Muslim Woman Accuses Mcdonald's Franchisee of Discrimination
New Age Islam News Bureau
15
Aug 2020
• Ahead of
Independence Day, All India Muslim Women's Personal Law Board Objects To
Tricolour Face Masks
• Three Muslim
Women Sue Delaware Claiming They Were Barred from Wearing Hijabs at Work
• Women
Entrepreneurs of Pakistan Complete Training On Export Of Their Products
• Woman Booked
for Allegedly Murdering Her Two Daughters in Rawalpindi
• How A
Singaporean Malay Woman Creates A Boutique Online Shop
• Woman Member
of Afghan Peace Team Survives Attack by Gunmen
• Why the United
States Should Support the Iraqi Women’s Movement
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/muslim-woman-accuses-mcdonald-franchisee/d/122636
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Muslim Woman Accuses Mcdonald's Franchisee of Discrimination
Aug 14, 2020
A Muslim woman who worked
for a McDonald’s franchisee in Maryland claims managers and co-workers sexually
harassed her and subjected her to religious discrimination after she converted
to Islam. (File/AFP)
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SILVER SPRING,
Md. (AP) — A Muslim woman who worked for a McDonald’s franchisee in Maryland
claims managers and co-workers sexually harassed her and subjected her to
religious discrimination after she converted to Islam.
Diamond Powell,
28, of Baltimore, sued her former employer, Susdewitt Management LLC of Lanham,
Maryland, on Thursday with the backing of attorneys from the Council on
American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights group.
The Morgan State
University graduate was Christian in 2016 when she started working for the
company, which operated two McDonald’s locations at Baltimore/Washington
International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Powell converted to Islam in February
2017 and began wearing a hijab, a religious head covering, to work.
A manager told
her to “take that hoodie off” her head while another manager told her, “You
don’t have to wait for God to wake up for you to pray,” Powell’s federal
lawsuit alleges.
Powell has a
religious belief that she must pray five times a day at prescribed times. A
general manager initially granted Powell’s request to take short prayer breaks
during her shifts, according to her lawsuit.
“Her prayer
breaks lasted no longer than a typical bathroom break,” the suit says.
But the general
manager prohibited Powell from praying in a quiet spot at the airport and
instead told her to pray in a dirty stock room, the lawsuit alleges. After
Powell continued praying outside the restaurant, the general manager eventually
revoked her request to take a prayer break, saying, “God will understand,”
according to the lawsuit.
“By doing so,
the general manager forced Powell to choose between continuing her employment
with McDonald’s or sacrificing her sincerely-held religious beliefs,” the suit
says.
Powell resigned
from the job in April 2018. Her suit accuses Susdewitt Management of violating
the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Susdewitt
Management owner Isaac Green disputed the lawsuit’s “characterizations” but
said the company is reviewing Powell’s allegations and will “respond
accordingly.”
“We pride
ourselves on our diverse workforce, and we have policies in place to provide a
welcoming workplace and to respect the accommodations employees may need for
religious reasons,” Green said in a statement provided by a McDonald’s
corporate spokeswoman.
The suit also
claims Powell was sexually harassed at work, with several managers and
co-workers asking her if she was a virgin and a shift manager making sexually
explicit remarks.
“No Muslim woman
should ever, ever experience what I went through, and I hope this lawsuit will
help other Muslim women,” Powell said Thursday during an online news conference
with her attorneys.
Zainab Chaudry,
director of CAIR's Maryland office, said the group has seen an uptick in the
number of incidents in which Muslims have experienced hostile work environments
because of their faith.
“Unfortunately,
this disturbing case is a glaring reminder of the challenges that Muslim
employees often face within the workplace,” she said.
https://tucson.com/news/national/muslim-woman-accuses-mcdonalds-franchisee-of-discrimination/article_61baf9be-74c3-51e6-a61f-e55cdaea575f.html
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Ahead of
Independence Day, All India Muslim Women's Personal Law Board Objects To Tricolour
Face Masks
Aug 13, 2020
All India Muslim Women's
Personal Law Board (AIMWPLB) has raised objection to the sale of Tricolour face
masks
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Lucknow: The All
India Muslim Women's Personal Law Board (AIMWPLB) has raised objection to the
sale of Tricolour face masks on the eve of Independence Day.
Talking to IANS,
Shaista Amber, president of AIMWPLB, said that the Central and state government
must immediately ban the sale of Tricolour masks which can be seen as an insult
to the national flag.
