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If you want to raise the ire of every Muslim woman in Britain, just try and suggest they are ‘submissive’.
Well this is exactly what David Cameron did, saying earlier this week that learning English will tackle the ‘traditional submissiveness of Muslim women’, which suggests he doesn’t actually know that many Muslim women IRL.
The trouble started when Mr Cameron announced a £20m fund to provide English lessons in homes, schools and community facilities. The government says that 22% of Muslim women living in England speak little or no English and that the cash will help rectify that situation.
Announcing the cash, Mr Cameron said more Muslim women should speak English so that they are less isolated within British society.
He was also reported by The Telegraph as having privately suggested that some young men are vulnerable to radicalisation due to the "traditional submissiveness of Muslim women," which prevents them from speaking out. And these are the words - whether they were actually said or not - that inspired the hashtag.
Explaining his thinking, on BBC Radio 4's Today programme he said: "I'm not saying there's some sort of causal connection between not speaking English and becoming an extremist - of course not, that would be a ridiculous thing to say.
"But if you're not able to speak English, you're not able to integrate, you may find, therefore, that you have challenges understanding what your identity is and you could be more susceptible to the extremist message that comes from Daesh (so-called Islamic State)."
In response, people across the UK took to Twitter last night and used the hashtag #TraditionallySubmissive to turn his comments on their head.
Some pointed out that their language skills are alright, actually
It’s fair to say David Cameron got a lot of stick after saying Muslim women need to learn English and fully integrate into society…
But, these women have responded brilliantly to his claims and completely ridiculed him over social media.
Awesome in the kitchen too. Not #TraditionallySubmissivepic.twitter.com/5W28GysPRU— Saffiyya (@SaffiyyaM) January 24, 2016
The PM attracted criticism earlier this week after saying they needed to learn English to tackle the ‘traditional submissiveness of Muslim women’, which suggests he doesn’t actually know that many Muslim women in real life.
People took to Twitter using the hashtag #TraditionallySubmissive in response, to turn his comments completely on their head. Some pointed out their language skills are alright actually…
Submissive is most definitely not the word I'd choose @David_Cameron.#TraditionallySubmissive pic.twitter.com/DptxsiVF6Z— Zaynab (@zay_nab110) January 24, 2016
@David_Cameron I speak 4 languages,how many do you speak?#TraditionallySubmissive pic.twitter.com/tfX9EIvgEI— Aasiya Versi (@mamanabeelah) January 24, 2016
The social media campaign has even been supported by Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who has been retweeting many of the pictures to her millions of followers.
Muslim women are not a problem that needs solving.#TraditionallySubmissive @David_Cameron pic.twitter.com/6IcG3cZSth— Fiza Azlam (@FizaAzlam) January 24, 2016
And some of them have some pretty sick jobs…
Example from @SukainaHirji for twitter storm TONIGHT, 6 -9pm. Real Muslim women. #TraditionallySubmissivepic.twitter.com/VMN796MKzE— Zaynab (@zay_nab110) January 24, 2016
@david_cameron #TraditionallySubmissive Why don't u get to know us before u feel u have the right to comment on uspic.twitter.com/vvsmSLFX5u— Fuf Virani (@FufV22) January 24, 2016
Hey look! Here's me on @BBCRadio4 voicing my own opinion. By myself. On my own. In English #TraditionallySubmissivepic.twitter.com/8ItZCeEs77— Shelina Janmohamed (@loveinheadscarf) January 24, 2016
And they had to time to mock DC too, obviously…
— Andrew Robertson (@A_Robertson75) January 24, 2016
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