Donald Trump's recent comments that Islam hates the United States is just the latest in a series of anti-Muslim statements he has made that fuel Islamophobia.
Last week, an exit poll revealed that 6 in 10 Republican voters in Michigan supported temporarily banning non-U.S. Muslims. Even in the event of a Trump loss, the United States would still have to deal with the xenophobia his campaign has aroused, Maytha Alhassen, an American studies and ethnicity researcher at the University of Southern California, told The Intercept.
Not only are Muslim communities worldwide burdened with defending themselves against hate crimes, they must also combat negative stereotypes. Although Islam is expected to grow faster than any other religion over the next few decades, media underrepresentation and misrepresentation of Muslim communities remains a reality. It's why fighting Islamophobia and elevating Muslim voices is necessary now more than ever before.
Looking to add some top-notch analysis to your timeline? Here are five Muslim women you should follow.
1. @farrah_khan
Based in Toronto, Farrah Khan is a public speaker, educator, and community organizer who has actively addressed gender-based violence and gendered Islamophobia through her creative work and community development. A recipient of the Toronto Vital People Award, Khan is currently a coordinator of Outburst: Young Muslim Women’s Project, a movement that aims to make the world a safer place for Muslim women, while also empowering them. Through Outburst, Khan has also created several self-defense workshops for Muslim women in response to increased xenophobia after the Paris attacks.
2. @yasminyonis
Ayesha Siddiqi, known online as "Pushing Hoops," is a "first-world problem child with third-world fam." Currently the editor-in-chief of The New Inquiry, the writer and activist actively combats anti-Islamic rhetoric via Twitter.
Whether she's highlighting how Islam nurtures intellectual curiosity, or exploring the political importance of Kanye West's self-love, Siddiqi is definitely worth the follow.
5. @NTagouri
Noor Tagouri gained international recognition after launching her online campaign, #LetNoorShine, in 2012. More recently, Tagouri's exasperated facial expressions during a Fox News panel discussion about the Paris attacks became a new Twitter meme:
Tagouri, a writer and public speaker from the D.C. area, challenges stereotypes and injustices that Muslim-Americans face. Currently, her primary focus has been advocating for Syrian refugees:
