If you are Muslim.

[Masher]

Hopefully this doesn't come across as insensitive. It is to do with the photograph of the lady in the brown headscarf walking across Westminster Bridge after the attack. I thought she looked terrified, distraught, and very, very shaken. The photographer has just confirmed this.

One thing that crossed my mind I think, is that if I was muslim and caught up in such an act I would really fear for my safety. I would be scared the people there may turn against me, I would be scared that I would be accused of being involved, and I would be scared the security services may do both of these things too.

It got me thinking about how I would feel in everyday life in Britain. I just wondered whether you all feel safe here, or if it changes through various regions and depends on where you are?

If you don't feel safe, or there are times when you don't feel safe, what can I do that would make it better? I live in London if that helps.

I'm Irish. Everyone thinks I look like a Muslim or Jew and have done so all my life. My name doesn't help (it's a Hebrew variant of my grandmothers). I do look 'unpolished' but plenty of Irish people do not - we're just a bit dark in my family. We know how this all works. The crazies are armed and funded to justify targeting entire communities by some extremely wealthy but insane people (who come from all religions) ..

What debate ?
Muslim women are a vulnerable minority subject to abuse .
To make sweeping generalisation about then and then admit you haven't actually spoken to these people is neither intelligent nor constructive. It could be racism or sheer idiocy but I fail to see what it's got to do with the OP.

Livelovebehappy - which bit of this is a valid point :

• many Muslim women think western women are whoreish
• I havent actually acquainted with them but I've read about it in books

Grommit it would be easy for kite to assume that you are white because you did accidentally imply you are- I understand the concept of white privilege - we aren't subject to racism as much, because of the colour of our skin

This thread has made me interested to know about what people's definition of western is. If I have lived in a western country for the majority of my life am I not western? Or is a practising Muslim women seen as non western by default? What about converts and European Muslims?

I do find it really unpalatable the way we are generalised, being told how we feel about non Muslims, been told about the oppression and subjugation we allegedly suffer etc. I also struggle with this new phenomena of being told about our religion by people who are not part of it. Quite a few times on mumsnet now and in real life I have people quote an ayat or two from the Quran, in an attempt to prove some point. As if I dont have the knowledge and education to understand it myself. As if they do. As if I don't already know what it says. Yesterday I was accused of intolerance for correcting someone making inaccurate statements about my religion. Why does this happen, am I assumed to be uneducated, stupid or small minded because I am a Muslim women?

Muhajaba- on mumsnet you can be as thick as two planks but so long as you're taking the piss out of Muslim women you'll find a troop of posters ready to validate you .
Conversely , you can be highly articulate, well informed. and factual but so long as you have that cloth on your head people will come out in droves to tell you how stupid, misguided or extreme you are they might even throw in a few comments about how much they pity you for good measure

Muhajaba - I am white. You can be a minority in other ways, you know

I'm in a wheelchair. Every day I am spoken down to, ignored, have rude comments made to me, have people speak to whoever I'm with, not to me. It is in no way as bad as racism, but to say that white people have no idea about being a minority is not true, and personally offensive.

The things you've written about sound difficult. As far i I can see, surely anyone that lives in the west is Western?

Sherazade - and what makes those sweeping generalisations ok?

Grommit Sorry perhaps I am thick after all! Although I wouldn't have thought people still behaved like that. I'm sorry you are treated that way. I used to work with a woman who had a physical disability and a speech impediment. She spoke 7 languages and was a total genius as well as absolutely lovely but I remember the way people used to look and speak to her. I thought times had changed since then

sherazade That is exactly how it seems unfortunately! I'd love to know why though, because I just dont get it.