Islamophobia (Arabic: اِسْلَامُو فُوبَىا) is the irrational fear of, hostility towards, or hatred against the religion of Islam or Muslim people in general. Muslim women are more likely to experience Islamophobia in their lifetime compared to Muslim men, especially if they are wearing some kind of veil.
Examples
Eastern Europe
During the Bosnian War in the 1990s, Serbian Orthodox Christians committed a genocide against Bosniak Muslims, with a strong motive of Islamophobia.
Western Europe
In France, it has been illegal since 2013 for Muslim women to wear veils, particularly burqas and niqabs, covering their faces in public.
Criticism
After the Charlie Hebdo shooting in January 2015, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls refused to use Islamophobia due to his perception that many were using it to silence criticism of Islamism.
In a November 2023 article, researcher Jonathan S. Tobin echoed the view of Melanie Phillips, expressing concern over the potential of the word minimizing the Jewish historical suffering.
Donia, Robert J. (2000). "The New Bosniak History". Nationalities Papers. 28 (2). Cambridge University Press. Retrieved December 11, 2024. Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 November 2018
de Vries, Bouke (2023). "The Sociability Argument for the Burqa Ban: A Qualified Defence". Criminal Law and Philosophy. Vol.17. pp.317–337. Retrieved December 26, 2024. Original Paper | Open access | Published: 09 November 2021.
Berman, Paul (August 30, 2016). "Why the French Ban the Veil". Tablet Magazine. Retrieved December 26, 2024. The secular republic debates how best to contain and suppress the Islamist movement