Photo by Claudia Nuzzo
In this picture, which I took in Oromia, Ethiopia in 2012 while working on journalistic research about women’s rights, you can see a girl with her mother consulting a gynaecologist. It was a volunteer service set up to support women and children experiencing health issues caused by sexual mutilation. I believe this was the first time in my life that I truly acknowledged my own stereotypes around religion.
Coming from a Christian background, it was difficult to accept that this practice was perpetuated equally by Christians, Muslims and people from other religious traditions. There was no direct connection to religion in this practice, and yet it was still happening, even though it had been officially banned and made punishable by the Ethiopian government.
This brings me to the topic of intersectionality. These were women first, and before being seen through the lens of religion, they were already discriminated against. My research led me to think that this was a form of control and domination over women, deeply rooted in the framework of a patriarchal society which, unfortunately, we all live in, no matter which country we come from or what our faith is.
Travelling and leading many participatory projects in different countries, I feel I have become a good listener when it comes to learning about other faiths. It is important to acknowledge that there are many different faiths and beliefs, and they all need to be respected. According to the 2020 to 2021 UAL survey, our students come from a wide range of religious backgrounds and hold a diversity of beliefs.
However, what concerns me most is that certain beliefs or interpretations of religion can become harmful to others and limit human rights and freedom.
What if a student believes that being part of the LGBT+ community goes against nature, and feels entitled to discriminate against a staff member or a peer? Or believes that men should have more freedom or more rights to make decisions for women?
It is difficult to draw a clear line between what is right and what is wrong in these cases. On one hand, everyone should be free to follow their own faith and beliefs. On the other hand, those can sometimes lead to violence and discrimination.
It is also true that we can fall into stereotypes and make assumptions about other people’s faith or religion, which can also lead to discrimination.
In her 2022 article When Faith Intersects with Gender, Ibtihal Ramadan explores the experiences of Muslim women academics in higher education. I was not surprised to read that their faith and gender can lead to discrimination, isolation or misunderstanding from colleagues and institutions. Ramadan calls for greater awareness and understanding in universities, in order to create more inclusive environments. She argues that recognising the role of faith alongside gender is essential to supporting the wellbeing and professional growth of Muslim women in academia.
But how can we create safer and more inclusive environments?
Religion professor and activist Dr Simran Singh, in an interview for Trinity University, touches on an important point in trying to navigate this challenge:
“If we can try to understand where people are coming from with empathy, we can communicate in a way that is constructive rather than destructive.”
I believe there is no other way to navigate this complexity than through nonviolent communication. Marshall Rosenberg open his book A Language of Life with a poem by Ruth Bebermeyer to reflect on the importance of the words.
I feel it is essential to explain to students that we can hold different beliefs or perspectives, and still respect other people’s views. As non violent communication teaches us, the key is not to judge, to listen with empathy, and to make clear requests that can help improve relationships.
I also think it is important to be aware of our own position, the stereotypes we might have, and to reflect on how faith connects with other parts of our identity and the identity of others. This kind of awareness can help us communicate better and build spaces that feel truly safe and inclusive.
References
Jawad, H. (2022) Islam, Women and Sport: The Case of Visible Muslim Women. Available at: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/religionglobalsociety/2022/09/islam-women-and-sport-the-case-of-visible-muslim-women/(Accessed: 20 May 2025).
Ramadan, I. (2022) ‘When faith intersects with gender: the challenges and successes in the experiences of Muslim women academics’, Gender and Education, 34(1), pp. 33–48.
Rosenberg, M. (2015) Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life. 3rd edn. Encinitas, CA: PuddleDancer Press.
Singh, S.J. (2016) Challenging Race, Religion, and Stereotypes in Classroom. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CAOKTo_DOk (Accessed: 20 May 2025).
University of the Arts London (2022) Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report 2021/22. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/?a=389423 (Accessed: 20 May 2025).
While it is very difficult subject matter, it was really interesting to read about your personal experiences in Ethiopia and how they relate to this topic. I found reading a first hand account really insightful and it helped me to understand another angle of how religion can intersect with other identities, as I had not thought about this kind of example before.
Your thoughts on belief and acknowledgement that some people’s beliefs could contradict other people’s rights also resonated with me. Having worked with people who don’t always share the same beliefs as me, I have often struggled to understand their perspectives, especially when I believe they are hurtful. The ways you discuss navigating these differing opinions was really helpful though, and your suggestions of how to handle these situations has been really valuable for me. The non violent communication methods you discuss are something I will take forward both personally and in my teaching context when working with students of multiple beliefs and identities.
I am really glad to hear that my reflections offered a different perspective and connected with your own experiences. Navigating differing beliefs can be very challenging, especially when they seem to conflict with values we care about. I have also found non violent communication a helpful tool, not always easy but very valuable in creating mutual respect. I appreciate that you are considering how to bring this into your teaching as well.
It’s insightful to learn more about your professional background as a journalist and how it has shaped your understanding of the impact of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Your reflection powerfully highlights how patriarchy and cultural traditions intersect with religion in sustaining such practices.
I found your point about the disconnect between religious texts and the practice of FGM particularly important. As you noted, many practitioners believe FGM is religiously mandated, even though it is not supported by any major religious scripture. This misconception often stems from long-standing patriarchal norms that predate organized religion. These norms can be traced back to early agrarian societies, where control over women’s reproductive roles became linked to inheritance and property rights.
To build on your reflection, I was reminded of how Western societies also have patriarchal roots that shaped their treatment of women. For example, while ancient Greece is often celebrated as the birthplace of democracy and philosophy, women in those societies were heavily restricted—sometimes in ways comparable to modern authoritarian regimes. Dr. Amanda Foreman’s The Ascent of Woman explores this history in depth and shows how patriarchal ideologies influenced the development of major world religions.
I also thought about the broader question of how freedom intersects with religion in modern societies. The Charlie Hebdo case in France is a powerful and controversial example of the tension between freedom of expression and religious sensitivity. It raises important questions about how secular societies navigate the boundaries between individual rights and collective respect.
The example of Charlie Hebdo brings up complex questions around freedom of speech and how far that freedom should go when it risks offending or marginalising others. The right to speak freely is vital, but so is understanding the impact our words and images might have. I agree that respectful dialogue is essential, especially in diverse societies where many beliefs and values coexist. You are also right to remind us of the example of the patriarchal model in ancient Greece. I still remember when I read Plato’s Symposium twenty years ago, an amazing book on the meaning of love. Unfortunately, that whole discussion took place between men only, which clearly reflects the exclusion of women from intellectual and public life at the time.
Thank you for sharing such a personal reflection. Your honesty about confronting your own assumptions is really moving, and the story from Ethiopia adds real depth to your point about how cultural practices can’t always be easily tied to religion. I appreciate how you connect this experience to intersectionality and our learning on this PGcert unit, and how you centre the women affected as individuals first — not defined solely by faith or culture, but by the systemic inequalities they face.
Your emphasis on empathy, nonviolent communication, and the need to challenge harmful interpretations of belief is so important — especially in creative, diverse spaces like UAL. I agree that navigating this complexity starts with listening, checking our biases, and making room for many beliefs without excusing discrimination. Your call for respectful dialogue, grounded in empathy and self-awareness, is a strong and necessary reminder for all of us working in education.
I agree with you Rory, creative and diverse spaces like UAL can play a key role into this discussion.