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Nothing Says Empowerment Like Sexy Face and an Oil Rubdown


Posted by sarayasin on 03 May 2011 / 0 Comments
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Sila Şahin, a Turkish-German actress, shed her clothes in order to “free” herself from her conservative Muslim background. The Daily Mail says: Ms Sahin’s declared intention was to used the controversial Playboy photoshoot as a call to action for other Turkish girls who suffer the effects of their strict backgrounds, where women’s choices are often […]

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Wiam Wahhab’s Trash-Talking Politics


Posted by sarayasin on 12 Apr 2011 / 0 Comments
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Wiam Wahhab is the leader of the Tawhid Movement in Lebanon. A former MP and journalist, he is also a close ally of Syria. In a rant against Syria’s rival, Saudi Arabia, Wahhab compared Saudi women to “garbage bags,” in reference to the black niqab that is common in the country. Sparking the anger of […]

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Knight in Shining Armor or Idiot in Tinfoil?


Posted by sarayasin on 01 Mar 2011 / 0 Comments
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Dear Bill Maher, Hey there, Billy. I’m pretty sure I can call you that now, since you have taken a personal interest in saving my life. Recently, you made the statement that Muslim lands will not get democracy without a “sexual revolution.” Muslim men, in your opinion, are sexist demons, which are an extension of […]

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Is it Fair to Scrutinize Arab First Ladies?


Posted by sarayasin on 23 Feb 2011 / 0 Comments
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In a recent article, Nesrine Malik discusses the scrutiny placed upon the wives of Arab leaders in relation to revolution in the Arab world.  Designer-clad extensions of their husbands’ regimes, Malik points out the focus placed upon their lifestyles. Mostly, she draws upon the example of Tunisia’s Leila Ben Ali, Egypt’s Suzanne Mubarak, and Jordan’s […]

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Boy vs. Girl: “Pure” Islam or Purely Sanctimonious?


Posted by sarayasin on 31 Jan 2011 / 0 Comments
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Na’ima B. Robert’s second book, “Boy vs. Girl” is set in a South Asian community in Britain. The two main characters, Farhana and Faraz, are sixteen-year-old twins trying to negotiate their identities as the children of Pakistani immigrants and as Muslims.  Robert attempts to tell the story of struggling with trying to find a sense […]

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An Interview with Abdulaziz Al-Qahtani


Posted by sarayasin on 19 Jan 2011 / 0 Comments
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Last week, we profiled Abdulaziz Al-Qahtani’s “An Intimate Geography” exhibit at the Lahd Gallery. This week, we sat down for an interview with the artist himself. Sara for MMW: I noticed that you never explicitly mention Islam in your work. Was this intentional? Abdulaziz Al-Qahtani: I wanted to move away from Islam, because I do […]

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Gender Bender: Abdulaziz’s Al Qahtani’s Lahd Exhibition


Posted by sarayasin on 13 Jan 2011 / 0 Comments
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Abdulaziz Al Qahtani is a Saudi Arabian artist based in London. His first exhibition, “An Intimate Geography,” is at the Lahd Gallery. It examines the contradictory relationship between Middle Eastern women and Western society. The exhibition is comprised of a series of twelve images that aim to show the complexities of life in the Middle […]

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Afshan Azad’s Courtroom Drama


Posted by sarayasin on 27 Dec 2010 / 0 Comments
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Back in July, I wrote about Afshan Azad’s abuse by her father and brother. When they threatened to kill her for having a Hindu boyfriend, she fled to London; her father and brother were questioned and charged by police. Though Azad attempted to drop the charges, her brother and father were tried in court last […]

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The Somali Media Women’s Association


Posted by sarayasin on 13 Dec 2010 / 0 Comments
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According to a recent study carried out by Transparency International, Somalia was deemed to be the most corrupt nation in the world. The economic and political instability of Somalia has made it the site of many human rights violations, particularly against women. Females are underrepresented in the workforce as well as education. In fact, slightly […]

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Fe-Mail Fail: Amy Mowafi’s Attempt to be Carrie Bradshaw


Posted by sarayasin on 09 Dec 2010 / 0 Comments
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The desire to crown an intelligent, sexy-yet-fashionable lady as the Carrie Bradshaw of the Middle East has been a fierce competition, because, you know, there is nothing more mysterious than the lack of sex and dating in the Middle East. With the help of a string of labels, high society, and awkward adventures in romance, […]

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