More female Saudi TV stars this Ramadan

Last updated on: September 6, 2010 at 12:00 am By Guest Contributor

This originally appeared in the Saudi Gazette. Saudi TV dramas are undergoing a revolution with more Saudi actresses than ever before appearing in television serials this Ramadan. While Saudi actresses were once marginalized and relegated to minor roles in Arab TV dramas, they are now appearing in major roles and receiving star billing, Al-Riyadh Arabic daily reported on Sunday. Among those who have recently become famous are: Reem Al-Abdullah, Aghadeer Al-Saeed, Hind Muhammad and Qamar Turk. The appearance of Saudi... Read more

Friday Links — September 3, 2010

Last updated on: September 3, 2010 at 12:00 am By fatemeh

ILLUME highlights the “Wrapping for Literacy” campaign for Senegalese girls. Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, an Indian organization, recently completed a survey on the aspirations of Muslim women. They want to “study, work, explore the world.” Bureaucracy in the West Bank is hindering Palestinian women’s progress. CNN profiles female Omani entrepreneurs. Six Saudi sisters are likely to file a lawsuit against their father for not allowing them to get married. Libya’s new nationality law grants women married to foreign spouses the... Read more

Riz Khan on Afghan Women

Last updated on: September 2, 2010 at 12:00 am By diana

The recent cover of Time magazine featuring the photo of Aisha has sparked debate about the US presence in Afghanistan and what it means for women’s rights there. Here at MMW, the overwhelming sentiment seems to be that the image is yellow journalism at its finest, reinforcing the antiquated rhetoric of “saving women” and exploiting Afghan women by intimating that US occupation has kept Afghan women safe. Riz Khan of Al Jazeera seems to be cognizant of the sensationalistic effects... Read more

Last Say on Niqab Should be From a Woman Who Wears It. Obviously.

Last updated on: September 1, 2010 at 12:00 am By alicia

I took the a brief moment from work to watch a 12-minute segment on BBC’s Newsnight about why British women choose to wear the niqab and why more women are wearing it in unprecedented numbers. Like any Muslim feminist, I hung onto every word and hoped nobody said something that has already been said before, ad nauseam: “Muslim women who cover their faces are deluded and oppressed.” But tonight was a little different: it was a program that provided the... Read more

Regressive Redemption in CII’s Ramadan Serial

Last updated on: August 31, 2010 at 12:00 am By safiyyah

Channel Islam International, often considered to be the “more progressive” Muslim community radio station in Johannesburg, is broadcasting a radio drama series for the month of Ramadan. The show is titled “Redemption Road,” and aims to be a representation of South African Indian Muslim society and its idiosyncrasies while reminding listeners to their often-forgotten purpose in life. While the show does deal with important issues like wife neglect/abuse and teen problems, it is severely stereotypical of Muslim women in a... Read more

The New Pornographers: Operation Iraqi Freedom?

Last updated on: August 30, 2010 at 12:00 am By eren

Few people would agree that pornography has hardly been an indicator of freedom or political stability. Some more would also agree that it is not a universal symbol of advancement or female empowerment. Nonetheless, this week Tarek El-Tablawy, an Associated Press writer, affirmed that pornography availability mirrors Iraq’s improvements in security and politics. More surprising, however, is the fact that many well-known websites published his article with little or no analysis. Websites such as News 1130, National Public Radio, the... Read more

MMW Turns Three Today!

Last updated on: August 29, 2010 at 12:00 am By fatemeh

Salam alaikum, readers! Today is Muslimah Media Watch’s third anniversary! On this day, waaaay back in 2007, we first appeared in the blogosphere! On our third anniversary, we’ve got something new for you: you’ll notice there is now a “Like” button for Facebook and a sharing button for Twitter at the bottom of each of our posts. Take ’em for a test drive! We wouldn’t still be here today without your support as readers and friends. Thank you so much... Read more

Friday Links — August 20, 2010

Last updated on: August 27, 2010 at 12:00 am By fatemeh

Shiva Nazar Ahari has been arrested for “causing unease in the public mind.” Here’s how you can help. How the the Pakistan floods disproportionately affect women. A Muslim woman who sued Disney for refusing to let her wear a headscarf at her job at Disneyland says she has been suspended without pay for turning down the company’s alternatives. More from her lawyer. The BBC reports that cases of FGM in London are increasing. Meanwhile, women who have undergone FGM seek... Read more

Putting Texts in Context: Saudi Text Tagging

Last updated on: August 26, 2010 at 12:00 am By eren

Earlier this month, CNN Expansión reported that the Saudi government aimed to prohibit the Blackberry Messenger service, since it is considered a threat to national security because the service doesn’t allow the government to intercept messages. Blackberry has become very popular among single young people, who use it as a way to connect with men or women in a society where gender segregation is strictly imposed. Although negotiations continue between Blackberry and the government, the government itself is “modernizing” its... Read more

“Report from a Pashtun Teen” in the New York Times

Last updated on: August 25, 2010 at 12:00 am By Azra

After reading Nicholas Kristof and Sheryll WuDunn’s Half the Sky earlier this year, I began to frequent Kristof’s blog at the New York Times website, “On the Ground.” While I found parts of his book lacking in portraying some of the women’s own voices (there are places where women from the developing world are portrayed in the role of the “Other” to a dominant and paternalistic “Western World”), I admired his storytelling ability and emphasis on women’s empowerment. I wanted... Read more