SAN FRANCISCO, CA – In light of recent events, Muslim-American women feel a vengeful public has unfairly targeted them. Surrounded by blanketed generalizations and stereotypes, they feel as if their civil liberties and rights have been blatantly infringed upon. What if however this discrimination was twofold?
Such is the case with Afeefa bin-Changed, a hardworking, Muslim-American man who dresses like a hardworking, Muslim-American woman. Bin-Changed represents a handful breed of Muslims expressing sentiments of fear in light of recent devastating events.
“I can’t help but to feel grief, but at the same time I feel scared and awkward,” Afeefa says adjusting the traditional scarf around his/her five o’clock shadow. “It’s not a safe time to walk in public as a Muslim nowadays.”
In the past week bin-Changed has reportedly been verbally and physically harassed through random acts of hate. He/she has had objects such as garbage, rocks, and bottles of Nair thrown at her/him. Afeefa claims he/she has heard many derogatory slogans such as “fruity camel”, “Osama bin-Cupcake” and the ever-common “ugly.”
“All this because of my faith.”
“I got nothing against Arabs,” 19-year old Nathaniel Bates claims as he launches a bottle rocket at an unsuspecting bin-Changed. “Just THIS hideous beast.”
When Imam Shareef Khan was asked how he felt about the public wanting to rid the nation of Muslims like Afeefa bin-Changed, he simply asked, “Wouldn’t you?”
In the meantime, Afeefa must keep a low profile and think twice about which section he/she walks into: brothers or sisters?
