#TalkToAMuslim hashtag, which was trending on Twitter India on Tuesday, received flak from many Indian Muslims.
The idea behind this supposedly well-meaning hashtag was to urge people to speak to the country’s Muslims. However, several people have criticized the usefulness of this hashtag, saying “it imbues TALKING to Muslims with a stigma that never was.”
Here is how Twitter users feel about the hashtag #TalkToAMuslim:
https://twitter.com/omairtahmad/status/1019275109155131394?s=21
https://twitter.com/pepper_smoker/status/1019182607131607041?s=21
What’s this ridiculous hashtag #TalktoaMuslim ? I am a Muslim & I don’t want to talk to you. Go talk to yourself first & be human. I am not going to prove to you that I am human. Enough is enough.
— Irena Akbar (@irenaakbar) July 18, 2018
Completely flaggerbasted by the #TalkToAMuslim hashtag. It imbues TALKING to muslims with a stigma that never was, and is patronizing as heck. I'd imagine people with friends of different religions including Islam are quite taken aback by this and unsure what it attempts to fix.
— Narasinga 🇮🇳 (@syrinje) July 17, 2018
https://twitter.com/zedsdeadb/status/1019211752112775168?s=21
stop this #TalkToAMuslim hashtag
1. You aren't doing any favour by talking to anyone
2. This is absolutely condescending.
3. Stop this us and them rhetoric because there is only 'us' here
4. Wtf is wrong with you'all— Priyanka Lahiri (@PriyankaLahiri_) July 17, 2018
Disheartening to see #TalkToAMuslim trending. There are rabid people across faiths. Need of the hour is for everyone to talk to everyone.
— Ruchira Chaturvedi (@RuchiraC) July 17, 2018
Not everyone felt this way:
I'm an Indian Muslim
I have fun,
I enjoy life
I can talk to you on Shakespeare, Ghalib, Meerabai, the Mughals and the First war of Indian independence
Of Muslim contribution to freedom struggle
Come talk to me#TalkToAMuslim #TalktoaMuslim pic.twitter.com/4qE6gP7nAQ— Rana Safvi رعنا राना (@iamrana) July 17, 2018
If you think that Muslims aren't feeling persecuted
If you think Muslims aren't fed up of being the national conversation every night at 9pm bulletins
If you think Muslims don't feel otherized, demonized & marginalized
Then you need to talk
I am an Indian Muslim#TalkToAMuslim— Nazia Erum (@nazia_e) July 17, 2018