Talk:Islamophobia

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This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation–supported course assignment, between 27 February 2022 and 5 May 2022. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Aashima99 (article contribs).

Islamophobes and Left-wing activists think alike on a specific subject

Hi, in the introduction it is said that "Muslims, with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds on a worldwide scale, are often inaccurately portrayed by Islamophobes as a single homogeneous racial group.". I would change it with a more accurate content like "Muslims, with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds on a worldwide scale, are often inaccurately portrayed EITHER by Islamophobes AND LEFT-WING ACTIVISTS as a single homogeneous racial group." Can someone add those little yet crucial parts, please? Thank you. ~2026-32515-51 (talk) 08:54, 2 June 2026 (UTC)

There are many things wrong with this article - that's probably not one of them. Obscurasky (talk) 08:57, 2 June 2026 (UTC)

The definition of phobia.

Phobias, of which there are many, are not irrational at all because they belong to the person that experiences them, nobody else. ~2026-39906-04 (talk) 17:38, 15 July 2026 (UTC)

Phobia definitions in all major dictionaries say "irrational" or "illogical". O3000, Ret. (talk) 18:10, 15 July 2026 (UTC)

A word means what it means. Antisemite doesn’t mean anti anyone who is a Semite. Doug Weller talk 18:16, 15 July 2026 (UTC)

Yes, I always thought the common usage of that word odd as Arabic is the most widely spoken Semitic language. O3000, Ret. (talk) 18:21, 15 July 2026 (UTC)

The term Islamophobia was created by rebracketing hydrophobia. It is not a type of phobia, it is an analogy with hydrophobia. TFD (talk) 12:37, 29 July 2026 (UTC)

I think the fact that similar discussion keeps popping in the talk over the years, at regular intervals, may be reason to address this directly in the article since readers might have similar thoughts, and it could benefit from scholarly clarification.

The deeper problem here is that Islamophobia is a term that isn't a clinical diagnosis (it's not a psychiatric term or in the DSM) but the -phobia suffix does invite this discussion and litigation. I think it could benefit from clarification; the term and its scope isn't (entirely) clearly demarcated as to what it is and isn't. And perhaps address even the popular usage and interpretation of the term Islamophobia versus scholarly definitions (Bleich, Halliday, Allen etc have done great scholarly work here and are generally considered the go to sources on this matter). A phobia is real mental illness and not clarifying this isn't medical is important, as Richardson (2009) already points out.

I think having the word "irrational" in the lead also keeps inviting this discussion. Richardson (2009) even lists the '-phobia implies mental illness' as a known misread weakness of the term. In the lead Bleich's 'indiscriminate negative attitudes or emotions directed at Islam or Muslims' would do useful demarcation work without the extra irrational claim. This thread will keep getting reborn every couple of years without addressing this.

It should also be noted that the OED definition doesn't actually contain the word 'irrational', so the current lead is stronger than its own sources truly support. The problem with this definition is also that it gives critics an easy way out since anyone can claim their hostility is rational and therefore not Islamophobia (which is most likely why scholar don't use it). Antisemitism's lead for instance avoids this whole problem by just not making rationality part of the definition and I think that is the right move because it avoids this confusion.

Actually, after verifying all the sources, none of the sources cited for that sentence actually contain the word irrational which is a signifcant WP:V issue. EdithVane (talk) 11:33, 4 August 2026 (UTC)

Phobia use to be (and still is!!) a medical term. Any person has the right to his/her own phobias. They have the right to treat them... but not the obligation. Same as a person without any phobia, the sole obligation is to respect the law. Even if the phobia affect or not their social life, or their professional life, is their choice to treat it ... or to "keep it".

Recently phobia was transformed in a legal term. People are not anymore allowed to be afraid or things that

Also phobia is defined as a irrational fear. But we included also rational fears. Even in the initial medical term, but, more serious, in the legal one. Let alone for most "phobia practicants" they have some rationality behind their phobia. ~2026-44392-72 (talk) 13:54, 12 August 2026 (UTC)

Stephane Hlaimi's works on islamophobia

According to researcher Stéphane Hlaimi, Islamophobia cannot be reduced to mere criticism of Islam. In his work, he argues that it encompasses a specific form of racism directed at individuals who are Muslim or perceived as such . Far from being a matter of theological disagreement, the phenomenon is rooted, in his view, in deep-seated hostility toward believers, who are relegated to an essentialized and inferiorized identity. Hlaimi thus considers Islamophobia to be a weapon of racism that—under the guise of religious criticism—indiscriminately targets anyone whose appearance is deemed "Islamic," including homosexual Muslims. — Preceding unsigned comment added by ~2026-44131-72 (talk) 16:24, 10 August 2026 (UTC)

Not a reputable source, also quite a few hypocritical statements from a very obviously biased source. ~2026-46653-47 (talk) 17:59, 27 August 2026 (UTC)