Saffiyah Edoo
Jubilee Media recently invited Mehdi Hasan, well-known journalist and founder of Zeteo, on its program Surrounded. The premise of the show is the guest literally sitting, surrounded by people who hold radically different views from him/her and debate each other. While the outcome for some of those who sat across from Mehdi Hasan were negative professionally, the show itself became viral for a good couple of reasons. Firstly, Mehdi Hasan’s debating skills are unrivalled and make for excellent viewing. Secondly, and most interestingly, the views put forward by the contesters are for the most part revelatory of world views that prevail, much more than we may be aware of.
We have a tendency to view the world through the lenses of our perceptions and those of people close to us, which more often than not, hold similar worldviews to us, hence quite limiting our outlook. We tend to grow comfortable within this and conveniently forget that there is a wide array of different ways of viewing the world out there. Many of us have recently had our bubbles burst with recent events that went viral. Firstly, a few weeks ago, a young man on a media platform shared some of his worldviews which went viral. Secondly, more recently two women were laid off, principally because of their hijabs, seemingly without any dress code guidelines prohibiting same at their workplace.
Both events have a common denominator: prejudice and discrimination. It is comforting to see people from all walks of life coming together to raise their voices about same. However, these have also given rise to an observation: the lack of platforms for such discussions. Any catalyst of prejudice is an opportunity to have serious conversation about same, but within the realms of reason. The views expressed by the young man were done with such ease that says more about the seeds of his prejudice than himself as a person.
Each person bears responsibility for the comments they make and the actions they undertake, but the greater issue is the origin, the components that have coalesced to come to this viewpoint. If we want to address prejudice heads on, we need to tackle the issue from there. Ordinarily, we would assume that education would open people’s horizons and expand their points of view beyond what they are used to, but it is clear today that education is not enough.
We love to boast about the Mauritian society being an example of vivre ensemble due to people of different cultures and religions living on the same island, but how far have we reached in the understanding of each other? Our deeply communal political system has indeed divided us, but we need to be mature enough to bear the responsibility of our prejudice. How many have privately often held prejudiced thoughts about people living in certain areas, women who wear the hijab or people who look a certain way? How many of our households have had conversations laden with prejudice? It seems we are experts at brushing real issues under the carpet, and have reactive conversations when issues arise. But we seem to do next to nothing to pre-empt explosions of prejudice and discrimination, whether it be on media platforms or in the workplace.
Today seems to be a good day as any to address these. I will not be so pretentious to speak for life experiences of others, I will stick to what I know. Muslim women have often carried the burden of prejudice: oppressed, submissive, deprived of rights, forced in gender typical roles etc… by religion. However, as many today are aware, such is not the case. Many Muslim women have blazed the trail in raising awareness about women’s rights in Islam and the place of Muslim women in the closed community, as well as society at large. With the amount of information available regarding same, and any other topic really, it is unacceptable for anyone, in this day and age, to plead ignorance, except by design.
Hijabi women are present in all spheres of life, including Parliament in some countries and Congress in the USA, sports, media, community service, education, law, you name it. Muslim women have reclaimed their space in the narrative by refuting the “need to be saved” by their religion and scripture, which more often than not, is boiled down to the way of dressing. Yet, when Muslim women voice out their freedom of choice, in lifestyle, based on religion, they are accused of cognitive dissonance. But isn’t freedom to be respected, no matter the choices? Is the acceptance of freedom of choice selective? Is it so difficult to debunk prejudice by having proper, open, mature conversations about issues that we may not grasp? As a hijabi, and I know a good number of hijabis like myself, gladly accept questions on our hijab, beliefs and our motivations. In many such conversations, my interlocutors and myself have in fact found many converging points which connect us.
Conversation is the starting point if we want to understand each other. Exchange is in no way a means to try to change each other’s opinion, but a way to learn about each other. As Mauritians, despite our claims of being a melting pot, we are yet to truly understand each other for we have not yet had conversations that really matter, that go beneath the veneer, except may be in smaller groups of like-minded people. But there’s no point in preaching to the choir. Schools, universities, places of work should be open to inclusivity programs led by students/employees, with visits to real places and people, and not limited to lecture theatres or conference rooms. Places of work should be strongly taken to task when cases of prejudice and discrimination come to light, which will act as a deterrent. Communities should take the initiative to organise public forums upon such issues, with a joint effort across the island, to reach a maximum number of people. Or even better, we could have our own Jubilee-type Surrounded program.
