http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2007/12/muslim-women-learning-to-defend-themselves-what-a-joke-2/ Looking at Muslim women in the media and pop culture Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:07:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2007/12/muslim-women-learning-to-defend-themselves-what-a-joke-2/#comment-303 Melinda Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:29:00 +0000 http://muslimahmediawatch.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/muslim-women-learning-to-defend-themselves-what-a-joke-2/#comment-303 I absolutely agree about self-defense. This quarter I took a women's self-defense class and it was amazingly empowering, not just in learning how to defend myself but also in challenging my ideas about how I (and women) should act in general (what is "rude," etc.). I would recommend all women take a self-defense class. Empowering women to be confident and assertive is incredibly important.As for the ninjabi issue... I agree that the writer introduces the topic with a definite overtone of belittlement ("Haha, Muslim women are becoming ninjas!"). Just in the lead it's clear Khan doesn't take the issue seriously, and the fact that the niqab contributes to this attitude is certainly offensive. However, I think niqabi women might embrace the "ninjabi" concept because of other reasons. Right now the ninja is "cool"; the niqab is decidedly not. For a woman who wears the niqab to laugh about it as being ninja attire might make her seem more human, less alien, to a ninja-embracing society, even despite the other connotations of ninja. I absolutely agree about self-defense. This quarter I took a women’s self-defense class and it was amazingly empowering, not just in learning how to defend myself but also in challenging my ideas about how I (and women) should act in general (what is “rude,” etc.). I would recommend all women take a self-defense class. Empowering women to be confident and assertive is incredibly important.As for the ninjabi issue… I agree that the writer introduces the topic with a definite overtone of belittlement (“Haha, Muslim women are becoming ninjas!”). Just in the lead it’s clear Khan doesn’t take the issue seriously, and the fact that the niqab contributes to this attitude is certainly offensive. However, I think niqabi women might embrace the “ninjabi” concept because of other reasons. Right now the ninja is “cool”; the niqab is decidedly not. For a woman who wears the niqab to laugh about it as being ninja attire might make her seem more human, less alien, to a ninja-embracing society, even despite the other connotations of ninja.

]]> http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2007/12/muslim-women-learning-to-defend-themselves-what-a-joke-2/#comment-302 claire Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:03:00 +0000 http://muslimahmediawatch.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/muslim-women-learning-to-defend-themselves-what-a-joke-2/#comment-302 This is totally unsurprising. As I learned when I took a self-defense class, many people are uncomfortable with the idea of any woman being able to defend herself. Unfortunately, that these women are Muslim only adds to their discomfort. I completely agree that this needs to be part of the school curriculum. This is totally unsurprising. As I learned when I took a self-defense class, many people are uncomfortable with the idea of any woman being able to defend herself. Unfortunately, that these women are Muslim only adds to their discomfort. I completely agree that this needs to be part of the school curriculum.

]]> http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2007/12/muslim-women-learning-to-defend-themselves-what-a-joke-2/#comment-301 Safiya Outlines Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:01:00 +0000 http://muslimahmediawatch.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/muslim-women-learning-to-defend-themselves-what-a-joke-2/#comment-301 Salaam Alaikum,I've heard of these clases before and indeed the women have no problem with the ninjabi tag, I guess because 1, Ninjas are cool and 2, more importantly it's a kind of reclaimation of the term. Salaam Alaikum,I’ve heard of these clases before and indeed the women have no problem with the ninjabi tag, I guess because 1, Ninjas are cool and 2, more importantly it’s a kind of reclaimation of the term.

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