Monday’s post Between a Rock and Hard Place: Triple Threats and Double Troubles for Muslim Women was featured on Racialicious today. And in the comments there was a really good question:
“I wonder what should non-muslims do to help.
I read Aaminah Hernández’s excellent post earlier today (Nadia linked to it up thread) and saw a specific point saying that “she did not need to be saved.” And it occurs to me, that’s what a lot of people think they are doing when they condemn Islam – helping to save the women who are “silenced and voiceless.” Noting that all of Islam isn’t like that tends to fall on deaf ears. The implication is “oh, you want to defend a religion that does XYZ to women?”
Hernández states in her post that the best way to help is to “stand back and let her do her thing” and provide back up as necessary. Cool, I can handle that.
But is there anything I can do when no one steps forward and the assumptions are rolling by unchallenged? (Or worse, when someone comes by and says they are “liberated” from Islam and they speak from a position of authority about how bad things are?)
Disapproving silence is woefully inadequate sometimes.”
So, sisters, what do you think? I’d like your opinions on this. What can non-Muslims do to help in situations like these, or when Muslim women are actually unable to help themselves?