What resonated with Bilal was the differential treatment he had in airports compared to his non-Muslim traveling companions. His traveling companions were able to use the self-check-in kiosks, while Bilal was unable to do so. Passengers who are allowed to enjoy the full privileges of citizenship may still experience the inconvenience of long lines at security checkpoints where they have to take their shoes off and pull out their laptops, but they are not isolated from the rest of the passengers on a regular basis and interrogated by TSA agents. Bilal's Muslim name triggers suspicion even though he no longer identifies as a Muslim, revealing how this interaction is best described as racial as opposed to religious discrimination. Bilal is not discriminated against because of his beliefs, but rather his body is essentialized as a threat because his Muslim name categorizes him as a potential terrorist.

DEFINE: Distinguishes racial from religious discrimination: discrimination here operates on an essentialized body, not on actual belief or identity.

Saher Selod, Forever Suspect_ Racialized…, loc. 181