"Face masks
are being used to check corona and one discards the masks after using it a few
times. How will we ensure that these Tricolour masks are properly
disposed," she asked.
Amber said that
the Tricolour was a symbol of national pride and cannot be used for commercial
purposes.
https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/ahead-of-independence-day-muslim-women-board-objects-to-tricolour-face-masks/636656
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Three Muslim
Women Sue Delaware Claiming They Were Barred from Wearing Hijabs at Work
BY MARINA
PITOFSKY
08/14/20
Three Muslim
women who previously worked in Delaware juvenile detention services filed a
federal discrimination lawsuit against state officials last week alleging that
they were barred from wearing religious head coverings at work.
The women, Tia
Mays, Madinah Brown and Shakeya Thomas, claimed in a lawsuit filed Aug. 6 that
they were told they could not wear a hijab to their jobs at the New Castle
County Detention Center and the Ferris School for adjudicated juveniles.
Supervisors
allegedly prohibited them from working at the facilities unless they removed
the head coverings, according to the lawsuit filed by the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). The women asked to be transferred and
offered to wear head coverings that could be less of a safety risk around
potentially violent juveniles detained in the center.
The lawsuit
names the state’s Department of Services of Children, Youth and their Families,
as well as other officials working within the department. A spokesperson for
the department told The Hill that "we are dedicated to maintaining an
inclusive environment for all."
The lawsuit
states that a supervisor told Thomas that she "had a few days to think
about what she wanted to do — keep wearing her hijab or continue to be
employed.” She was also allegedly told that if "she ever wanted to work
for the State of Delaware in the future, it would be in her best interest to
resign.”
Brown claims in
the lawsuit that she was reprimanded by superiors and ordered to clock out
repeatedly after wearing a hijab to work. She also filed a report with the
department’s human resources department, which she claimed took no action.
Brown also filed
a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last year, which
included the claim that a supervisor told her “Now you’re looking like a
terrorist” in front of other employees.
Mays claims that
supervisors said there was a “misunderstanding” and that a policy not allowing
her to wear a hijab “should have been mentioned prior to her beginning
employment.”
“No one should
have to pick between their livelihood and their faith,” CAIR attorney Zanah
Ghalawanji said. “By standing up for their rights and fighting back, Tia,
Shakeya and Madinah hope that this agency will be prohibited from imposing this
terrible predicament on other women in the future.”
The lawsuit,
which was also filed by the law firm Jacobs & Crumplar, seeks an injunction
prohibiting the department “from discriminating against employees on the basis
of religion, sex or race, and to allow accommodation for religious head
coverings.” It also seeks payment for economic damages and emotional harm, as
well as “punitive damages and legal costs,” CAIR said in a statement.
https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/512006-three-muslim-women-sue-delaware-claiming-they-were-barred-from
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Women
Entrepreneurs Of Pakistan Complete Training On Export Of Their Products
Afshan S. Khan
August 15, 2020
Islamabad: More than
100 Pakistani women recently completed a virtual training on how to export
their products and explore new international markets as part of a collaborative
program conducted by the United States Agency for International Development
(USAID) and several Pakistan Women Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Under this first
phase of the programme, 115 women from various business and industry sectors
completed five online training sessions on “Export Processes and
Documentation.” Participants increased their understanding of formal export
procedures, the role of key stakeholders, export documentation, and
international standards.
In the second
phase, businesses exhibiting strong export potential will receive logistics
support to participate in international trade exhibitions, technical assistance
to improve export potential and international market access, and mentoring from
industry experts.
“Owning your own
business is a brave and noble endeavor, and for a woman, it can be even more
challenging, especially during this devastating pandemic,” stated
USAID/Pakistan Mission Director Julie Koenen.
“We are
confident that these virtual training sessions will provide these strong women
entrepreneurs with the tools and resources necessary to open new markets
internationally to sell their products and provide for their families.” Many of
the participants praised the training, saying that it is helping them adapt
their business models to meet international market standards and practices.
“The training
covered the entire regulatory, legal, transportation, and financing side of the
export process,” said Shagufta Rahman who runs a handicraft business called
Shop Wisely in Lahore. “By the end of the training, members of Lahore Women
Chamber of Commerce and Industries not only understood the processes and key
exporting terms, they also felt prepared to create a plan to take their
products to international markets.”
