“Bitch, I’m gonna kill you!” he yelled, so loudly that it woke us up in the apartment next door. There were no more words after that. The bangs and crashes spoke for themselves. My husband, Matthew, and I had never heard any fighting from Angela’s (not her real name) apartment before. We called the cops right away. After that, my instinct was to run to her rescue; Matthew’s instinct was to beg me not to follow mine.
Read MoreThe Huffington Post: Girls’ Night Out? Count Me Out →
While I’ve enjoyed plenty of evenings out with female friends, I’ve never especially appreciated any outing billed specifically as a “girls’ night out” (GNO). The whole concept — including its male counterpart, the “guys’ night out” — just seems strange to me. Perhaps it’s because self-segregation has always struck me as silly, or perhaps it’s because being an Iranian-American Muslim bipolar feminist rarely affords me the luxury of fully self-segregating anywhere. Whatever the reason, I’ve grown to hate these gatherings and avoid them whenever possible.
Read MoreMs. Magazine: Will Saudi Women Lose Their Virginity En Masse If They Start Driving? →
My first thought is “no,” followed by a swift “none of your business.” But that wasn’t the conclusion of a recent report prepared for Saudi Arabia’s legislative assembly by a well-known academic. He predicted that if Saudi women were given the right to drive, those who had never had sex would quickly start losing their virginity as easily as they might their car keys.
Read MoreMs. Magazine: You Can Protest with the Women Liberating the Middle East →
On the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, a group of feminists from across the Middle East have joined together as Women United for the Future of the Middle East to call for regionwide demonstrations in support of women’s rights. They’ve drawn support from the likes of GlobalSister.org, Women’s Institute for Freedom of the Press and Nawal Al-Saadawi, as well as Iranian American women’s rights activist (and former political prisoner) Esha Momeni, who had this to say:
Read MoreMs. Magazine: Childless by CHOICE, Get It? →
I don’t want kids. Never have. I consider birth control the greatest invention of the 20th century and I’ve been taking it religiously for nearly a decade. No pregnancies to date, and in the rare event of one I’d be first in line at my local abortion clinic before that zygote even mildly resembled a human. I’ve given a great deal of thought to parenthood—arguably more than many who ultimately pursue it. And recognizing the enormous responsibility, commitment and sacrifice involved, I respectfully refuse to reproduce.
Read MoreMs. Magazine: State Department Dining, Muslimah Style →
I recently accepted an invitation to attend a dinner at the State Department hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in honor of the holy month ofRamadan. The dinner itself, which takes place on Tuesday, September 7, is a formal iftar—the meal eaten every evening after sunset when Muslims break the fast during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. This iftar is a welcome and gracious gesture by our government to honor and respect this sacred time of year for all Muslims.
Read MoreMs. Magazine: Meet One Kick-Ass Saudi Woman →
I’m no proponent of violence, and as a Muslim my faith teaches me to avoid it whenever possible. Still, in the face of oppression, my faith also teaches me that it is not only an option to stand up for myself but a sacred duty. In short, slap me in the face and you can be assured that I’ll slap you right back. And if you’re falsely using my religion to justify slapping me in the face, expect me to slap you that much harder.
Read MoreMs. Magazine: Boobquake and Brainquake: Why Not Both? →
Last week, Iranian cleric Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi–Tehran’s Friday Prayer leader–shook the patience of women worldwide by claiming that promiscuous and immodest women were responsible for earthquakes. Yes, you read that right.
Read MoreMs. Magazine: Hissa Hilal Fights “Fatwas” With Poetry →
A talented Saudi poet, Hissa Hilal, has become the breakout star of the popular game showMillion’s Poet–Abu Dhabi’s version of American Idol, but featuring poets instead of singers. Hilal describes her poetry, which she says “has always been provocative,” as a “way to express myself and give voice to Arab women, silenced by those who have hijacked our culture and religion.”
Read MoreMs. Magazine: Islam’s First Feminist →
Countless Muslim women around the world today are standing up and demanding their rights to freedom and equality under both secular and Islamic law. These feminist jihadists can be found in every corner of the globe. From France to Afghanistan to Sudan, brave Muslimahs are refusing to be told what they can and cannot do, say or wear.
Read MoreMs. Magazine: Waging a Worldwide Feminist Jihad →
Few things frustrate me more than being told that I don’t look like or can’t possibly be who I know I am. But as a loud and proud peace-loving feminist jihadist, I can’t avoid the accusations: “You don’t look like a Muslim”; “You can’t be a Muslim and a feminist!” and worse yet, “There’s no such thing as a peaceful jihadist.” In an effort to set the record straight, I am dedicating this and blog posts to come to my sister feminist jihadists.
Read MoreThe Huffington Post: Iran’s Underground Railroad →
Perhaps one of the greatest advantages of the growing opposition movement inside of Iran is its dependence on the hospitality of strangers. The place of a guest in Iranian culture is far different than that in most so-called Western cultures. Guests are a blessing. They receive preferential treatment over any member of the family. Hosting them is an art form and a great honor. Inviting visitors, even strangers, into your home is a mitzvah and a moral obligation, and to deny them entry, let alone an invitation to stay as long as they need or want, is a transgression against our most valued mores.
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