British Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Monday that the UK will implement mandatory English tests for all migrants. Even those living in Britain for years could be forced to leave the country, should they fail.
According to The Independent, the British government emphasized that the law is targeted toward Muslim women specifically. The publication reported that elected ministers believe Muslim women are too integrated in their communities, and that the government claims 190,000 Muslim women lack adequate English language skills.
Cameron said it's important for mothers to learn English to keep their children from becoming extremists, according to The Telegraph. A government source told the publication that the prime minister's motivations for the test are troubling:
While there's nothing wrong with encouraging immigrants to learn English, targeting Muslim women enforces the stereotype that Muslim women are weak, oppressed, and powerless. That's exactly why Muslim women are taking to Twitter to fight prejudice using the hashtag #TraditionallySubmissive:
While the government emphasizes the importance of learning English, the Independent reported that the UK has cut "English-language tuition for migrants."
