Rachel Rammal is an MA Candidate in the Fashion program at Toronto Metropolitan University and a former editorial intern at Fashion Studies. Originally from Montreal, Quebec she obtained her undergraduate degree in Psychology (Honours) from Concordia University. Growing up in Quebec, she witnessed the hostile sociopolitical climate surrounding the divisive discourse on religious minorities, identity, and dress. When this discourse culminated with Quebec’s recent adoption of Bill 21—a secular policy prohibiting public servants from wearing religious symbols on duty—Rachel was determined to pursue this line of inquiry. Framed within a discourse on values, Bill 21 is reasoned to address concerns of proselytizing and neutrality—both unsupported by empirical evidence. In her current research, Rachel problematizes these tenets using critical discourse analysis, in order to expose the ideological assumptions underlying Bill 21. With an emphasis on the Muslim veil, she explores how current narratives of belonging, identity, and gender equality contribute to the disenfranchisement of religious minorities in Québec, specifically veiled Muslim women whom the bill disproportionately impacts.

Article Citations:

MLA: Rammal, Rachel. “Diversity Now! Sequins, Style & the End of Gender with Dr. Madison Moore.” Fashion Studies, vol. 2, no. 2, 2020, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.38055/FS020205.

APA: Rammal, R. (2020). Diversity Now! Sequins, Style & the End of Gender with Dr. Madison Moore. Fashion Studies, 2(2), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.38055/FS020205 

Chicago: Rammal, Rachel. “Diversity Now! Sequins, Style & the End of Gender with Dr. Madison Moore.” Fashion Studies 2, no. 2 (2020): 1-10. https://doi.org/10.38055/FS020205.