As part of the ongoing CHILL Campaign, the Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand (IWCNZ) introduces Samadiana, an accomplished gymnast and coach whose presence and participation in sports directly  challenges stereotypes about Muslim women.

The CHILL Campaign, an acronym for Challenge Islamophobic Language and Loathing, is a 10-week initiative designed to counter gendered Islamophobia by showcasing the achievements and lived experiences of eight Muslim women in New Zealand. Through a series of short videos and still photography, these women share their stories, aiming to educate and raise awareness about the diverse roles and contributions of Muslim women in society.

Samadiana is the first of the eight Muslim women to be featured.  Despite common misconceptions that Muslim women are not active in sports, Samadiana has excelled in gymnastics as an athlete and now as a young coach, proving  Muslim women can and do participate in a wide range of sporting activities.  Her story flips the stereotype of Muslim women being restricted or uninterested in sports. By highlighting Samadiana’s achievements, the creators of the CHILL Campaign hope to inspire others to question such tropes.  

"Samadiana's success in gymnastics is a clear example of how Muslim women can thrive in any field they choose," said Aliya Danzeisen, IWCNZ National Coordinator. "Through the CHILL Campaign, we want to share stories like Samadiana's to motivate our community and to educate the wider public about the contributions and potential of Muslim women in New Zealand."

Promoting Inclusivity in Sports

At times, there may be barriers to participation for communities. What is beautiful about Aotearoa New Zealand is that it is seeking solutions to ensure that all those who wish to be involved and physically active can be. In 2020, Sport New Zealand researched the issue and published the report “Building Cultural Inclusion in Active Recreation” which laid out the challenges and offered recommendations.  IWCNZ encourages New Zealander to read it and look for solutions.

IWCNZ knows many who already do that, and the Council would like to give a shoutout and appreciation to all the coaches, outdoor instructors, teachers and providers who are welcoming to diverse participants. At IWCNZ, there have been many who worked with us to find those workable answers for over 16 years now, getting IWCNZ membership scaling cliffs, paddling rivers, trekking through forests, and skiing down mountains.  

So when someone says, "Muslim women can't," please CHILL! And let them know, we’ve got this!  

The opening video to introduce the campaign is available here:  https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8kv6eAPucK/?igsh=MTZ6M2FpcDI3a3Vncg==

Samadiana’s clip is set to drop on IWCNZ social media at 10 am today.

If anyone would like to follow progress of the CHILL Campaign on social media, IWCNZ can be found at: • Facebook: Islamic Women's Council of New Zealand

• Instagram: islamicwomenscouncilnz

• Twitter: @IWCNZ1

• LinkedIn: Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand

• TikTok: iwcnz

Gendered Islamophobia refers to hostility, marginalisation and discrimination that specifically targets Muslim women  based on the intersection of their religious faith and gender.  This dual bias  increases vulnerabilities such as a higher likelihood of experience hate crimes and social exclusion.  Muslim women face a disproportionate amount of hate and verbal abuse in New Zealand due to this intersection as well as other factors based on ethnicity and national origins.  Through the CHILL campaign aims to reduce Islamophobia and the related harm. 

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