Blog Task 2

When I moved from Hong Kong to the UK, I was struck by how differently people talk about religion. In Hong Kong, faith slides easily into everyday conversation. In Britain, religion and belief are legally protected, yet many people hesitate to mention them at all, anxious that a single wrong word might appear insensitive. That caution mirrors a wider media climate in which coverage of Islam, especially stories about Muslim women, often leans toward hostility.

The same wariness shows up in my classes. Students from Black and/or Muslim backgrounds are noticeably under-represented, and their absence reminds us that essential lived experience is still missing from the conversation. The impact reaches beyond the classroom. In design, every choice—colour palette, fabric texture, stage imagery—carries cultural and spiritual meaning. Without a mix of voices at the table, we risk overlooking those nuances and muting entire visual languages.

Sport makes the barriers even clearer. Islam encourages women to be active, yet many venues forbid the modest clothing some Muslim women prefer, covering head, arms, and legs. A few governing bodies still ban the hijab outright, forcing athletes to choose between their faith and competition. Facilities reserved exclusively for women are scarce outside Muslim-majority countries, adding another obstacle. We should also ask whether strict dress codes always empower women or sometimes hold them back; as we create gender inclusive spaces, the decline in single-sex options can feel like a clash of aims.

Not every Muslim woman chooses Islamic dress, but for many it is an expression of faith and identity. Denying that choice erases their presence and quiets their voices, not only in sport but also in creative fields such as theatre and design. When those voices are welcomed, fresh ideas follow—a costume tailored for a hijab or stage lighting inspired by mosque geometry can expand everyone’s creative palette.

Religion can enrich art schools just as modest fashion has reshaped street style. Faith shapes the stories students tell and the roles they imagine, and institutions thrive when they make space for needs that arise from belief.

Working through these questions takes humility. The Western idea of “religion” developed by measuring every tradition against Christianity and separating faith from science. When we treat religion as a single, fixed object and argue only about whether it is good or bad, we flatten its richness and deepen our divisions, ending up polarised.

We may never settle every debate, but we can stay open. By sharing our own viewpoints and inviting others to share theirs, we show the curiosity that real dialogue requires. Training that gathers many perspectives and explains core ideas from different faiths breaks down stereotypes and gives people the confidence to speak without fear.

Religion, race, and representation are delicate subjects, yet silence serves no one. Honest, respectful conversation remains our best hope for transforming tension into understanding and ensuring that every student feels seen, heard, and free to take part.

References:

Chohan, R. (2024) ‘“My heart is broken” – France’s Olympic hijab ban’, BBC Sport, 25 July. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/sport/basketball/articles/c4ng5k15pzyo

Jawad, H. (2022) ‘Islam, Women and Sport: The Case of Visible Muslim Women’, Religion and Global Society (blog), 22 September. Available at: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/religionglobalsociety/2022/09/islam-women-and-sport-the-case-of-visible-muslim-women/

Jowaheer, M. (2021) ‘Modesty is not oppression!’, Voice of British Muslim Women, 7 January. Available at: https://voiceofbritishmuslimwomen.co.uk/2021/01/07/modesty-is-not-oppression/

Mateen, Z. (2022) ‘Wearing hijab doesn’t make Muslim women oppressed’, BBC News, 23 February. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-60454685

Zempi, I. and Easat-Daas, A. (2022) ‘The hijab is not a symbol of gender oppression – but those who choose to wear it risk Islamophobia’, The Conversation, 30 March. Available at: https://theconversation.com/the-hijab-is-not-a-symbol-of-gender-oppression-but-those-who-choose-to-wear-it-risk-islamophobia-178454