Comments on: We want more of the oppressed, helpless Muslim woman

By: How to Write about Muslims (for real) at Racialicious - the intersection of race and pop culture

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:00:32 +0000

[...] two posts by Faith go into more detail about what is wrong with making these [...]

By: How to Write About Muslims «

How to Write About Muslims « — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 04:47:43 +0000

[...] two posts by Faith go into more detail about what is wrong with making these [...]

By: How to Write about Muslims (for real) « Muslimah Media Watch

How to Write about Muslims (for real) « Muslimah Media Watch — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:07:18 +0000

[...] two posts by Faith go into more detail about what is wrong with making these [...]

By: The Girl Detective

The Girl Detective — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 04:46:00 +0000

Well said.

By: Zayna

Zayna — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:52:00 +0000

“At worst, you have another documentary about multiculturalism leaning heavily towards Islamic mores and values which is enough for viewers to scramble for the tv controls”Or maybe not. I don’t agree with your terms. Your terms seem to say that Muslim women (who are of course more than just Muslim) must bury their Islam to be acceptable. So if a woman draws her values and mores from a love and knowledge of Qur’an or from a serious interrogation of Hadith she should not speak. To me this is just another form of silencing. Yes, I am more than just a Muslim but I refuse to lose my religion to make people (including feminists) comfortable.

By: Zeynab

Zeynab — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:43:00 +0000

Anonymous #1, this blog and its contributors operate under the idea that there are interpretations of Islam that are empowering to Muslim women and treat women as equals, despite the many patriarchal interpretations. Assuming that a woman can’t be a practicing Muslim AND do whatever she wants in life (particularly in the West, which is what Faith is talking about) demeans the women who do just this. It also violates our comment policy. First/last warning.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:27:00 +0000

I think the article Sakura Kiss is referring to was written by Mohja Kahf, and can be found here: http://www.islamicamagazine.com/issue-17/on-being-a-muslim-woman-writer-in-the-west.html. Would just like to say that I’m a huge fan of Muslimah Media Watch, even as one of those white, Western, non-Muslim feminists. Coming from a post-colonialist angle, I’m quite strongly aware of the problems with Western feminism and the way it tends to deal with non-Western women and their priorities and traditions. I think this blog offers great critiques of a field that sorely needs it. I would strongly hope that Western feminism(s) can get away from its/their tendency towards colonisation – and there is some work being done in that direction – and blogs like this one do really contribute towards that.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:34:00 +0000

Faith, if Ayaan and Apg have valid stories, then why is their message not valid too? Ayaan doesn’t generalize against all Muslims, how can she? These girls know full well that it is Muslim women calling for change who are in the gravest danger of all.When you say Muslim women in the media, I assume you are talking about Muslim women who define themselves as something existential to simply being Muslima- wich is reductionist in the extreme. What would be the point of that? Muslim girl detectives, single mums, lesbian Muslimas, Muslima athletes, Muslimas doing whatever you want, yes, we need to see that, as these girls needs strong and positive role models and society needs to break down stereotypes. They can not get that through any traditionally Islamic incorporation into their media role.If you try to do it on Islamic “terms” at best you end up with a petty bourgeois figure who is a businesswoman who combines her imam, great, but that’s as weedling as something the Conservative right would produce; and you say you are against the right, no? At worst, you have another documentary about multiculturalism leaning heavily towards Islamic mores and values which is enough for viewers to scramble for the tv controls. Islamic inclusion therefore is a very limiting and unnecceasry piece of baggage to the self expression Muslim women need to show they are indeed- more than victims and the angry oppressed. Until you accept that, anti Muslim rad fems like the Pakistani Heretical Girl will always sell their books.

By: Faith

Faith — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:35:00 +0000

Thanks for the comments! To anon: Zeynab basically summed up my response. Hirsi Ali’s story is valid. I’m not dismissing the struggles she went through. I wasn’t disputing that. However, her story and stories like hers shouldn’t be the only stories we hear about Muslim women nor should her story be used for political purposes by Western conservatives seeking to force Muslim women into one mold.

By: Sakura Kiss

Sakura Kiss — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:57:00 +0000

You’re post has made me realize something. Since there seems to be a market for Muslim women authors,( I read this article from Islmaica Magazine I believe) it discusses how it seems that her work has to be either the Victim and the Escapee. It’s very difficult for a Muslim woman who has something different to say to try to get her work published. Yeah, it seems that when there are stories of Muslim women who aren’t oppressed or victimized in any way, no one seems really all that interested.