Racism and Islamophobia and Gender Discrimination in society

None of the interviewees of second generation had faced threats or severe

discrimination personally. However, they have faced some discrimination in the labor market. Many female interviewees responded that they had been asked to remove their hijab for job interviews and the job itself. The female interviewees felt that being requested to do this was absurd and believed the question to be a form of

discrimination in the workplace. Female interviewees wearing a hijab are the most vulnerable to discrimination because of its visibility. Some interviewees also received concerns from Spanish people when they see these female interviewees wearing a hijab. One interviewee said, “I think what I am going to transmit to the world is my knowledge. I am not going to show other parts of my body, of my physical features to try to transmit my wisdom to you, talking like this. They are direct transmissions, you will listen to me without having to focus in other things.”³³ The way an individual dresses should not prevent her from transmitting her knowledge to the world, especially if she is dressing according to her religious beliefs.

It is counterproductive to say that Muslim women are oppressed by wearing a hijab and then refusing to let Muslim women wearing hijabs to work and be

independent. Many Muslim women are facing the difficulties of finding a job position that allows them to wear a hijab to work. Many female interviewees said that some job positions, especially the ones that need to face the public, always reject Muslim women wearing hijabs for work, even if they are well qualified. One interviewee even commented after the interview that she has a friend with two master’s degrees who

33 Appendix 2. Interviewee 7.

40 remains unemployed because she wears a hijab.

Even the only male interviewee personally felt some discrimination, especially at the airport. “At the airports, because of having Arab features and an Arab name, they will ask you, they will look through your suitcase, they will tighten the security on you more than others. And this, especially if you are Spanish…”³⁴ However, besides the cases in the airport, the interviewee did not feel a strong discrimination in the Spanish society.

5.3.2 First-Generation Muslims

The interviewees of first-generation immigrants faced many difficulties in society, especially those that came early in the 1990s when immigration to Spain began. Some were discriminated against in society and were not even recognized as Spanish by the Spanish people even though they possess the nationality. Female interviewees also expressed that the religious attire, the hijab, is viewed negatively in society. Almost no job opportunities will be offered to Muslims with hijab, even if it is just a job such as telephone operator.

The younger interviewees of first-generation Muslims faced fewer difficulties because they had been educated in Spain. In the case of interviewee 10, he got a job after graduating and he is currently working in the same company. For interviewee 14, she had no difficulties finding a job because she did not wear a hijab. The rest of the interviewees of first-generation immigrants came earlier and at that time the economic situation in Spain was prosperous, so they had no problem finding a job. However, interviewee 12 is currently unemployed and has faced many difficulties in the society.

34 Appendix 2. Interviewee 9.

41

Generally speaking, the interviewees all believed that the young generation are more understanding and accepting of people from different backgrounds, whether it is from different countries, cultures or religions. In contrast, the elder population still rejects the idea of a Spanish person being both Spanish and Muslim at the same time, especially those that have never been out of Spain. The younger population has more knowledge of globalization and immigration, whether it is through personal contact, social media or mass communication. Many interviewees also commented that the history of immigration in Spain is shorter than in other European countries.

Due to the influence of the media, the unfamiliarity of Islam, and the actions of the terrorists, the knowledge of the Spanish public is limited and biased and the stereotypes of Muslims are constructed based on prejudice. Comments like “Go back to your country” or “Muslims are all terrorists”³⁵ are commonly heard by the

interviewees after terrorist attacks, and this confirmed what most of the interviewees believe, although these cases do not often occur to the interviewees in person, the image of Muslim community as a whole has been damaged and harmed. Although these are isolated cases, mosques in Spain have been painted by people after terrorist attacks.³⁶

However, the interviewees also said that these stereotypes are later broken down when people get to know them in person and understand what Islam is about. The interviewees believe that some Spanish people are ignorant towards Islam while others are open-minded and curious to learn about other culture and customs. After learning about the reasons of certain behaviors of fellow Muslim interviewees, such

35 Appendix 2. Interviewee 4.

36 Appendix 2. Interviewee 6 and Interviewee 9.

42

as the reason for not eating pork or drinking, they would respect the decisions of their Muslim friends and try to adapt to their lifestyle when they go out together.