#12 Having meaningful conversations about Isreal and Palestine - minus the bigotry
Language Matters Memo, a monthly newsletter from Sadia Siddiqui, focused on fostering more progressive and inclusive language and discourse.
Hello 👋🏾! It's nearly February, but please indulge me as I wish you a Happy New Year! I hope that three weeks in, you're still hopeful for what 2024 may bring 🤍.
Not only is it a new year, but it's also an anniversary as this newsletter turns one year old. I'm a reasonably focused individual, but sticking to a schedule of writing a monthly newsletter has been much harder than I imagined, so I'm chuffed to have reached this milestone and hugely grateful that you chose to spend 10 minutes or so reading my words each month. Thank you 🙏🏾.
Publishing 12 issues has also given me the confidence to try a few new things. I hope you like the updated format of my usual monthly recommendations and that something in there piques your interest.
Given the crisis continues to deepen in Israel and Gaza, I've extended the series I brought you last month about problematic narratives that crop up in discussions concerning Israel and Palestine. I'm a firm believer that we can have informed discussions without resorting to antisemitic and Islamophobic tropes, and so I hope the guide will help you avoid some of the problematic pitfalls.
Before I share the guide, here are my January recommendations.
January 2024 Recommendations:
📱 WATCH this TikTok response by Jesica Wagstaff: Jesica is a fashion writer based in the USA, and in this TikTok, she’s responding to a seemingly well-intentioned comment on one of her previous videos:
Visual ID: Screenshot taken from a TikTok video which shows a Black woman pointing to a TikTok comment that reads: "I love your style, but it's ultra-traditional and Eurocentric. I'm confused. I'll keep listening".
At face value, you may think this is a genuine question born from curiosity, but unfortunately, it is a common and coded microaggression.
Wagstaff's response highlights that 'fashion', 'style' and 'presentation' are very separate entities and that 'presentation' - how your identity impacts the communication of the style of clothes you wear - isn't something that one can view in isolation. Whether we want to acknowledge it or not, there’s an interplay between the two. If you love fashion but, more importantly, the sociology of fashion, Wagstaff is a must-follow. Her commentary on the questionable nature of the term 'quiet luxury' is also excellent and thought-provoking.
📖 READ one of the best releases of 2023, The List by Yomi Adegoke: Ola Olajide and Michael Koranteng are considered #couplegoals and are 26 days away from their wedding when they wake up to the same message: "Oh my god, have you seen The List?" They soon discover that Michael's name has found its way onto a list of anonymous allegations about abusive men that has gone viral. Sent reeling, Ola gives Michael an ultimatum to prove his innocence by their wedding day. The book takes us on a page-turning rollercoaster as Michael and Ola navigate the fallout from the allegations, further complicated by the fact that Ola is a journalist who regularly reports on # MeToo-related stories. This is a very clever, fast-paced tale about ethics in a digital age, toxic masculinity and the rampant power of the internet. Insightful AND highly entertaining.
📻 LISTEN to this brilliant analysis of Yellowface on Sara & Cariad's Weirdos Book Club podcast: The sunshine-bright cover of Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang was everywhere last year and continues to be a best seller. I reviewed it in the July issue, but here’s a brief synopsis:
Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were destined to be publishing stars, but whilst Athena's a celebrated literary darling, the reaction to June's book was mediocre at best, so when June is the sole witness to Athena's death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse and steals Athena's just-finished masterpiece.
My review mentioned that some readers might fail to realise this is satire. For them, June's unfortunate worldview and racist attitude would be something they might inadvertently empathise with. That’s something the podcast deep dives into, and given not everyone featured in the episode loved the book, it leads to a fascinating and important discussion for anyone who consumed this delicious, multifaceted, and highly meta book. I think it will make many people see things they might have missed.
Deconstructing problematic narratives concerning the Palestinian and Israeli crisis
⚠️: Content Warning for Racist Language and Terminology.
N.B. Before I dive in, I want to reiterate my position on this crisis is rooted in the quest for long-term peace and security for both Palestinian and Israeli citizens, underpinned by the right to self-determination for Palestinians and the return of all hostages and those held without charge. My stance is human-centric, and I refuse to minimise or negate anyone's humanity and right to exist.
What now follows are several sadly common and problematic statements that are being made about the crisis that are rooted in antisemitic or Islamophobic tropes. They are real-life examples that I've had to navigate personally. As I mentioned in my previous guide, this is not designed as a think-piece on the history of Israel/Palestine. I'm an inclusive language practitioner who advocates for greater critical thinking about the language we use in everyday interactions to ensure that it is not problematic and othering. Our language becomes even more vital at times like this.
The Jews have American politicians' support sewn up!