The USAID-funded
Pakistan Regional Economic Integration Activity (PREIA) is a five-year
initiative to enhance development of Pakistan’s trade sector, including
increasing women’s participation in international trade.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/700816-women-entrepreneurs-complete-training-on-export-of-their-products
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Woman booked for
allegedly murdering her two daughters in Rawalpindi
Mohammad Asghar
15 Aug 2020
RAWALPINDI: A
woman allegedly killed her two daughters and then attempted to commit suicide
by drinking acid in Dhoke Ali Akbar Mandra on Friday. Her daughters were two
and four.
She was shifted
to the hospital where she is being guarded by police. A murder and attempted
suicide case has been registered against her.
According to
preliminary investigation, her and her husband had a brawl on Friday morning
after which she “slashed her daughters’ throats and attempted to take her own
life by drinking poison and stabbing herself.”
Superintendent
of Police Zia Uddin Ahmed told Dawn that she was prevented from stabbing
herself by her husband, who rushed to her rescue upon hearing the children
screaming.
The SP said
while quoting the mother that she had been suffering from mental illness for
which she was receiving medical treatment. She said in her statement that she
was “not being allowed to talk to her parents and visit them by her in-laws.”
“I had taken acid
after killing my daughters and then wanted to slash my throat with the same
knife but I was prevented by my husband,” he added, while quoting her.
Shortly after
the incident was reported, he said, the police reached at the spot and shifted
bodies of the girls to the hospital for postmortem. Their mother was also
shifted to hospital. He said the motive behind the double murder of the two
innocent girls was “domestic unrest.“
Meanwhile, five
people were injured in a clash between a tenant and a house owner on Dhoke Imam
Din Dhamial Road.
Batons, stones
and knives were used during the brawl which left five people injured, one of
them critically, police said.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1574427/woman-booked-for-allegedly-murdering-her-two-daughters-in-rawalpindi
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How A
Singaporean Malay Woman Creates A Boutique Online Shop
August 15, 2020
As a former
journalist, Suryani Omar spent time in strategic communications before moving
to Utah in 2012 from Singapore. She has a degree in economics from the National
University of Singapore, and a Masters in Islamic banking and finance from
Malaysia. Born and raised in Singapore, Omar spent two years in Malaysia for
her postgraduate studies and almost a year in Jakarta as an Islamic finance
journalist. Her experiences thus far have led her to become a student. Omar
takes Islamic Studies courses at Rabata, a program for women that is by women.
This motivated Omar to glean knowledge as she set-up her own venture: DeenHubb,
a place to instill the love of Islam.
When Omar was
pregnant with her son, Imran, she knew she wanted to introduce him to Islam
early. “I hope he will grow up with a strong sense of Islamic identity. So my
sister started sending me books and items like prayer rugs that she bought from
Singapore. It hit me that it’s not just enough that Imran has these things but
that we need a community that wants to instill a deep sense of love for Islam
in our young,” Omar recalls.
Omar would go to
the masjid with different items such as prayer rugs and Islamic cloth books and
would be questioned where she got them. As she answered that they were from
Singapore, Malaysia, or Indonesia, Omar would get requests to bring some back.
“Seeing that books from the United States were widely available in Singapore, I
thought: why not bring what Southeast Asia can offer to America?” Omar
elaborates.
DeenHubb had
started with only five book titles to their collection beginning in 2017 and
has blossomed ever since. DeenHubb has also introduced Islamic buttons that
promote the Muslim identity along with stickers and magnets among other unique
products to the market. “We don't aspire to be the one-stop shop for Islamic
educational items. But we aspire to be that bridge between Southeast Asia, one
of the regions with the largest number of Muslims, to the U.S. I want others to
be touched and inspired by the books that they write. I want people to get to
know Muslims in Southeast Asia. Also, I feel that I am able to bring some
diversity: I'm Malay! In fact, I'm a Singaporean Malay. I'm a minority on many
levels. Minority within the Muslim community in the U.S. and minority even in
Singapore,” Omar adds.
While being a
mother, Omar is motivated in her educational ventures for the sake of God and
to serve as an example for her son. “How can I run a business that aims to
instill the love for Islam if I don't continue to increase my knowledge of it?”
Omar explains. She also volunteers with Al Mustafa Foundation of Utah,
including helping out with the Utah Muslim Girl Scouts. Omar also recently
started to volunteer to mentor Muslim youth.
