Valentine’s Day used to be a big day for me when I was a teenager. While the original “cupid” is more than a little problematic and the capitalist, gendered and heteronormative nature of the holiday is absolutely real, in urban middle-class Mexican society it was often considered an “opportunity.” An opportunity to make your feelings […]

At first Soumaya Ghannoushi’s article “Muslim women and the militant atheists” caught my eye; later, it became part of my very entangled personal thoughts on the intersections of gender, religion and secularism. Ghannoushi presents a critique of liberal-atheists, who, very much like right-wing Westerners, have had much to say about hijab, Muslim women and Islam. […]

Since I moved to Canada, I cannot go a spring without someone asking what I will be doing to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. The first time I heard it, I was pretty confused. Now I am just annoyed. You’ll see, Cinco de Mayo is a civic holiday in Mexico. We commemorate a battle won against […]

For the past few weeks I have become increasingly concerned about many of the women in my life. Canada, these days, has seen a rise in Islamophobic attacks, the majority of which target Muslim women. The majority of the attacks have happened in the province of Ontario, but women across Canada report feeling unsafe, including […]

This week’s Friday Links were compiled by Eren and Samya.  Australia Racism and sexism is creating a toxic mix for the hundreds of thousands of Muslim women living in Australia, says Dr. Mehreen Faruqi as they have become the most likely targets of those retaliating and venting their anger in the aftermath of terrorist incidents. Dr. […]

Upon learning about the Paris attacks and the #PrayforParis hashtag that emerged, I felt many things – but I was not shocked. Violence does not shock me. As a woman of colour and as an immigrant, it is part of my surroundings. I have become desensitized to violence. If you are like me and grew […]

Afghanistan In Afghanistan, half of all deaths among women aged 15 to 49 are because of pregnancy and childbirth. A video by The Guardian titled, “The imams, the Taliban and the condoms” follows two imams’ project to raise awareness about birth control methods and women’s health. Australia Susan Carland, an Australian academic, who regularly receives […]

Afghanistan Afghan rights activist Aziza Rahimzada has been nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize – an award previously won by Malala Yousafzai – and, like her Pakistani counterpart, hopes to spread her message of universal education and fundamental rights for Afghanistan’s youth. Australia A man attacked a 21-year-old Muslim woman outside the State Library […]

Australia Monique Toohey, a Muslim psychologist, met with Australian Labor MPs on Wednesday to discuss the need to change Australia’s tone on the discussion about violent extremism and Muslims. Toohey, who has experienced online bullying for her activism, is calling for the government to consult with Muslim communities in order to develop well-rounded de-radicalization programs. […]

In Mexico City there is a neighbourhood called Santa María La Ribera. The area was an affluent neighbourhood during the 19th and early 20th centuries; however, since the 50s it has become more of a lower-middle class vicinity. Yet, the old mansions remain as a permanent reminder of the city’s aristocratic history. At the centre […]