Comments on: Hot Shots: Complex Magazine Ranks Hot Muslim Women

By: Muslimah Media Watch » Feminists in Neverland: Wolf and Chesler Play War

Muslimah Media Watch » Feminists in Neverland: Wolf and Chesler Play War — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:40:49 +0000

[...] To sum up briefly their perspectives, Naomi Wolf thinks that anyone who chose the veil should not be prevented from wearing it because behind the veils of some women she met in Morocco, Jordan and Egypt, she found out that they were “sexy”: Muslims can be hot, too! [...]

By: Melinda

Melinda — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:46:57 +0000

I think Nissa pretty much sums it up with “its a nice little ‘they are barbarians lets mock their beliefs and sexualise their women who go against their barbarianism and we will accept with open arms as long as they are hot’ type thing…”

And seconding Sobia’s comment about the sexualization of all women. You only need to spend ten minutes on any men’s website to see that there are ALL kinds of lists, and that a category like “Muslim women” (or “Vietnamese women” or “women in boxing” or “female investors” or whatever it may be) is only an excuse to post objectifying photos with snarky, misogynistic commentary. It’s definitely not about Muslim women as it is about just plain objectifying women. The Muslim angle does, however, provide the opportunity to sneak in some stereotypes and Islamophobic jabs passed off as humor.

By: Twitted by DeafMuslim

Twitted by DeafMuslim — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 11:34:48 +0000

[...] This post was Twitted by DeafMuslim [...]

By: Person

Person — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:55:17 +0000

Wait, Iman and Campell mix up?

Oh wait, I keep forgetting that all Muslim women are interchangeable, all black women, women of color, and women in general interchangeable which akes it okay because Iman and Campbell are like triple interchangeable or something.

By: Ayeshter

Ayeshter — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:24:33 +0000

I think the problem here is this article is just re-enforcing the long held streo-types of Muslim Women, and let’s face it, ethnic women in general as being sexually willing a docile. Although Muslim women have been the long held targets (look at all the classical paintings depicting “harem” life…need I saw more), this is not unique to them. Asian women and black women, for example, have long had to contend with these expectations as well.

By: rochelle

rochelle — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:25:34 +0000

Sobia — agreed. thanks for articulating better than i could.

By: Sobia

Sobia — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:23:15 +0000

I think what Rochelle and Salman may be getting at is that this is something that is done to all women. For instance, this sentence:

“What makes this article so offensive to me in particular, is the fact that they are fetishizing these women based upon a stereotype of Muslim women being seen and not heard.”

This is not unique to Muslim women. This is the premise of sexualizing all women, Muslim and non-Muslim. All women, when sexualized, are to be seen and not heard. I don’t see the pictures as being based on this stereotype of Muslim women. Rather, that is the nature of the beast of sexualizing and dehumanizing women everywhere.

Now, some of those comments definitely are based on stereotypes.

By: Emily

Emily — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:11:59 +0000

I just wanted to add that it bothers me that people are “okay” with lists like this because it’s in a “men’s magazine.” Does that make it better? Are we just so desensitized to men’s mags portraying ALL women in a horribly sexist manner?

Obviously, not everyone is fine with it (from the comments), but it’s a bit sad to see the general disregard for common decency.

By: A Desire To Look « The Granada Blog

A Desire To Look « The Granada Blog — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:49:17 +0000

[...] could not write an entire piece on this list of the the hottest Muslim women in the world , but Muslima Media Watch has written a good post on it so check it out. I myself could not help but make a comment on [...]

By: A Desire To Look « Nuseiba

A Desire To Look « Nuseiba — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:35:52 +0000