What’s it like being a Muslim woman in Ireland? It’s getting more difficult, according to many. Not just for women of the Islamic faith, but for all Muslims.
But what if you are an Irish woman who has converted to Islam? How do you overcome the perception that many people have, that you are somehow allying yourself to a religion which is oppressive to women?
During the course of a fascinating report for Today with Sean O’Rourke, the voice of one such woman was heard, as she spoke to reporter, Evelyn O’Rourke. And she dismissed those misguided impressions.
“Women in general are being labelled as being oppressed. Then when you have a woman who wears a scarf on her head, then she is really oppressed. Then when a woman is praying five times a day, doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, walks out in 25° on St Stephen’s Green with a scarf on her head. Okay, she is really oppressed.”
They were the words of Lorraine O'Connor, one of the founders of the Muslim Sisters of Eire, a not-for-profit organisation whose primary objective is to provide support and a safe place for Muslim and non-Muslim women alike. Lorraine was born and bred in Dublin and married her Muslim husband in 1997. However, she didn't convert to Islam until 2005.
But in those 12 years, he she found it more difficult to be a Muslim woman on the streets of Dublin today?
“Obviously, all the attacks that are going on, it is getting harder. People seem to think that they can make a choice for me, as a woman, how I should dress, what religion I should choose. In saying that, they are a minority. The majority of people in Ireland are 'live and let live'. And we have to respect that.”
A key part of the work of the Muslim Sisters of Eire is the charity projects are involved with. And last Friday, Evelyn joined the Sisters as they prepared food for the drop-in lunch service at the Riverbank centre at Merchants Quay in the heart of Dublin city. According to Lorraine:
“Most Muslim organisations out there do fantastic work. But when they see a women’s only group, they are going, hmmmm. There is a magnet towards this group, they say, let’s see what this group is about.”
She went on to insist that media in Ireland and elsewhere see the Muslim community as something they’re not. She has been told that “Muslim women need to integrate more”, for example. “Why has society put that label onto me, that I need to integrate more into my own society?” she asks. “Because I have a scarf on my head and I changed my religion? That just doesn’t make sense.”
The Muslim Sisters of Eire officially began in Dublin in July 2010, a small group wanted to do good work which is a key part of their faith. They were also determined to demonstrate that they have a voice and can and do participate in the community. It is estimated that Ireland's Muslim population currently stands at approximately 70,000, with many Muslim organisations dedicated to charity work.
You can find out more about the group, Muslim Sisters of Eire, on their website.
And to listen to Evelyn’s full report, click here.