Remember this comic the next time you witness Islamophobia in public.
Imagine you're on the bus or maybe out walking in the park, when you see someone bothering a Muslim woman nearby. What do you do?
Marie-Shirine Yener, a French artist and activist who also goes by the name Maeril, has some ideas.
"I have witnessed, during the last months and years, the number of hate-motivated actions against Muslims increase rapidly," said Maeril, who is of mixed Iranian, Turkish, Kurdish, and Armenian descent, in an interview with The Independent. "I felt like I had to try to do something with what I have, and that is drawing and writing."
Maeril created a how-to guide to help people stand up against anti-Muslim sentiments, which have been on the rise since the attack in Paris.
Her rules also apply to harassment against other marginalized people, too: Muslims, Sikh, or Indians, and any people of color who are targeted as a "terrorists."
"The recent burkini bans crystallized Islamophobic hate even more and I felt like I really had to try and do something about it," Maeril told Mic. "Some people don't intervene when they witness harassment, because they have no idea what to do. I wanted to change by offering clear and safe steps for the sake of the person harassed."
Here are her suggestions:
All images by Maeril/Tumblr. Used with permission.
- Engage conversation. Go to them, sit beside them, and say hello. Try to appear calm, collected, and welcoming. IGNORE THE ATTACKER.
2. Pick a random subject and start discussing it. It can be anything: a movie you liked, the weather, saying you like something they wear and asking where they got it...
3. Keep building the safe space. Keep eye contact with them and don't acknowledge the attacker's presence. The absence of response will push them to leave the area shortly.
4. Continue the conversation until the attacker leaves and escort them to a safe place if necessary. Bring them to a neutral area where they can recollect themselves; respect their wishes if they tell you they're OK and just want to go.
With Islamophobia on the rise once more in America, it's even more important for us to turn our words into action, to build solidarity with our Muslim neighbors.
According to FBI statistics, hate crimes against Muslims in the United States increased by nearly 67% in 2015 compared to 2014 — the worst it's been since right after the 9/11 attacks. Hundreds more crimes were reported in the days immediately following the 2016 presidential election too, not unlike what happened in the United Kingdom after their vote to leave the European Union.
We've seen the hate laid bare now in ways we never imagined. So, for me, I'm hoping to make it clear that I won't stand for that kind of bigotry or discrimination against my fellow Americans.
But it's up to all of us, as individuals, to take action against hate wherever we see it. Only then can we can actually come together to build stronger, safer communities.
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids… 
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie? 
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."