Ghazala Khan made it very clear this weekend that, despite whatever Donald Trump suggests, her religion does not make her any man’s prop. Trump’s allegation that Islamic practice rendered her silent during her husband Khizr’s speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) inspired many other Muslim-American women and their allies to stand against stereotypes with the trending hashtag #CanYouHearUsNow:
I became a journalist to pursue transparency to clarify misrepresentations. Misrepresentations that u shamelessly create. #CanYouHearUsNow
— Noor Wazwaz (@nfwazwaz) August 1, 2016
I train young peace activists on effective advocacy using storytelling, media & social media #CanYouHearUsNow pic.twitter.com/6e7GWq3vG6
— rabia chaudry (@rabiasquared) August 1, 2016
Hey D. I spend my time creating solutions w presidents & the like (so I guess we’ll never meet) #CanYouHearUsNow pic.twitter.com/lwl0CiTSJl
— Alaa Murabit (@almmura) August 1, 2016
I am a Muslim woman who speaks truth to power in the US & is met with hate, vitriol and death threats. I still stand. #CanYouHearUsNow
— Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) August 1, 2016
.@realDonaldTrump This is me, giving a talk at @Georgetown. Do I look oppressed to you? #CanYouHearUsNow pic.twitter.com/NVVMJDbnlJ
— Rim-Sarah Alouane (@RimSarah) August 1, 2016
I’m an outspoken, Muslim female journalist because I’m tired of mainstream media defaming, misrepresenting & silencing us. #CanYouHearUsNow
— Rowaida Abdelaziz (@Rowaida_Abdel) August 1, 2016
Mr. Trump, I won a White House Correspondent’s award in the same event that you walked out of. #CanYouHearUsNow pic.twitter.com/cjww4CMoq2
— Haia Radwan (@Haia_Radwan) August 1, 2016
Khizr Khan, joined by Ghazala, spoke at the DNC on Thursday (July 28) and criticized Trump’s views on Muslims while talking about their son Humayun, who died while serving with the U.S. military in Iraq. After Trump criticized Ghazala Khan’s silence—intimating to ABC News that Islam forced her to be quiet—she wrote an editorial in The Washington Post criticizing his ignorance and acknowledging her immense grief. The hashtag grew from several Muslim community advocacy groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), calling on Muslim women yesterday (August 1) to push back against Trump’s remarks.
(H/t NBC News)