Thread by @monaeltahawy

I often say Muslim women are caught between a rock (Islamophes and racists) and a hard place (community misogynists) and to both I say a big FUCK YOU. This is a horrendous reminder npr.org/2021/04/15/984… h/t @weddady

"Shibly's critics say his alleged actions were shrouded by a culture of silence, rooted partly in Muslim taboos about discussing personal scandals and partly out of fear that the fallout would fuel vicious anti-Muslim hostility."

"When your community is being attacked and diminished and demeaned every single day...it's difficult to invite even more of that," Laila Abdelaziz, who worked under Hassan Shibly at the CAIR Florida chapter. She resigned in 2016 in part because Shibly sexually harassed her.

She said she believes CAIR leaders have failed to adequately address the situation, partly because Muslim communities already face such a barrage of discriminatory and sometimes violent anti-Muslim hate.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations is a "rights watchdog known for defending Muslim civil liberties." Clearly the watchdog needs a watchdog. This is vile and outrageous.

So once again:

Fuck the rock: Islamophobes and racists who want to demonize all Muslims. They don’t give a flying fuck about Muslim women or any women because they’re misogynists too

Fuck the hard place: community misogynists who want to silence anyone exposing abuse.

I wrote this in 2017 about that rock and hard place and how they are a trap presenting near-impossible obstacles for exposing sexual violence google.com/amp/s/www.nyti…

Exhibit A of the rock: Trump, who himself was accused of sexually harassing women and bragged about it. Nevertheless, he used so-called honor crimes & misogyny (which he ascribes to Muslim men) to justify his Muslim ban:

I started #MosqueMeToo fully aware that Islamophobes and racists are all too willing to demonize Muslim men by weaponizing my testimony of sexual assault. And that the “community” of fellow Muslims would rather I shut up about being sexually assaulted google.com/amp/s/www.wash…

And look at this: just like sexual predators hire female lawyers to represent them, look at what CAIR is highlighting as a rebuttal to the NPR expose- ta dah A WOMAN! This is sickening and cowardly h/t @weddady

I will never ally with Islamophobes and racists.

But in the choice between “community” and Muslim women, I will always choose my sisters. washingtonpost.com/news/global-op…