Cover image via Jurgen AugusteynsSelfies have often been seen as a symbol of narcissism, with people who take selfies termed as vain. But this notion is slowly changing.
While most of the times selfies are for fun, they are increasingly being used as a form of political expression, whether it is a feminist cause or a religious one.
Meet Zakia Belkhiri, a Muslim woman, who used selfies as a tool against protesters from the right-wing Flemish party Vlaams Belang
Image via Jurgen Augusteyns
Protesters from Vlaams Belang were protesting at last weekend's annual Muslim Expo in Antwerp, Belgium. The anti-Muslim protesters had gathered outside the Expo holding signs bearing messages like "Stop Muslim Fascism" and "No headscarf".
They also tried to hand out pork sausages to Muslims passing by.
Image via Jurgen Augusteyns
Image via Jürgen Augusteyns
So 22-year-old hijab-wearing Zakia Belkhiri, who wasn't having any of it, decided to take some cheerfully defiant selfies with the protesters. Photographer Jürgen Augusteyns captured her doing so, whose photos went viral after being published by Vice.
Image via Jürgen Augusteyns
Later, while speaking with BuzzFeed News, Zakia Belkhiri said that "she took the pictures to show that 'we can live together, not [just] next to each other, but with each other'".
Image via Jürgen Augusteyns
Meanwhile, photographer Jürgen Augusteyns, who took Belkhiri's photos in action, told BuzzFeed News: "I knew the moment this happened the images would have … impact. There's no violence nor insults involved, so she got her point across in a very effective way."
BuzzFeed News further quoted him as saying that the picture made "a [strong] statement, especially for the Muslim community in Belgium.
Image via Jürgen Augusteyns
