THE MUSLIMAH PROJECT: A COLLABORATIVE INQUIRY INTO DISCRIMINATION AND MUSLIM WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH IN A CANADIAN CONTEXT

In Canada, Muslim women face a unique form of discrimination based on their religious, racial, and gender identities (Helly, 2012; Mohanty, 2003; Zine, 2008). These complex forms of discrimination make it difficult to access adequate supports for positive mental health and wellbeing (Burgess, Ding, Hargreaves, van Ryn & Phelan, 2008). Grounded in feminist intersectional theory and practice (Hill Collins & Bilge, 2016), the present manuscript emerges from a community-based project centered around Muslim women’s experiences of discrimination and resulting adverse mental health impacts. Through a series of five focus groups (N=55) the research team engaged with Muslim women from diverse backgrounds in order to centre the voices of Muslim women and gain a more complete understanding of health inequities in Canada. Thematic analyses of focus group data reveal that Muslim women participants regularly experience Islamophobic discrimination along intersectional identity lines. Further, women face multiple barriers when attempting to access culturally relevant and responsive supports. Results illuminate the potential of reciprocal, community-based research to investigate and respond to mental health disparities experienced by Muslim women in Canada