From Bride to Wife: The Women of Patriarchal Muslim Men

Last updated on: September 1, 2013 at 12:36 pm By eren

Since my conversion to Islam, I have struggled with depictions of Muslim brides and wives in the mainstream Western media. From the images of famous non-Muslim women marrying famous Muslim men to the images of “pious” Chechen women sacrificing themselves for Syrian rebels, portrayals of Muslim brides and wives in mainstream Western media sources often depict two types of stories: either melodramatic romance novels or horror tales. I was often left to wonder, is that all there is for Muslim... Read more

Friday Links | August 30, 2013

Last updated on: August 29, 2013 at 11:35 pm By anneke

The hijab campaign after the attack of a woman in hijab has divided Sweden; some critics say that the campaign a symbol of oppression. Meanwhile, the pregnant Muslim woman has been attacked again, according to Stockholm police. A French teenager who was assaulted by skinheads earlier this month for wearing the hijab has attempted to commit suicide by jumping off a building. WeNews speaks to several women in Turkey about their concerns about the recent statements by the Turkish prime minister in favor of... Read more

Privilege and Prayer Spaces: An Interview with Hind Makki of Side Entrance

Last updated on: August 28, 2013 at 11:59 pm By shireen

“I am airing dirty laundry, because it needs to get washed” – Hind Makki “Children of Adam, take your pleasantness to every Mosque.” (Qur’an 7:31) How often have we as Muslim women been enthusiastic about praying in a new space, and have attended a new masjid only to be discouraged by the lack of accommodation, area or accessibility for female worshippers? How often have we been pleasantly surprised by the well-lit rooms and inviting, comfortable spaces for female worshippers? An... Read more

Islamic Scholarship and the Muslimah: A Reaction to Dr. Amina Wadud’s Cancelled Engagement by the University of Madras

Last updated on: August 27, 2013 at 9:58 pm By amina

At the end of July, American Islamic Scholar Amina Wadud was scheduled to speak at the University of Madras. Her engagement was cancelled by the university at the 11th hour, in the midst of confusion after the city’s police force alleged unnamed threats of violence, suggested her appearance had earlier precipitated riots in Tamil Nadu (flatly false, as she has never spoken there before), and refused to offer security. The University of Madras’s decision elicited a slew of sensational headlines... Read more

Miss Malaysia – Not for Muslims?

Last updated on: August 26, 2013 at 9:25 am By syahirah

Beauty pageants have gotten a bad rap over the years for objectifying women by putting them on parade and privileging their looks over their personality or brains. Some pageants have actively tried to change this idea, by including a talent segment, and making charity work an increasingly bigger part of the winners’ duties. One such pageant for Muslim women was the 2011 Indonesian Muslimah Beauty competition, which emphasised women who “don hijab, have Internet and technology capabilities, Qur’an-reciting proficiencies, and... Read more

On Portrayals of Indonesian Muslim Women: In Search of the Missing Pictures

Last updated on: August 20, 2013 at 10:02 pm By afia

There are a number of reasons why I decided to contribute to this blog. One of them was because sometimes I find myself in a no-(wo)man’s land when it comes to media portrayals of Indonesian Muslim women in general. Years ago, I came across this meme about hijabs. The image on the bottom left struck me as a familiar stereotype of Indonesian women, one that is most especially notable in the Middle East: that of the lowly-educated housemaids. My mother,... Read more

Friday Links | August 23, 2013

Last updated on: August 22, 2013 at 1:02 pm By anneke

After a pregnant woman in hijab was assaulted and harassed in Stockholm, Sweden, Swedish women and men took to social media wearing headscarves to show support. Last Tuesday, the Swedish Minister of Justice met with activists demanding action. A Somali woman alleges that she has been abducted, drugged and gang-raped by African Union peacekeepers; a recent report by the UN suggests that rape and gender-based violence are on the rise in Somalia. A plan to make female high school students in... Read more

Women’s Involvement Is Nothing New

Last updated on: February 24, 2014 at 11:22 pm By Yasmeen Nizamy

When you google the possible variations of these words: Women, Role & Arab Spring, you will be faced with massive numbers of articles, studies and interviews that examine thoroughly women’s involvement in the Arab Spring. The prevalent sentiment of such works revolves around how it’s newsworthy that “Women played an active role during the Arab Spring” or “Women have emerged as key players in the Arab spring”. What I read between lines is: It’s unbelievable to find you among the... Read more

Pink Burqas, Gagas and Madonnas

Last updated on: August 20, 2013 at 9:57 pm By eren

It gets me every time… it makes me upset and irrationally angry. The stereotyping, the orientalist exoticism and the appropriation are only some of the things that go on when niqab, hijabs and “Muslim clothing” in general is used for profit by non-Muslim Western stars. Today M.I.A., who was once described by Time Magazine as wearing “one of the most controversial garments of our era” while wearing a niqab, is no longer “unique.” In early July, Madonna published pictures of... Read more

An Interview with “Haldol and Hyacinths” author Melody Moezzi

Last updated on: August 20, 2013 at 12:18 am By Azra

I recently read Melody Moezzi’s new memoir, Haldol and Hyacinths: A Bipolar Life. In the book, Moezzi bravely portrays her diagnosis with bipolar disorder, focusing briefly before her mental illness is diagnosed through to a point when she receives an accurate diagnosis and treatment. While much of the book hauntingly illustrates the incredible highs and lows associated with the illness, Moezzi also depicts life outside the disorder: her relationship with her supportive family, her love for her unwavering husband, and... Read more