In 2019, Quebec introduced Bill 21, a secularism law that prohibits public-sector employees from wearing religious symbols or attire at work. The provincial government is now hoping to expand the legislation to include more rules and workplaces.
Nadia Hasan, a professor in the School of Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies, says that Muslim women are more impacted by Bill 21 since they make up the largest minority group in the province. Hasan interviewed over 400 Muslim women living in Quebec about the law’s impact. Seventy-three per cent said Bill 21 affected their ability to look for a job, with a similar percentage saying they have considered leaving the province. She worries that the expansion of the legislation will further harm Muslim women and other visible minority communities.
Hasan’s writing on Islamophobia and related issues has appeared in CBC, CTV, Globe and Mail and other media outlets. Her research interests include race and racism, gender issues, Islamophobia, diaspora studies and South Asia.
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