As musicians, politicians and fans remember Sinead O’Connor, some Muslims are disappointed that the Irish singer and lifelong activist’s religious identity is not being highlighted in tributes.
UK police on Wednesday said the 56-year-old was found unresponsive in her London residence on Wednesday and that there her death was not being treated as suspicious.
Since the news of her death, Muslim fans of the 90s superstar have said her conversion to Islam, a cornerstone of her identity, was inspiring, but that some media reports have failed to note her religious beliefs in obituaries.
O’Connor, whose chart-topping hit “Nothing Compares 2 U” helped her reach global stardom, converted to Islam in 2018.
“This is to announce that I am proud to have become a Muslim. This is the natural conclusion of any intelligent theologian‘s journey. All scripture study leads to Islam. Which makes all other scriptures redundant,” the songstress tweeted on October 19, 2018.
At that time, O’Connor tweeted selfies donning the Muslim headscarf, the hijab, and uploaded a video of her reciting the Islamic call to prayer, the azan.
She took on the Muslim name Shuhada’ Davitt – later changing it to Shuhada Sadaqat – but continued to use the name Sinead O’Connor professionally.
One social media user said imagery of the singer without the hijab points to the glaring lack of Muslim reporters in newsrooms.
Meanwhile, some said that O’Connor was an inspiration for queer Muslims globally.
In 2000, she came out as a lesbian during an interview. But the singer, who was married to multiple men throughout her life, later said that her sexuality was fluid and that she did not believe in labels.
Some found joy in O’Connor’s conversion growing up, seeing themselves represented, while others, just learning about her Muslim identity at the news of her death, also took inspiration.
O’Connor was no stranger to controversy.
A lifelong nonconformist, she was outspoken about religion, feminism, and war, as well as her own addiction and mental health issues.
In 2014, she refused to play in Israel.
“Let’s just say that, on a human level, nobody with any sanity, including myself, would have anything but sympathy for the Palestinian plight. There’s not a sane person on earth who in any way sanctions what the f*** the Israeli authorities are doing,” she told Hot Press, an Irish music magazine.
Her iconic shaved head and shapeless wardrobe defied early 90s popular culture’s notions of femininity and sexuality.
In 1992, she ripped up a photo of Pope John Paul II during a television appearance on Saturday Night Live, vocal against the Catholic Church’s history of child abuse.
The late former star was also a firm supporter of a united Ireland, under which the United Kingdom would relinquish control of Northern Ireland.
Let's help people remember her Muslim identity then, I'll start:
I think she was a complicated person who struggled in a lot of ways, but she did apologize for saying this...https://people.com/music/sinead-oconnor-apologizes-saying-white-people-disgusting/
I'll never understand the switch to Islam though, but then again, I'll probably never understand why anyone chooses any religion either -- Especially someone who took the kinds of positions she had taken earlier in life. People are complicated. I won't hold that against her.
On second thought, I have nothing useful to add to this topic.
Existence is very scary. The randomness of it all, the indifference of the universe, how little we matter, the finality of death… not everyone can cope with this stuff. Religion provides hope and comfort to them.
I mean I wish we’d move past religion, but I don’t think it’ll ever happen. Being alive is fucking terrifying.
You might feel like just a small grain of sand, but the beach is fucking beautiful.
She clarified why she did that in an interview. It's quite funny.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibmsdJ5R0b0
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As a queer person, I COMPLETELY understand her sentiment here. I don’t agree with it, but I understand it.
Are you telling me I shouldn't move to an African country? That's kind of racist.
Sounds absolutely exhausting
She was angry for getting a lot of Islamophobia. It's racism yeah but only in a very literal sense that doesn't hurt white people. It's not that hard to understand.
It's always the most racist asshole who believe "reverse racism" is a thing, always desperate to be the victim, never willing to acknowledge how they actively victimise already marginalised people constantly.
Yeah lol who said anything about "good racism"? Lemmy really is like the old Reddit, can't say I missed "reverse racism" concern trolls.
Exactly how she wanted it to be perceived. She was protesting racism against the non-whites.
Context: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibmsdJ5R0b0
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When I spend a lot of time around non-queer people (although even some cisgender gay people get in my nerves too) it gets to be really difficult for me. You’re constantly hiding parts of who you are, or getting sideways looks, or other things that tell you that they really don’t “get” you. You feel constantly judged and on the outside. It makes it difficult to not have at least a quick chat with someone who does understand.
How does she still have white fans? You'd have to be so self-hating to be a fan of hers.
Why should that be an issue? As if Black people can't be HP Lovecraft fans.
I understand the point here, but you realise this is stupid because it legitimises that other idiot's sense of grievance against a supposed 'reverse racism'. Structural reverse racism is impossible because of history.
I don't think it legitimizes that. Fans can be blissfully unaware of an artist's politics. Or better: loving their art in spite of their politics can be empowering. It removes the hate from the art and turns it into a positive force. This has been done over and over again with Lovecraft's work. That took effort, not so much with Sinead's songs, cause her "racist" fit was so impotent to begin with.
I'm a white. A queer. An atheist. And a fan.
White people have a very long & deep history of saying some really nasty shit about non-white people, especially of the muslim faith.
Yeah that’s not just exclusive to white people
of course not, but Sinead... is white. As a white converted Muslim, she was probably hyper aware of the Islamophobia within her own communities, fan base, and just in general.
Her post, while the language was divisive, it was obviously written out of frustration and what she meant is pretty clear & obvious to anyone paying attention to Islamophobia, especially post 9/11 and then again especially during Trump's administration.
She didn’t even convert to Islam until 2018, I doubt Trumps election has anything to do with it considering she’s not even American.
silly to ignore the ripple effects across the globe from the trump administration... We have seen a hard right turn in many countries, many people emboldened by what he said and did. Anti-immigrant, anti-muslim, anti-all kinds of crap. His hate spread far and wide, my friend.
As a global artist (and a divisive one to boot) who traveled the world many times over and had to deal with fans and haters from every culture, Sinead, more than most people, was acutely attuned to many white attitudes.
I hate this "You need to understand and tolerate where their bigiotry is coming from" bullshit. How about no?
In the past she was Islamophobic. Now that she's Muslim she's projecting hate onto white people? Seems like she's just a bigot.
What she said has no consequences at all comparable to what the Iraqis in 2001 had, Muslim immigrants in Europe face, or even the mass shooting in New Zealand.
How about just don't be a fucking bigot?
Yes. My objection is to calling it 'racism', but apparently I misread your comment.
It is racist lol.
By separating the art from the artist.
There's people in every industry who surely have insufferable personalities but they make great art. Enjoying her music doesn't mean you enjoy her as a person ya know
This whole comment section is a cesspit that demonstrates exactly why she felt that way, yet even in death you fuckers just want to keep pilling on.
You are the problem here, not her.
Someone call the cops people are expressing opinions
Especially given this context: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibmsdJ5R0b0
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