The unique
options offered by DeenHubb makes it a treasure in a sea of educational tools
that is found in the Muslim market. Omar is at the forefront trying to raise
awareness while also serving as a role model for her community members and at
home. Her zeal to spread the love of the religion grows stronger every day as
she does it by embracing her heritage.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tasmihakhan/2020/08/14/how-a-singaporean-malay-woman-creates-a-boutique-online-shop/#7fb66275758f
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Woman Member of
Afghan Peace Team Survives Attack by Gunmen
August 15, 2020
KABUL,
Afghanistan: A female member of Afghanistan’s peace negotiating team and a
former parliamentarian survived an assassination attempt, Afghan officials said
Saturday.
Tariq Arian, a
spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said that Fawzia Koofi was attacked late
Friday afternoon near the capital of Kabul returning from a visit to the
northern province of Parwan.
Koofi is part of
a 21 member team charged with representing the Afghan government in upcoming
peace talks with the Taliban, following a US deal with the militants that was
struck in February.
The head of the
Afghan peace delegation, Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, tweeted that Koofi had
survived the attack and was “in good health.”
No one
immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Both Taliban and Islamic
State affiliates continue to carry out attacks against Afghan government
figures.
Koofi is also a
women’s rights activist who has been a vocal Taliban critic.
She and her
sister Maryam Koofi stopped at a market in the Qarabagh district when gunmen
attacked them.
Arian said
police were launching an investigation. No further details of the assault were
available, he added.
The US peace
deal aims to recruit the Taliban to fight Daesh militants in Afghanistan, a
mutual enemy. The Taliban and IS are staunch rivals.
The peace deal
also paved the way for US and NATO forces to begin withdrawing from Afghanistan
and for the Taliban and Afghan government to begin direct talks.
The Afghan
government said on Friday that it had released the first 80 of a final 400
Taliban prisoners ahead of direct negotiations between the two sides.
Prisoner
releases on both sides are part of the agreement signed in February between the
US and the Taliban. It calls for the release of 5,000 Taliban held by the
government and 1,000 government and military personnel held by the insurgent
group as a good will gesture ahead of intra-Afghan negotiations.
Talks are
expected to be held in Qatar where the Taliban maintain a political office.
Several Afghan leaders told The Associated Press talks could begin by Aug. 20.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1719666/world
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Why the United
States Should Support the Iraqi Women’s Movement
August 15, 2020
by Caitlyn
Perkins
As protesters
once again take to Iraq’s streets to demonstrate against endemic corruption,
unemployment, and the failure of the state to provide public services, Iraqi
women are playing a leading role. Women have been central to the popular
uprising that began last October and are demanding real change. Washington
should listen carefully, and help where it can, because there can only be
progress in key areas like social integration, economic development, and even
national security if Iraqi women first gain their basic rights. The future of the
country depends on nothing less.
The October 2019
Protests
In the face of
the government’s failure to create jobs, ensure economic stability, and instill
confidence in its leadership, young Iraqis took to the streets in October 2019
to demand governmental reform, more job opportunities, and better public
services. As the demonstrations gained momentum, Prime Minister Adil
Abdul-Mahdi resigned at the end of November and was eventually replaced, after
months of horse-trading and several failed candidates, by Mustafa al-Khadimi in
May 2020. Several months on, al-Khadimi is still trying to win the support of
the Iraqi public, but at least for now, he seems to be on a more promising path
than his predecessors.
The protests
that broke out in October 2019 were by no means the first anti-government
demonstrations to arise in the country in recent years, and indeed, they have
been a recurring theme in Iraq over the past decade. What is unique and
significant about the current protests, however, is the role that women have
taken on in the movement. Women’s participation has evolved from calls for
government reform to a broader social revolution demanding justice and
equality. Many of the protesters are young, liberal Iraqis and women have been
welcomed by their male counterparts, who have stood side by side with them
while calling for change. Their acceptance and key role in the movement has
also shown Iraq’s leaders that the younger generation is ready not only for a
change in government, but also in the older generation’s conservative mindset.
“We want a
homeland”
As more women
from various backgrounds and political orientations joined the movement, the
hashtag #نريد_وطن (“We want a
homeland”) and slogans such as “We are the nation, who are you? I am the
revolution” began trending on social media. As a population that has long felt
excluded from parts of Iraqi life and experienced the devastating effects of
sectarian strife, women found in the protest movement an opportunity to take on
a greater role and express their desire to become valued participants in
society, no matter their religious sect or ethnic background. After many years
of sectarian conflict in Iraq, this shared goal could help to foster
reconciliation.
