2016 was unfortunately marked by dog whistle politics, the rise of the Far Right, and an increase in hate crimes against women and minorities. We are living in increasingly challenging times, and when I speak to everyday grassroots women, they often tell me about their fears for their safety, anxieties about what the future holds, …
“You cannot be a feminist and believe in religion”, a respected colleague who works with women from Middle Eastern and Afghani backgrounds, declared to me two weeks ago, a statement that hurt me a little but wasn’t surprised by as I have often heard it before. The following week I chaired a conference on intersectionality …
Religion and Faith: Important Allies in the fight against Gender-
Based Violence? Read More »
In many communities, DV survivors are encouraged to participate in family mediation in the hope that the matter can be resolved. Whilst the Quran does provide a detailed process for mediation between family members in times of dispute, such a model is designed to serve those in non-abusive situations.
Imagine Hijabi Pillow Talk Nothing quite signals a Twitter storm than Muslims parading with swagger to a Jay-Z soundtrack, Muslims dancing and singing to the Happy tune and now, Noor Tagouri appearing on Playboy. Fear of “compromising” ourselves in the journey of integration whilst straddling Islamic values is a real-life daily phenomenon for many of …
Personally whilst growing up (and still today) I could very rarely identify with the Muslim women that were always being spoken about in the media and by politicians. Perhaps, this is reflective of my somewhat privileged position, but the Muslim women that I knew were motivated and strong both in their careers and in the …
Muslim Women’s Voices: A Muslim Woman Researcher’s Perspective Read More »
“As a woman we must stand up for ourselves.. As a woman we must stand up for each other… As a women we must stand…“ — Qandeel Baloch The tragic murder of the social media celebrity, Qandeel Baloch, is an eye-opener to societal attitudes towards women in Pakistan. This is a case which has divided the …
Qandeel Baloch: an outspoken feminist in a man’s world Read More »
I was betrayed as a child. Betrayed by those I trusted most. They were all in on the betrayal, but it was for my own good. It was to protect me. Or was it to suppress me? Either way, the betrayal was based on assumptions. Assumptions that I would be tempted by the evils of …
My trip to Zara without the kids in tow! Zara seem to have nailed it! I walked around the Brent Cross branch and wanted to buy everything ! This is incredibly unusual for me- generally I hate shopping. I find it awkward and cumbersome. I hate using the mirrors because I don’t see myself in …
Thank you! To all those people in the mosque who bore with us tonight as my son tried – and failed miserably – to learn the art of serenity in prayer; as he lost his balance multiple times and bumped into you trying to stand on one foot while you were trying so hard to …
From The Mother of The Child Who Broke Your Concentration During Tarawih Tonight Read More »
Trigger warning: This letter contains information about sexual assault and violence which may trigger a level of distress. Dear Community, My catalogue of transgressions began at the age of 14 when I was raped by a group of older teenage boys who had lured me away from the local youth centre for a game of …
An Open Letter to British Asians From Survivor Sara Karim Read More »