selfie protest

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/shaymaa-ismaaeel-icna-muslim-protest_n_5cc06abbe4b01b6b3efb413f

The photo shows the entrance to a Muslim convention in Washington DC, USA in 2019. At the entrance to the convention, a small group of four people staged a protest against Islam and held up anti-Muslim signs. Most people walked past and didn't know what to say, some were upset. One woman, Shaymaa Ismaa'eel says, "I really wanted to combat their hatred with kindness honestly. I wanted them to see my face and simply walking by wasn't enough."

Shaymaa crouched down in front of the protestors and got a friend to take a photo of her smiling and holding a peace sign. She says she wanted the protestors to, "see my joy. I wanted them to see the smile on my face and see how happy I was to be me and walk around being a Muslim woman. I wanted to show them that we are going to remain kind and unapologetic, and continue to spread love in the face of bigotry."

Shaymaa's picture quickly went viral across the world.

What do you see in the picture?
what do you think is happening?
why do you think the woman at the front is doing a peace sign?
you can see people standing behind the woman, what do you think those people are doing?

explain the story

- why were some people protesting about a religion? (because they don't understand about that religion or about diversity and difference in the world today. Some people are frightened of difference and want everyone to be the same. The people protesting don't understand about different faith and they want people who practice different faith to feel like outsiders so that they don't belong.)
- in 2019 Washington DC has an estimated population of 700,000 yet there are just 4 protestors outside the conference. What does that show about most people and their thoughts about different faith in America today?
- what was the reaction from most people toward the protest?
- why didn't people argue back?
- how do you think the protestors felt as people walked past getting upset, and no one challenged them?
- Shaymaa could have argued with the protestors but she chose to take a smiling peace sign photo instead - why?
- Shaymaa says, "I wanted them to see the smile on my face and see how happy I was to be me and walk around being a Muslim woman" why does she say that?
- how do you think the protestors felt when they saw Shaymaa take the picture?
- how do you think Shaymaa felt as she took the picture?
- the photo has gone viral, what does this show about most people around the world and their attitude towards the protestors and towards different faith?
- what can we learn from Shaymaa?
- why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: teaching the equlaity act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

Recaliming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat