COPENHAGEN, Denmark – Ozlem Cekic, an ethnically Kurdish MP in Denmark known for her controversial children’s books on Muslims, has attracted controversy and threats for breaking away from other politicians and attending the opening of Denmark’s first mosque, whose funding has raised concerns.
When the mosque was inaugurated last week leading politicians stayed away from the event, on grounds the house of worship was financed by Qatar: The Gulf state has been accused of supporting movements like the Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), whose guerrillas are involved in the fighting in both those countries.
Cekic was one of the few politicians who chose to attend, receiving a lot of criticism and threats on social media like Facebook.
"Tell your Muslim friends that we work to throw you out. Death to all Muslims," said an email sent to her, she told Rudaw.
The 38-year-old MP for Denmark’s Socialist People’s Party, who was born in the Turkish capital Ankara, has also created debate with three children's books she published this month, each about a fictional Kurdish girl named Ayse and her experiences of growing up in Denmark.
One of the books, “Ayse’s Pajama Party,” refers to sleepovers at the homes of friends that other kids in Denmark enjoy, but which Ayse is not allowed to attend or host, because her parents will not allow it.
"Ayse faces the same challenges as I did,” the author says. “I never participated in social events when I was little."
The books have caused controversy because Cekic says she hopes they will inspire minority girls to rebel against their parents.
"The girls should insist on being allowed to do the same things that their brothers are allowed to do," she said, referring to greater restrictions she said Muslim parents place on girls growing up in Western societies.
But she also emphasizes that parents should not be forced to change their minds. "On the contrary, we must, through dialogue, tell the parents to allow girls to be free."
Over the past few years, Danish journalists have increasingly written articles about Muslims in Denmark, more specifically about Muslim women. There have been cases of so-called “honor killings,” forced marriages and instances where parents strictly regulate the movements of their daughters. There has also been controversy over women observing “hijab,” the Muslim veil.
"We're going to generalize, but it is obviously not all immigrant girls who are suppressed,” Cekic said.
The debate over wearing the veil, for example, often is very simplistic, she said, and there is a tendency to depict the Muslim women as victims of oppression.
“Ayse's Red Scarf" deals with the veil; Cekic herself wore a headscarf when she was younger.
"Many people think that you are oppressed because you wear a headscarf. But this is not necessarily right. Some wear it because they have been forced to do so, while others do it to rebel against authorities. I was wearing a headscarf to express youth rebellion.”
Prejudices are based on ignorance, she said, explaining she wants to educate Danes about Muslims. That is why she wrote "Ayse's Ramadan," after noticing that many Danes did not know about why Muslims fast for a month every year.
There is no precise study of the prevalence of social control in Denmark. But a 2011 study found that nine out of 10 immigrant women are subject to social control in terms of relationships, sexuality and gender.
Some 250,000 Muslims live in Denmark, mostly from various Middle Eastern and African countries.
