It's Not About the Burqa

January 20, 2020
British activist Khan presents an anthology of diverse and blisteringly intelligent essays speaking directly to the complex experiences of Muslim women living in the West. Contributors discuss why they have or have not chosen to wear the hijab and veil at different times in their lives, and how a recent “Muslim boom” in the fashion world has increased representation while pitting “modern” and “traditional” Muslim women against each other. Discussions of Islamic marriage and family life include YA novelist Sufiya Ahmed on the contrast between the celebrated independence of the Prophet Mohammed’s first wife and the enforcement of patriarchy by Muslim Indian “auntie-jis.” Researcher Jamilla Hekmoun analyzes how Islamophobia contributes to the problem of mental health in a community that associates depression with lack of faith, and Yassmin Midhat Abdel-Magied shares her experiences working in the hypermasculine environment of an Australian oil rig. In the provocatively titled “Feminism Needs to Die,” anthology editor Khan urges mainstream feminists to “decenter themselves and their views of empowerment to include women of colour, trans women, non-binary women, gender-queer people, and women of faith.” Though the particular experiences of American Muslims aren’t voiced, this bold and authentic collection powerfully counters the stereotypes by which Muslim women in the West are judged.