Mvslim
Islamophobia is a real issue. Many people may ignore it, but it’s very present in a Muslim’s daily life. How do you react when someone shouts “terrorist” or “towel head” at you? It’s not easy to deal with these kind of insults and many people feel powerless when something like this happens. We asked the question to our editorial team and assembled 10 ways to deal with Islamophobia in your daily life. Warning: you might not like all of it or even find them pretty useless. That’s why there are ten and not one, everyone deals with these issues in a different way. It depends on your own situation, your personality and many other factors. We hope you don’t encounter Islamophobia at all, but if you’re a Muslim in the 21st century, chances are pretty high you will. So here are 10 ways to deal with it.
1. Ignore the haters.
This is one option many might already follow. Insults are usually based on nothing, so it seems like a waste of time to respond to someone who verbally assaults you. Many people might not like this one at all, because the irritating feeling that you’ve done nothing could haunt you for a while.
2. Smile, you never know who falls in love with your smile.
This was an actual answer from one of our team members. She’s either very romantic or she didn’t get the question at all. Either way, you never know, it might actually work.
3. If something happens to you, share your story.
You can share your story on social media and create awareness so people know what’s happening out there. It weakens the arguments of people who think that Islamophobia is just made up and doesn’t exist at all. And yes, these people exist too.
4. Educate them.
When you show people that they don’t know anything about the so-called values they base their hate on, you’ll leave them speechless.
5. Remember who you are.
When someone calls you a “nasty Muslim”, you must remember that it’s still better than being an uneducated racist.
6. Use Mvslim as a tool.
Send them to the website of Mvslim. They might learn a thing or two.
7. Stay calm.
Don’t get angry, don’t lose your temper, even if you’re very frustrated for being treated unjustly. Staying calm doesn’t mean you can’t defend yourself of course. It’s just a lot more convincing when you’re not screaming.
8. Non-Muslims, don’t be quiet.
Stand up for your Muslim friends, because they need your support.
9. Don’t be too patient when in danger.
If someone gets too close or violent, don’t hesitate and call for help, any way possible. This is very important, especially if you’re alone somewhere.
10. Don’t lose faith in humanity.
For every Islamophobe out there, there are 1000 amazing people who will accept you, no matter what you believe.
Let us know how you react when being confronted with Islamophobia. And what’s your advice for people in similar situations?
