Friday Links | November 15, 2013

Last updated on: November 15, 2013 at 12:30 am By anneke

A survey by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, which includes the opinions of gender experts, suggests that Egypt is the worst country for women in the Arab world. Of the 22 countries reviewed, Comoros was considered to be the best. Iraq and Saudi Arabia were placed in 21st and 20th positions, respectively. Developments in Turkey have been making the headlines over the past few weeks. The last move by the Turkish prime minister to speak out against mixed gender dorms has received a flood of... Read more

The Snore Heard ‘Round the World

Last updated on: November 14, 2013 at 3:17 am By nicolejhm

A few days ago, my Facebook newsfeed was awash with people sharing articles about a new billboard that just went up in Los Angeles. It depicts a male American soldier embracing a woman wearing a niqab. The billboard is for a product called SnoreStop, and it also displays the hashtag #betogether. Um…okay. Despite the buzz, the ad doesn’t catalyze brand recognition for me. Thus, I suppose in my case, the purpose of the ad is defeated. I can tell you... Read more

A Hijabi in Healthcare: The Story of Dr. Lailiyya

Last updated on: November 11, 2013 at 7:02 pm By afia

The recent debates on Quebec’s Charter of Values and on hijabis in Singaporean workplaces remind me of a woman that I know. Her name is Dr. Lailiyya. She was born in a small town in Java, the youngest girl of twelve children. When she was little, she suffered from polio. Her poor parents were unable to obtain medication for her, so little Lailiyya grew up with a deformed leg. In order for her to be able to attend school, Lailiyya’s... Read more

“I Wasn’t Always Dressed Like This”: A Documentary Exploring Hijab as a Choice

Last updated on: November 11, 2013 at 6:50 pm By samya

The concept of wearing hijab tends to stir controversy around the world, especially in the media. For some, hijab may be a piece of cloth that women wear as part of social traditions; for some others, it is a form of religious devoutness; yet, for others, it is a symbol of oppression and injustice towards Muslim women. While some women are forced to wear hijab by their husbands, brothers, or fathers, others do it voluntarily. This is the central theme... Read more

Friday Links | November 8, 2013

Last updated on: November 8, 2013 at 12:01 am By anneke

The story of 13-year-old Eva, a Shi’ite girl from Lebanon, who was forced to marry a stranger, highlights the overall plight of some Lebanese women struggling for justice. Marvel Comics introduces a new female Muslim superhero: Kamala Khan, a teenage girl from Jersey, USA. Several Egyptian groups are denouncing certain Egyptian movies, some very popular predominantly among adolescents, that are degrading to women. IPS shares the story of Syrian refugee Amani, who felt she had no other choice than to marry... Read more

Sexy Fun and What’s Up with “Halal” Sex Shops

Last updated on: November 6, 2013 at 5:29 pm By eren

Growing up in Mexico, immersed in a culture that debated “Western” values and was skeptical of its imports, I spent my early years in a society that taught me from the beginning that my sexuality was not mine, but someone else’s. Even when the institution of marriage started to crumble and common-law unions became more common, women’s sexuality was still viewed as taboo and their pleasure was considered unimportant. I actually recall my best friend’s grandma, in elementary school, telling... Read more

On Sexual Violence and Media Portrayal in Pakistan

Last updated on: November 4, 2013 at 11:00 pm By merium

Years ago, loose gravel on a trail up Margalla Hills landed me in the emergency room with a sprained ankle. All I remember at the time was the excruciating pain radiating from my ankle and worrying if it was broken and whether I’d be able catch a plane on time to return to university. My mother and I were waiting for the doctor to finally see us when we heard a commotion in the main foyer. A muffled siren could... Read more

Tudung or Not Tudung?: Hijabis in Singaporean Workplaces

Last updated on: November 4, 2013 at 10:56 pm By syahirah

In Singapore, the hijab is more commonly referred to with the Malay word ‘tudung’, which simply means a covering. In October this year, a petition was started on Avaaz.org by a “Syafiqah K.” to allow Muslim women in Singapore to wear tudung (hijab) in the workplace. It aimed to reach 20,000 signatures, but was closed down recently with about 7600 signatures short of its goal. It was originally planned to be sent to several figures in the government. As of... Read more

Survival and Shame in “Corona” by Bushra Rehman

Last updated on: November 4, 2013 at 12:58 am By shireen

“Being free from shame is a beautiful freedom” Corona is Bushra Rehman’s riveting first novel. The first sentence of the book begins by smashing assumptions; we think “Corona” and think alcoholic beverage. Well, I certainly do. But that’s not what Rehman is writing about. “Corona, and I’m not talking about the beer. I’m talking about a little village perched between under the number 7 train in Queens between Junction Boulevard and 111th St.” Corona is a close community in Queens,... Read more

Friday Links | November 1, 2013

Last updated on: October 31, 2013 at 11:38 pm By anneke

The bodies of at least 87 migrants, predominantly women and children, have been found in the Sahara desert in Niger, close the Algerian border. They died earlier this month in a failed attempt to reach the Algerian border; 21 migrants of the same group survived and have all been returned to Niger. Complaints about anti-Islamic ads on buses in Edmonton, Canada, have resulted in the removal of all five ads. The ads were targeting Muslim girls and young women and linking them... Read more