Response: Suggesting that Jewish people are controlling American politics and running the government is a common antisemitic trope. Although the USA is a secular society, the politics of the country are deeply entrenched in Christianity and Evangelical Christianity specifically. Jews make up 2% of the population, and Evangelical Christians who self-identify as Zionists vastly outnumber all American Jews - irrespective of their politics. By fixating on Jewish influence on the media, politics and society, we further cement the highly harmful "Jewish conspiracy" trope.
Additional notes: Sentences starting with 'the Jews' [as well as the Muslims/the Blacks/the Asians/the Latinos/the disabled/the poor] are inherently othering. Additionally, they suggest that minoritised communities operate as a monolith with no diversity of thought, beliefs and behaviours. Please refrain from referring to any communities in this way.
For more information on Evangelical Christians' support for Israel, here is an excellent post by Elad Nehorai.
Person A: We must call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. Person B: Why don't you call on Hamas to stop? You're just giving a free pass to terrorists.
Response: This is a statement rooted in bigotry. Let's break down all the issues.
It's predicated on the belief that asking for a ceasefire somehow condones the heinous attacks on October 7th. It does not and, therefore, shouldn't be the automatic starting point for criticism of Israel's military action in Gaza and the West Bank.
If directed at someone who is Arab/Muslim, it conflates them with Hamas terrorists - as if they are the same.
It suggests all Palestinians living in Gaza are interchangeable with Hamas militants.
It's Islamophobic to blame an entire group for the actions of individuals and suggest that unless and until they condemn acts of terrorism, then by default, they are guilty. The idea that Muslims have to do that, or it’s fair game to assume Muslims agree with terrorism until they state otherwise, is deeply problematic and racist.
Additional notes: If you're having trouble unpacking this yourself, then I'd suggest watching this video that features an exchange between the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and two Members of Parliament. It will demonstrate just how easy it is to invoke anti-Muslim sentiment.
Person 1: I can't bear to look at the Israeli flag - it makes me so angry that I want to stamp on it. Person 2: The Palestinian flag is a disgrace - it stands for terrorism!
Response: Flags are first and foremost symbols, which have become highly politicised in this current crisis. Regardless of how one may feel about the Israeli government's actions, we need to understand that for many Jewish people, irrespective of their feelings about Israel, the flag features the Star of David. This symbol is sacred and symbolic of the Jewish faith. Any desecration would, therefore, be deeply upsetting and should not be condoned. For Palestinians, their flag is a sign of resistance to the continued occupation of Palestinian territory enshrined in international law and for the right for that land to be recognised as an independent sovereign state - something many countries, including the UK and the USA, refuse to acknowledge. Just as we should not allow the Israeli flag to become interchangeable with terror and violence, we should not let the Palestinian flag be viewed the same way and be desecrated and denigrated.
Additional notes: Everyone has biases - some we may not even be aware of. Our brains constantly receive information and need to create shortcuts to process this data. That leads to making rapid assessments about the people, places, and cultures we encounter. These assessments operate at a conscious and unconscious level and are informed by three factors - first-hand experience, our cultural context, and our personal background. As a rule, we should normalise changing our minds when receiving new information and encourage others to think critically. As an example, people may not be aware that Hamas militants have a flag. At first glance, it looks similar to that of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but they are different and shouldn't be confused.
Image credit and © Tyler Elise
Statement: Now's not the time to focus on antisemitism/Islamophobia here - there's a war going on!
Response: There is a bubbling undercurrent that suggests discussions about the rise in bigotry are misplaced as they divert attention away from what is happening in the region. Unfortunately, not discussing hate speech and incidents further minimises the genuine fear that these communities are experiencing. Incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia are escalating, and although this is sadly part of an established pattern - whenever exponential conflict breaks out in Israel and Palestine, it immediately impacts the communities elsewhere in the world - this rise in bigotry feels particularly unprecedented and should not be ignored.
Discussions about instances of hate crimes do not mean we should talk less about what is happening on the ground in Gaza. People can be vocal in opposition to what’s happening, as well as speaking out about hate speech.
Additional note: Those of us who are progressive need to ensure our language does not frame Jewish and Muslim safety as being diametrically in opposition to each other. This only endangers both communities further. Now is the time to stand together in the face of any hate.
I originally planned another topic for this month's guide, but as the crisis wages on and the fallout is felt acutely by many of us, everything else feels sadly insignificant. Hopefully, I’ll be able to share that soon.
It's hard to segue from these tough topics without sounding trite, so I'll end here by saying that I hope you found this issue useful. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments or by responding to this email.
Many thanks, and until next time,
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: Please accept my apologies for the typo in the spelling of 'Israel' in the newsletter title. Despite my focus on language, I'm not a great speller but vow to do better. Thank you.
Congratulations on your 12th issue! Looking forward to continuing on this informative and much-needed journey. I am grateful to be a part of it.