behaviour to muslims isn't racism 101 tells you how mind blowingly unfit she was for that job.

I suppose what more can you expect from the fellow incompetent bigot who appointed her Liz Truss?