I was going through the New York times yesterday, and I came across this article that talks about the recent plight of the Muslims in France. This women talked about exactly how they feel about the recent happenings: the ban on burkini, and being asked to go back home. The post highlights their recent plight in a letter extracted from their comments.
Dear extremists,
I do not know who you are. I do not know where you are, but I sincerely hope you read this letter. I am in pain deeper than you would ever feel. I have lost all that means the world to me; my peace, my joy, my happiness, my soul, my confidence but I haven't lost my connection with the spirit of the world, so I write. I know that you may have forgotten what it means to love and be loved but please take out time to read this. Right now am being sent away from the only place I regard as home. I am utterly confused at being told to live because I do not know where home is anymore. Recently, Anti-Muslim bias has intensified after the attacks on Charlie Hebdo in Paris and Nice this year. I do not know how to put up with dirty looks and remarks no more.
I am a woman who has been refurbished out of the activities of men. The way people looked at us has changed. "Tongues have loosened....No one is afraid of telling a Muslim to go back home. Now I can't put on what I want anymore because our modern world thinks tanning naked is accepted but keeping clothes on at the beach isn't. This reminds me of my first days in high school after French law banned the hijab in schools. My teacher forced me to take off my headscarf in front of all the other pupils. I stood humiliated. Today my heart is broken again. I just looked at the woman taking off her clothes, and asked myself, when will all these end. I am insulted, spat on everyday in the subway, on the bus, at school. Yet, I have never insulted or hit someone. No! Am just a Muslim. But being it makes me cry at night. I do not know who you are, I do not know where you stay, I do not know if you sleep at night.
I am a Muslim and a woman who wants to remain covered. I was curious to see if in the cities where they forbade women in Burkini's, dogs could swim. Personally, I am scandalized that dogs can have more right than a scared woman. To me, wearing a veil does not seem being enslaved by a man. But if the whole world thinks so, then who am I. They talk about integration. Even if we make every effort and try to be 'integrated' we are constantly reminded that to be properly and completely integrated we must give up our principle and our religion. To be a Muslim woman in France is to live in apartheid of which the beach bans are the latest.
I have tears in my eyes, I have been wounded and I know that I may never be the same. My heart is 100 percent French, but it seems like I have to prove my Frenchness and with everything going on, I am tired of justifying my identity. Extremist, why are you causing us so much harm and pain. Have you taken out time to realize that we are gonna die eventually. I may be sent home anytime from now but can you feel my pain. Can you see that you have been misled. Can you see that the world is bright right in front of you. There's time dear extremist. There's a reason to smile truly. There's the world to be uncovered.
Yours sincerely
French Muslim women.
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