That meme comparing hijabis to nuns needs to die in a pit of fire
On the madonna of false equivalences…. Hey hey! I keep seeing this meme going the rounds so I will take the liberty of sharing my spiel about how blatant these false equivalences are: Point one: Well, wouldn’t this just mean that these religions are then all… equally sexist? Even if …
The Burkini-Bikini False Equivalence and Your Disproportionate Outrage
What if I told you that you can condemn bans on the hijab while still acknowledging the very real and urgent mechanisms of coercion underlying it? FANCY THAT. In this piece I present a two-part thesis: I, a woman who was coerced into hijab from prepubescent childhood, for 15 years, wholly …
Honor Violence, Qandeel Baloch, and the Straw that Broke my Heart
Rest in Power, Qandeel Baloch, murdered by your own brother in the name of honor. How much is enough before it’s taken seriously, the idea that modesty/purity culture is dangerous and deadly to women? How much honor violence will yet be explained away and ignored and overlooked? How much …
Detribalization Without Tribalization
A guest post by Reza Ziai. Detribalization Without Tribalization By Reza Ziai, M.A. Psychology Copyright 2016 If you were born in the US you are likely a Christian. If you were born in Iran you are likely a Muslim. If you were born to parents of the Bantu tribe in …
I refuse to say Ramadan Mubarak this year — here’s why.
I wont say Ramadan Mubarak to those who practice this year. I have said it in the past, in the years after I came out with my apostasy, wishing nothing but goodwill to my friends and loved ones who choose to practice. Whatever floats your boat as long as you …
Surah Nisa 34 (Q4:34) – Does the Quran condone domestic violence?
The author, Hassan Radwan identifies as an Agnostic Muslim and is the founder of the first Agnostic Muslims organization. You can read more about him and the work of Agnostic Muslims at http://agnoslims.com . His prior work includes founding CEMB (Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain). Verse 34 of Surah al-Nisa. …
On “I can’t condemn FGM because of my colonialist past”–A critical discussion of what drives the Regressive Left, and how progressive allies can help
Edit: Check out my follow-up piece, ‘In Defense of the Term Regressive Left‘, inspired by dismissive reactions to this one. My dear liberal, feminist, anti-racist and otherwise progressive allies— I want to talk about what we’ve been calling the ‘regressive left’, and invite you to a more critical humanistic attitude. …
From The Saudi Kingdom to EXMNA (and back)
During an evening out on my very last weekend of a six month trip to the United States, I took a moment to observe the group of people I had been hanging out with for the past couple of hours. This was a group that in some ways felt closer …
Why I left ‘Islam’ and chose not to return
This is a guest post by Soran Tarkhani. He is of Kurdish origin from Iraqi Kurdistan. In addition to working as an assistant lecturer at Salahaddin University in Erbil and is currently pursuing his PhD in political science. On reading Sidra Mahmood’s response to the VICE News documentary ‘Rescuing Ex-Muslims: …
On ‘There is no compulsion in religion’
There is a huge misconception that I am progressively angrier about, largely because of the way it is wielded. It concerns 2:256, the famous Qur’anic verse that states ‘There is no compulsion in religion’, which is often quoted in part* and taken as evidence that Islam is tolerant of non-Muslims. The …