Recently, NPR analyst Juan Williams was quoted as saying, “…when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.” on The O’Reilly Factor. As a […]

Common Ground News runs an interview with Fatema Mernissi. Tony Blair’s sister-in-law converts to Islam. More here. The Atlantic looks at Gaza’s surfer girls. Baroness Warsi was prohibited from attending a conference by her boss. The Asian Human Rights Commission makes a plea for Sri Lankan woman sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia. The Daily […]

There may be 1,001 Muslim feminist critiques on the European burqa ban and its attendant jokes and jibes, insults, and ridiculousness. But what should remain clear is that we Muslim feminists are not just about the hijab. The recent discussion on LGBT acceptance on MMW revealed the cracks in the Muslim “sisterhood” and it began […]

“I wanted to own the article of clothing that was being talked about,” Jonas Otterbeck says, explaining his reasons for buying a niqab. Otterbeck, who teaches Islamic Studies at Lund University in Sweden, spoke of his view on the niqab on the documentary Black Polyester, the sixth in a sixteen part series broadcast on SVT1 […]

Today is Pink Hijab Day! I hope you’re wearing something pink. From the Global Pink Hijab Day Official Site: “All over the world, Muslims participate by wearing pink hijabs, pink ribbons, and donating to cancer foundations.” Go to their website to read up on Pink Hijab Day and find out how you can help locally.

Dr. Isatou Touray and Amie Bojang Sissoho are two prominent women’s human rights defenders in the Gambia. They are the executive director and program coordinator of the Gambia Committee for Traditional Practices (GAMCOTRAP), which has been active in fighting for the promotion of gender rights, mainly fighting against the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). […]

On Thursday, Eren published a great piece on the marginalization of lesbians in Indonesia. As with all MMW pieces, it received mixed feedback. Because we are fairly diligent regarding comment moderation, no comments that violated MMW’s comment moderation policy were approved. On our Facebook page, however, there is no initial comment moderation. Thus, several hurtful […]

Turkey’s Higher Education Board ruled to stop teachers from expelling students who wear headscarves. And with a sigh, Turkey’s hijab ban was over. More from Salon, Arab News, A white American convert shares the discrimination she’s experienced. The Washington Post covers the “I Want to Get Married” phenomenon. The Global Voices post on Samar Al […]

Debates in the Muslim world regarding the LBGT community are rare, if not non-existent. However, Indonesia’s community has been raising its profile lately. With a legal system that does not criminalize homosexuality, the LBGT community may seem to face fewer challenges than communities in other countries. However, even with the only Gay film festival in […]

When 32-year-old divorcee Samar Al Badawi went to Jeddah court to challenge a “filial ingratitude” complaint filed by her father, the judge rejected her claims and ruled in favor of her father. And despite documented physical abuse, previous court rulings to lift her father’s guardianship, and even a royal order to send her to an […]