In addition to
holding signs with revolutionary slogans, women donned the colors pink and
purple while protesting. Some wore head covers, others put on jackets or
shawls, and many wore yashmagh—scarves that are traditionally part of men’s
outfits in several Middle Eastern countries. This small but significant act of
blending feminine colors with the masculine yashmagh has made this one piece of
cloth a reference for both genders and a sign that Iraqi women and men, in
their plural performativity, have composed a single body advocating for social,
economic, and political justice.
Barriers holding
women back
Nevertheless,
religious conservatism remains a major barrier that continues to hold Iraqi
women back from securing leadership positions, taking on jobs in male-dominated
fields, and even gaining access to a high-quality education. Opposition to
women’s involvement in the protests has also been voiced on religious grounds.
The influential Shiite cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, tweeted that the mixing of
genders during the protests was immoral and claimed that protesters were using
drugs and alcohol. This effort seems to have backfired, however, and al-Sadr's
objections arguably only increased the protesters’ support for the women’s
movement even further. The younger generation has shown that they are tired of
this conservative mindset and the sectarian lines that are drawn along with it,
and their challenge to the long-held status quo regarding the role and position
of women and girls in Iraqi society is likely to continue throughout the
protests.
In addition to
the challenges presented by religious conservatives, the coronavirus pandemic
has created a new wave of difficulties for Iraqi women. Demonstrations around
the country stalled as stay-at-home orders were put into place. Lockdowns and
curfews exacerbated existing inequalities toward women. Cases of domestic
violence and gender-based violence rose. A domestic violence bill that would
give abused women and children more rights, require the state to build adequate
shelters, and establish specialized courts for family violence has been put on
hold. Iraq is just one example of how women around the world are being
unequally affected by the pandemic.
Protesters
thought that the pandemic would hurt the protest movement, slow its momentum,
and cause government leaders to forget the urgency of their demands. While
there was a pause in the protests, after the government called off the strict
stay-at-home orders, people put their masks on and went right back to the
streets. This commitment is likely to continue until the government shows that
it is willing to make significant changes.
An essential
step in building a more stable Iraq
Ensuring women’s
equality is an essential step that Iraq needs to take to create a more stable
society free from sectarian conflict, economic turmoil, and the influence of
outside governments. When women have safety, equal opportunities, and equal
access to a quality education, they are more active participants in society.
This is likely to result in more women voting and running for office, greater
representation of women, and more support for women’s issues. In time this will
likely lead to the overturning of ultra-conservative and unjust laws that not
only take rights away from women, but also promote sectarianism.
Empowering women
is not just about human rights, it is also crucial to ensuring Iraq’s future
economic prosperity. According to the UN, women’s economic empowerment boosts
productivity and income equality, increases economic diversification, and leads
to other positive development outcomes. It is also good for business: Research
suggests companies greatly benefit from increasing employment and leadership
opportunities for women, which is shown to boost organizational effectiveness,
growth, and performance across the board. As Iraq continues to struggle with
high unemployment rates, empowering women and ensuring their equality will
likely have a positive impact on the country’s economy and future growth
trajectory. Less than 15 percent of women work in Iraq at present, among the
lowest rates in the world. According to the World Bank, a sustained increase in
female labor market participation of five percentage points would boost Iraq’s
annual economic growth by 1.6 percentage points.
Where does
Washington fit in?
Washington’s
support for a women’s revolution in Iraq can be beneficial to the movement, but
only if it is carried out in the right way. One of the protesters’ main demands
from the beginning has been the elimination of foreign influence in Iraqi
politics. Given its history in Iraq, the United States has to be especially
careful of not overstepping and interfering in Iraqi affairs, which would only
shift the focus from the success of the women’s movement to the United States’
involvement in yet another Arab nation’s internal affairs.
Through quiet
diplomatic collaboration, Washington has the ability to help Iraqi women
without overstepping. By working with women in government or other leadership
positions, the United States could help legitimize sectors that are struggling
to gain traction internally. Support for Iraqi NGOs that are working to advance
women’s rights would make them more impactful in their efforts. Leadership
training, professional empowerment, and financial education are all likely to
lead to more women succeeding when they are put in positions of power.
There is no
question that human rights are still being threatened in Iraq as long as women
suffer from government discrimination, economic inequality, and societal shame.
Advancing women’s status in the country is long overdue, and it will help to
build a safer, freer, and more prosperous Iraq in the years to come. It is in
the United States’ best interest to help the women of Iraq in this crucial
moment.
Caitlyn Perkins
is currently serving as a Research Assistant at the Middle East Institute.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/middle-east-watch/why-united-states-should-support-iraqi-women%E2%80%99s-movement-167001
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