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Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'
It's Not About the Burqa: Muslim Women on Faith, Feminism, Sexuality and Race by Mariam Khan
5 reviews
atuin's review against another edition
informative
reflective
4.0
A fascinating look at the challenges Muslim women face, both from Islamaphobic outsiders and ultraconservative insiders who push a patriarchal version of Islam upon women. All the narrators go to great lenghts explaining how Islam is not inherently oppressive to women, and the oppressive aspects have more to do with local culture than faith. Some of the most interesting discussions for me were on how anxiety and fear regarding sex harms male/female relations, the problem of non licensed marriages in the U.K, and how deviating from what is acceptable (like supporting Palestine) will result in slander and accusations of being regressive. One point off because some of the narration was strange. No blame to any of the narrators, but some felt like they were trying to read through as fast as possible, and some had a lisp that was distracting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Sexism
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Homophobia
eligru's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Wow, this was so inspiring and eye-opening! And the audio production was AMAZING!
Reviews and notes on the essays:
1) Too loud, swears too much and goes too far / Mona Eltahawy
☆☆☆☆☆5
- author of an interesting 2015 book on muslim feminism
- very well written, funny and to the point
- many great points and quotes
2) Immodesty is the best policy / Coco Khan
☆☆☆☆☆4.5
- daughter discusses with mother
- funny and interesting points made
3) The first feminist / Sufiya Ahmed
☆☆☆☆4
- interesting story about being inspired by the independence and success of Muhammad's first wife
- Children's author of a series on a muslim girl
4) On the representation of Muslims : terms and conditions apply / Nafisa Bakkar
☆☆☆☆3.75
- about muslim women representation in the media
- by the founder of an online forum for muslim women
5) The clothes of my faith / Afia Ahmed
☆☆☆3
- bit long, very religious
- on the representation of muslim women and the hijab in fashion
6) Life was easier before I was woke / Yassmin Midhat Abdel-Magied
☆☆☆☆☆ 4.75
Really cool female engineer on Austrailian oil rigs.
Hatmaker theory sounds interesting-> tbr
7) 'There's no such thing as a depressed Muslim' : discussing mental health in the Muslim community / Jamilla Hekmoun
☆☆☆☆☆ 4.75 also really good
About mental health and how muslim culture reacts to issues and how spititual and medical practice can be tied together to improve them
8) Feminism needs to die / Mariam Kahn (the editor)
☆☆☆ 3
Shorter, about white feminism issues and what kind of feminism muslim women require
9) Hijabi (R)evolution / Afshan D'souza-Lodhi
☆☆☆☆☆ 4.75
Very personal brave story of a bisexual muslim woman going through a lot of phases, as well as depression and how she finally defines herself. So good.
10) Eight notifications / Salma Haidrani
☆☆☆☆3.5
About the evolution of a muslim journalist, who actively wrote about muslim women and then decided not to as she didn't feel safe anymore.
11) Shame, shame, it knows your name / Amna Saleem
☆☆☆3
Shorter, how muslim women get attacked from two sides (islamophobes/white supremacist and muslim culture/men) and how Amna uses sarcasm to react to both online. As well as how shame is used against them.
12) A woman of substance / Saima Mir
☆☆☆☆4
Longer story of three pakistani marriages. Especially the second one. Saima was not forces to marry, but expected to marry in a certain cultural pool. In both her first marriages living with the husbands family and being undermined by them ruined the relationship. I learnt from this piece that according to Islam, a woman can ask for a divorce and will be granted it, while a man hast to ask 3 times. Culturally, divorce and divorcees are frowned upon, but according to the Koran, it's a womans right. I like that the story ends with a happy third and final marriage.
13) A gender denied : Islam, sex and the struggle to get some / Salma El-Wardany
☆☆☆☆4
About the lack of conversations and space for conversations on sexual intercorse and relations within muslim culture and why they are badly needed.
14) How not to get married (or why an unregistered nikah is no protection for a woman) / Aina Khan OBE
☆☆☆☆☆5
Lawyer who explains the difference between registered and unregistered muslim marriagias in the UK, as well as the different ways to end a muslim marriage and the rights of women within them. This was not a topic I ever though I'd be so interested in, but it was so well written that the essay had me hooked!
15) Not just a black Muslim woman / Raida Rafiq
☆☆☆☆☆4.5
Personal story as well as standpoint on how black muslim women are treated and perceived by each cultural circle they are a part of. Very intesting and moving imigration and intergration story.
