Very seldom does Muslim media produce quality critical analysis of issues facing Muslim women. But emel magazine published a series of articles doing just that to tie in with International Women’s Day, They are, thankfully, not the run-of-the-mill articles about “why hijab” or “how to be the perfect (insert womanly role here)” that a lot of Muslim media is awash with these days. This issue of emel focuses on body image, and in the introduction, Sarah Joseph, a revert to Islam,... Read more
Mona Sahlin, leader of the Swedish Social Democratic party (SAP), is known by many names among her opponents. Though Sahlin is not Muslim, one of the most common nicknames for her is “Mona Muslim.” This appellation might suggest a cartoon character, or perhaps a Sesame Street muppet, but behind it lies a deepening anxiety about levels of immigration in Sweden, which has been profitably tapped into and exploited by right-wing political leaders. Sahlin’s nickname goes back some time, with one... Read more
Kuwaiti novelist Laila al-Othman believes that there is “too much sex” in new Saudi literature. HijabStyle has an interview with the woman behind Birmingham-based Masoomah clothing. The Arab Times gets around to reporting on Divorcee Radio. Islam Online profiles several brave Kenyan Muslim women who have worked for positive change in their communities. Arab News reports that four talented women have been chosen as part of a Saudi delegation to a U.S. entrepreneurship summit. The Greeley Tribune profiles comedian Tissa... Read more
This is an edited version of an article published at Café Pyala. You can read the article in its entirety at their website. Oh, shoot. Here we go again with coverage of Fashion Week in Pakistan. Can we do anything in Pakistan without it being linked in some way to either appeasing the Taliban or kicking sand in their faces? I refer of course to the latest “I-spit-on-the-runway-the-Taliban-sashay-down” type of pieces in the American Christian Science Monitor (titled predictably “Lahore Fashion... Read more
There are certain stories newspapers here in the U.K. love. Anything that can be classed as “a waste of taxpayer’s money” is guaranteed to find its way into print, even more so if it involves something “frivolous” like artwork. And, as has been noticed previously at MMW, the media also has a fascination with Muslim women’s clothing. So if there is a story that combines both these fixations, it’s bound to generate a lot of print. Tower Hamlets Council has... Read more
Welcome to the Islamic freak show! Where women can be bought in bulk, wear one-eyed veils to avert temptation, and brides come with gift receipts! In a sensationalist news article, the BBC covers the unfortunate story of an Arab ambassador that decides to have his marriage annulled upon seeing that his new wife was “cross-eyed and had facial hair.” The article’s terrible title reads: “Dubai court annuls marriage to ‘bearded lady.'” Yikes. Growing up, whenever I heard women in my... Read more
In a reversal of Egypt’s recent trends regarding women in the judiciary, Egypt’s State Council voted this month to ban the appointment of female judges to the council. Despite the fact that Tahani El Gebaly was appointed to be Egypt’s first female judge in 2003, and 31 more women were appointed as judges in 2007, 334 of the 376 council judges voted in favor of the ban. Though Egypt’s Supreme Court has since overturned the ban, the subject has created... Read more
Saudi Arabia is planning to bring in a new law to allow female lawyers to argue cases in court for the first time. There are mixed reactions. More here. The USA Today profiles Iran’s first female Olympic skier, who says she is happy with her performance at the Winter Olympics. Islam Online and The Calgary Herald feature her, as well. Muslim women in Washington, D.C., lead a protest to remove gender partitions in the mosque on Embassy Row. More here.... Read more
Headscarves are the hot talking point in French politics again. But on this occasion, we aren’t talking about girls getting kicked out of high school or women getting kicked out of mayors’ offices. No, the latest uproar comes about Ms. Ilham Moussaïd, a candidate from the New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA) in France’s upcoming regional elections who dares to “visually” identify herself as a Muslim and stand for election. Feminists and politicians are up in arms. While not the first candidate... Read more
Last week, I reviewed Emma Tarlo’s book Visibly Muslim: Fashion, Politics, Faith. This week, I got the chance to speak with her further about the book and her experiences writing it. Sara: Was there any inter-generational tension involving “newer” hijab fashions? Emma Tarlo: With most of the people I interviewed, their mothers did not wear hijab so the parents did not object. In a few cases mothers even adopted hijab following their daughters’ examples. More often, I came across cases... Read more
Muslimah Media Watch
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In