British Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Monday that the UK will implement mandatory English tests for all migrants. Even those living in Britain for years could be forced to leave the country, should they fail.
According to The Independent, the British government emphasized that the law is targeted toward Muslim women specifically. The publication reported that elected ministers believe Muslim women are too integrated in their communities, and that the government claims 190,000 Muslim women lack adequate English language skills.
Cameron said it's important for mothers to learn English to keep their children from becoming extremists, according to The Telegraph. A government source told the publication that the prime minister's motivations for the test are troubling:
David knows that the traditional submissiveness of Muslim women is a sensitive issue, but the problems of young people being attracted by extremism will not be tackled without an element of cultural change within the community.
While there's nothing wrong with encouraging immigrants to learn English, targeting Muslim women enforces the stereotype that Muslim women are weak, oppressed, and powerless. That's exactly why Muslim women are taking to Twitter to fight prejudice using the hashtag #TraditionallySubmissive:
Yes, I had to ask my dad to tweet this because I am so #traditionallysubmissive. -.-
Ooh this is written by one of my friends - a Muslim Woman :) #traditionallysubmissive pic.twitter.com/sDPfl8lqRz
I'm so #traditionallysubmissive I have to run all my tweets by my husband, my father-in-law & six imams before posting
We are already here, speaking, present, already saying what needs to be - and it's not dictated by you. #traditionallysubmissive
Lots of #Inspirational Muslim women who are positive role models and are not #traditionallysubmissive so who advises the PM to say we are?
I bought a sports car and published a book (in English and eight other languages). I must be doing this wrong #traditionallysubmissive
While the government emphasizes the importance of learning English, the Independent reported that the UK has cut "English-language tuition for migrants."