16) Between submission and threat : the British state's contradictory relationship with Muslim women / Malia Bouattia
☆☆☆3
About the lack of muslim women voices in political decisions, the complex relationship between the British state and muslim women and campaigns such as PREVENT; as well as the author's personal experience as NUS representative of black & muslim students
17) Daughter of stories / Nadine Aisha Jassat
☆☆☆☆☆5
About the power of stories and storytelling and being an immigrant in the UK with both Christian and Muslim roots
Reviews and notes on the essays:
1) Too loud, swears too much and goes too far / Mona Eltahawy
☆☆☆☆☆5
- author of an interesting 2015 book on muslim feminism
- very well written, funny and to the point
- many great points and quotes
2) Immodesty is the best policy / Coco Khan
☆☆☆☆☆4.5
- daughter discusses with mother
- funny and interesting points made
3) The first feminist / Sufiya Ahmed
☆☆☆☆4
- interesting story about being inspired by the independence and success of Muhammad's first wife
- Children's author of a series on a muslim girl
4) On the representation of Muslims : terms and conditions apply / Nafisa Bakkar
☆☆☆☆3.75
- about muslim women representation in the media
- by the founder of an online forum for muslim women
5) The clothes of my faith / Afia Ahmed
☆☆☆3
- bit long, very religious
- on the representation of muslim women and the hijab in fashion
6) Life was easier before I was woke / Yassmin Midhat Abdel-Magied
☆☆☆☆☆ 4.75
Really cool female engineer on Austrailian oil rigs.
Hatmaker theory sounds interesting-> tbr
7) 'There's no such thing as a depressed Muslim' : discussing mental health in the Muslim community / Jamilla Hekmoun
☆☆☆☆☆ 4.75 also really good
About mental health and how muslim culture reacts to issues and how spititual and medical practice can be tied together to improve them
8) Feminism needs to die / Mariam Kahn (the editor)
☆☆☆ 3
Shorter, about white feminism issues and what kind of feminism muslim women require
9) Hijabi (R)evolution / Afshan D'souza-Lodhi
☆☆☆☆☆ 4.75
Very personal brave story of a bisexual muslim woman going through a lot of phases, as well as depression and how she finally defines herself. So good.
10) Eight notifications / Salma Haidrani
☆☆☆☆3.5
About the evolution of a muslim journalist, who actively wrote about muslim women and then decided not to as she didn't feel safe anymore.
11) Shame, shame, it knows your name / Amna Saleem
☆☆☆3
Shorter, how muslim women get attacked from two sides (islamophobes/white supremacist and muslim culture/men) and how Amna uses sarcasm to react to both online. As well as how shame is used against them.
12) A woman of substance / Saima Mir
☆☆☆☆4
Longer story of three pakistani marriages. Especially the second one. Saima was not forces to marry, but expected to marry in a certain cultural pool. In both her first marriages living with the husbands family and being undermined by them ruined the relationship. I learnt from this piece that according to Islam, a woman can ask for a divorce and will be granted it, while a man hast to ask 3 times. Culturally, divorce and divorcees are frowned upon, but according to the Koran, it's a womans right. I like that the story ends with a happy third and final marriage.
13) A gender denied : Islam, sex and the struggle to get some / Salma El-Wardany
☆☆☆☆4
About the lack of conversations and space for conversations on sexual intercorse and relations within muslim culture and why they are badly needed.
14) How not to get married (or why an unregistered nikah is no protection for a woman) / Aina Khan OBE
☆☆☆☆☆5
Lawyer who explains the difference between registered and unregistered muslim marriagias in the UK, as well as the different ways to end a muslim marriage and the rights of women within them. This was not a topic I ever though I'd be so interested in, but it was so well written that the essay had me hooked!
15) Not just a black Muslim woman / Raida Rafiq
☆☆☆☆☆4.5
Personal story as well as standpoint on how black muslim women are treated and perceived by each cultural circle they are a part of. Very intesting and moving imigration and intergration story.
16) Between submission and threat : the British state's contradictory relationship with Muslim women / Malia Bouattia
☆☆☆3
About the lack of muslim women voices in political decisions, the complex relationship between the British state and muslim women and campaigns such as PREVENT; as well as the author's personal experience as NUS representative of black & muslim students
17) Daughter of stories / Nadine Aisha Jassat
☆☆☆☆☆5
About the power of stories and storytelling and being an immigrant in the UK with both Christian and Muslim roots
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Bullying and Xenophobia
Minor: Homophobia
vaniavela's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
It's Not About the Burqua shows the diversity of Muslim women.
Most of the stories were engaging and while some were not as compelling, they were still interesting.
I don't usually review non-fiction books, but this was an eye-opening read on complex issues such as feminism, love, marriage and sexuality.
I think this book should be widely read. That said, I am not a muslamen reviewer, so I encourage you all to read own-voices reviews, as they know more than I do.
TW: islamophobia, racism, colorism, classism, misogyny, misogynior, suicidal thoughts, anxiety/panic attacks, mentions of rape, homophobia, abuse, gaslighting.
Most of the stories were engaging and while some were not as compelling, they were still interesting.
I don't usually review non-fiction books, but this was an eye-opening read on complex issues such as feminism, love, marriage and sexuality.
I think this book should be widely read. That said, I am not a muslamen reviewer, so I encourage you all to read own-voices reviews, as they know more than I do.
TW: islamophobia, racism, colorism, classism, misogyny, misogynior, suicidal thoughts, anxiety/panic attacks, mentions of rape, homophobia, abuse, gaslighting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Islamophobia, and Classism
Moderate: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Rape, and Gaslighting
taleofabibliophile's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Self harm, Blood, Abortion, and Suicide attempt
CW: one mention of Harry Potterreadingatthemuseum's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation
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