A recently published report shows that Washington’s Muslim community is incredibly diverse and faces high levels of bias and discrimination. This data, which is brand new for Washington’s Muslim community, finally gives people in positions of power the data they need to make policy changes toward increased safety and equality for underserved and marginalized people.
At the Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA), our mandate is to advocate for the civil rights of Muslims in Washington state. As the region’s leading Muslim civil rights group, CAIR-WA is frequently solicited for data on Washington’s Muslims by media, government entities, and elected officials. There is a critical need for accurate demographic data, as well as data on experiences of discrimination. In April 2024, CAIR-WA surveyed 684 Muslims over the age of 13 living in Washington state, receiving 542 complete responses.
It is clear that Muslims face significant bias and discrimination, but we previously did not have definitive data to back this up.
Why do Muslims face so much bias and discrimination? The short answer is that Islamophobia and anti-Muslim bigotry is unfortunately a common and widespread feature of our country’s mainstream cultural and political landscape. It is, as CAIR-WA’s Executive Director Imraan Siddiqi has said, still “viewed as an acceptable form of bigotry.” This is evidenced by policies such as Executive Order 13769, also known as the 2017 “Muslim ban;” unconstitutional immigration policies like the Controlled Application Review and Resolution Progran (CARRP,) which uses “national security concerns” to subject applicants to extreme vetting; and biased media coverage of Israel, Palestine, and their supporters.
Prior to the Washington Muslim Survey 2024, when approached for data about Muslims in Washington, such as a population estimate or information about hate crimes, CAIR-WA was forced to give long and contextual, nuanced answers, or point to data that did not provide a full picture since data based on Muslim identity is not easy to come by. The Census doesn’t collect religion data, and its racial categories are broad. Estimates based on numbers of mosques can only tell so much, since not all who identify as Muslim are religiously devout or go to services regularly, and, unlike many Christian denominations, Islamic centers do not have a central governing body.
Additionally, hate is consistently underreported, even to an organization like CAIR-WA. Anti-Muslim bigotry and Islamophobic messages are deeply entrenched in our country’s mainstream political, legal, educational, and media landscapes. Hate often goes underreported for many reasons. Muslim community members might fear speaking up, worried about retaliation or not being taken seriously, out of shame or hoping that the situation is quickly forgotten. They may want to avoid drawing attention to themselves or their families.
Muslims who have experienced bias or discrimination may wonder what is to be gained personally from speaking up. Perhaps what happened was unwitnessed or, while upsetting, lacks a clear legal strategy or remedy. Even if the perpetrators are brought to justice, the harm done may feel impossible to repair.
Additionally, proving that bias or hate motivated the incident can be challenging. Now, with the Washington Muslim Survey 2024, we have a report showing that bias, discrimination, and hate are happening. What so many have felt for years is now clear, in stark numbers.
In the past year, 83% of Muslims over 13 years old in Washington experienced some form of bias, discrimination, or hate. This percentage increases to 92% when considering lifetime experiences. Based on this survey’s findings, not only have more than 8 out of 10 experienced bias in the past year, but experiences of bias are correlated with each other, meaning that if an individual reported experiencing discrimination or bias in one question, they were more likely to report experiencing it in another question as well.
Over the past year, 69% of respondents experienced discriminatory policies or practices at work, school, or other settings such as not being given time to pray or being asked to dress in a way that doesn’t align with their religious beliefs. For women, visibly Muslim individuals, and younger people, experiences of discrimination tend to be more frequent.
The data also highlights the extensive diversity among Muslims in Washington. Out of 684 respondents, there were 106 unique racial identities. Even after refining race and ethnicity categories, no single group made up more than 30% of respondents. Over 60 languages were reported as spoken, with 9 out of 10 (88%) Muslims in Washington speaking a language other than English, and more than 80% having an immigration story in their family.
While the Muslim community shares some collective needs, it embodies remarkable diversity and a rich tapestry of lived experiences. This diversity is not merely a demographic detail; it represents a spectrum of voices and perspectives that must be acknowledged and engaged.
When elected leaders reach out to Muslim communities, they are also connecting with racially and ethnically diverse populations, each with unique immigrant backgrounds and languages. By prioritizing the interests of Muslims in Washington State, they will be advocating for policies that benefit intersectional and underserved communities, especially the most marginalized.
We urge decision-makers to leverage data from the Washington Muslim Survey 2024 to inform policies that address the specific issues and lived experiences of Washington’s Muslims. With this survey in hand, a lack of data can no longer be cited as an excuse to overlook the needs and concerns of the Muslim communities in Washington, or to delay passing policies that combat discrimination.
The findings of this survey make it clear. It is imperative for those in positions of power to understand and deepen their connections with Muslims in Washington. The fight against Islamophobia is inherently intersectional, encompassing the need to combat anti-Black racism, colorism, caste discrimination, xenophobia, anti-immigrant rhetoric, gender inequality, and labor rights abuses.
Katie Walker is the Communications Director at CAIR Washington. Noor AlSaleh, Najma Osman, and Hannah Vickner Hough also contributed to this editorial.
