It’s alive and well. You just haven’t noticed. Feminists across the world are fighting battles you’ve never seen in the West.
They’re imprisoned in #Iran for removing their hijab. They’re imprisoned in #SaudiArabia for driving or pushing for the abolition of laws against women.
They’re fighting for laws that protect women and value their lives in #Kuwait, where men who ‘honor kill’ their sisters and wives get a perfunctory three years in prison.
They’re in the streets of #Pakistan literally risking their lives to say ‘stop raping us’.
This is why I’m writing a book called Forgotten Feminists. Because ppl here are so caught up in intersectional ‘discourse’ that they forgot that women’s lives are actually in danger across the globe. Girls are denied educations, get their genitals cut, forced into child marriages
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This is why I get so upset at Western support of misogynist constraints on Muslim women. There are many girls who are in a tug-of-war between two world views. Your support of hijab pushes girls further into an honor and shame culture they could potentially escape.
As I’ve said in articles and interviews, first-generation girls like me are now getting the same msgs inside AND outside the home. There’s no reprieve. At least in my day, there were feminist icons to show us why purity culture was toxic. Today those icons support our subjugation
Many Muslims denounce the violence, homophobia, misogyny etc in their religion and choose to cherry pick those parts out. And that’s great. But the uncomfortable reality remains that ppl who want to engage in those acts have religious justification to support them.
This preamble from Bari before a talk w her and Ayaan is poignant. Apparently only some “women of color” speaking about our “authentic experiences” matter.
Zero. The answer is zero. There are no female Imams in the UK. Just answer the question. Such a cringe and transparent commitment to dishonesty and obfuscation
Hopefully there are Muslim women willing to push back against the misogynistic edicts that prohibit women from the role
“I can't just leave my house and go shopping. If it wasn't for police protection I wouldn't be able to do my work at all. Without police protection you can't even voice your opinion, not even in #Germany."
Examples of slut-shaming: the hijab perpetuates the toxic myth that women who wear it are good and clean and pure and women who do not are filthy whores.
Growing up steeped in fear taught me a very valuable lesson: don’t.
Take precautions, prepare for contingencies, be careful, be smart, but don’t live in fear. Live in power. If you’re not happy w your life, then change your life. Decide what you want, and then make it happen.
Sorry if that sounds trite-but it’s important to remember. We got bombarded w those msgs as GenX. It was in our movies and music and after school specials. The idea of grit and fight has been replaced w victimhood. One is active and powerful, the other is passive and powerless.
And here’s where the mob comes for me...I include this pandemic. Don’t live in fear of this virus. Wear a mask, keep your distance, wash your hands-but go out and feed squirrels in your local park. Have a snowman competition w your neighbors. Stop waiting to live again. Live now.