“France shall be an indivisible, secular, democratic, and social Republic. It shall ensure the equality of all citizens before the law, without distinction of origin, race, or religion. It shall respect all beliefs.” 

In April 2021, the French senate voted to ban minors’ use of hijabs, or Muslim veils, in public. Another amendment bans the halal slaughtering of chicken. And another bans Muslim mothers to wear hijabs whilst accompanying their children on school trips. These are only a few of the many proposed and voted for amendments against Muslim residents. And yet, France denies it being Islamophobic. 

The “Anti-separatism” bill was said to stop radicalization or the process by which individuals or groups come to adopt radical views in opposition to a political, social, or religious status quo. Though it is not specific to any religious groups, the amendments in the bill certainly target the millions of Muslims residing in France. Despite the clear Islamophobic intentions, the French reject the term “Islamophobic” still believe that it will help “liberate” Muslim women due to the “oppression” they face by their own religion. 

“As a French-Muslim woman, I am exhausted and angry to see once again, the policing of my beliefs, my choices, and my body. My country has made me choose between my hijab and my education, my career, my engagement in sports, and my duty as an aunt wanting to chaperone my nieces in schools. As a French citizen, I am stripped of my most basic human rights.” Hiba Latreche, the Vice-president of  Forum Of European Muslim Youth And Student Organization or FEMYSO for Aljazeera. 

People from all over the world are engaged. Hashtags such as #Boycottfrance, #PasToucheAMonHijab or #HandsOffMyHijab, and #FranceHijabBan have circulated social media in hopes to bring awareness to such conflict, to bring change, and to show support for French-Muslim women, men, and children that are affected. People held protests against the French Government with a clear statement: Stop the Islamophobic policies. To make matters worse, the French age of consent is 15 while the age French-Muslim women can wear a hijab is 18. Social media was quick to point out the disparity and concluded that this was no longer about secularism nor radicalization, it was about their obvious hate.