On Muslim Women, Feminism, and Diversity of Experiences

Last updated on: July 16, 2009 at 12:00 am By Krista

Rabble.ca, an alternative news source in Canada, recently posted a podcast that was originally broadcast on Co-Op Radio in Vancouver, on their show “The F Word,” which looks at feminist issues. Entitled “Islam, women and feminisms,” this segment features interviews with two Canadian Muslim women, Itrath Syed and Farzana Doctor. The host of the show talking about the prevalence of images of Muslims in media and popular culture, especially post-9/11, and the need to look critically at these. She spoke... Read more

Fair and Balanced: the BBC Burqa Debates

Last updated on: July 15, 2009 at 12:00 am By safiyyah

In the wake of the Sarkozy-Burqa fiasco, last week the BBC radio aired a show on the Women’s Hour program discussing the topic. It is definitely worth a listen, as two strong viewpoints are voiced. The presenter, Jane is joined by Um Abdullah, who wears the burqa and Maryam Namazie, who wants it banned. Emma Jane-Kirby, the BBC’s Correspondent in France, explains the background. Kirby first provided a summary of Sarkozy’s speech and brought up very pertinent points surrounding his... Read more

The Media’s Love Affair with Rebiya Kadeer and the Uighurs

Last updated on: July 14, 2009 at 12:00 am By yusra

Uighur Women in the Spotlight The media loves Uighur women. They give them lots of margins, and inches on front pages. They plaster their photos and quote them favorably. In prominent photo spreads, they marvel at their exotic traditional attire. They sympathize with their struggle against the brutal, ruthless Communist China. Looking at the photos and pairing them with the numerous mainstream accounts of the Uighurs’ struggle suggests (to even the casual follower of news) that Islam is not about... Read more

How Do You Soak Yours: Burqa Apparently Soaked in Blood

Last updated on: July 13, 2009 at 12:00 am By Lara Alamad

This originally appeared on Safiya’s blog Outlines. A lot of the discourse of Muslim women both here and elsewhere concerns the battle to speak for ourselves. To define our religion, our beliefs on our terms, without the headpatting and correcting of outsiders. Fatemeh’s post at Altmuslimah gives a thorough outline of the usual mistakes made by those who seek to defend Muslim women, without actually listening to them. How disappointing to view an article on The Guardian website, Rahila Gupta... Read more

Friday Links — July 10, 2009

Last updated on: July 10, 2009 at 12:00 am By fatemeh

The New York Times reports on the headscarf’s rise as a political symbol in Indonesia. Women in Turkey take back the night. A Palestinian journalist claims that Hamas arrested her while she was at the beach. The man who murdered Banaz Mahmood will be extradited to stand trial for her rape and murder. More on the death of Marwa el-Sherbini: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. Plus more here. Aafia Siddiqui appeared... Read more

Living in Denial: The Tragic Murder of Marwa el-Sherbini

Last updated on: July 9, 2009 at 12:00 am By sobia

By now many Muslims have heard of the tragic murder of Marwa el-Sherbini, mother, daughter, wife, pharmacist, who lived in Germany while her husband completed his Ph.D. May God give her peace and grant her paradise. According to the BBC: Marwa Sherbini, 31, was stabbed 18 times by Axel W, who is now under arrest in Dresden for suspected murder. Husband Elwi Okaz is also in a critical condition in hospital, after being injured as he tried to save his... Read more

Hide No More: Dutch Ad Campaign Targets Discrimination Against Hijabis

Last updated on: July 8, 2009 at 12:00 am By faith

A recent anti-discrimination campaign in the Netherlands is using a poster of a hijabi, whose face is hidden behind the photo of a non-hijabi, as part of an advertising campaign to fight discrimination. The poster appears at bus stops, and says “Do you have to let yourself at home when going out?” At first, I was confused by what the poster meant. Was it saying that Muslim women who cover were hiding themselves or that Dutch society was making hijabis... Read more

Setting the Record Straight: A Follow-Up on Niqabs and Voting

Last updated on: July 7, 2009 at 12:00 am By Krista

Originally posted at Muslim Lookout The Canadian government has (finally) decided to lay to rest its plans to introduce legislation that would force women who wear niqab (fabric that covers their faces) to show their faces when voting. This comes as a relief, not so much because of the actual legislation, but because of the amazing amount of misinformation that has surrounded the discussions – both in the media and in political spheres – about this issue for the past... Read more

GSU vs. Hijab: the (Mis)Education of Slma Shelbayah

Last updated on: July 6, 2009 at 12:25 pm By yusra

The state of Georgia, which just last year infamously jailed a woman for wearing a hijab in a courtroom, is now under controversy again: this time Georgia State University is discriminating against a former student and visiting instructor. The start of the bullying began when Dr. Mary Stuckey, a senior faculty member in the communications department asked Slma Shelbayah, a GSU alum and former Arabic instructor, if she was carrying any bombs under her headscarf. This account breaks down the... Read more

WTF picture of the week.

Last updated on: July 6, 2009 at 12:00 am By fatemeh

I saw this on Bitch magazine’s blog. Kjerstin Johnson posted a great takedown of Dina Goldstein’s “Fallen Princesses” series for JP Magazine, which basically uses Disney princesses and puts them in “modern day scenarios.” Read more