gdp's Comments

Womanist Musings : A Hijab Fail

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:48:00 +0000

You're probably right! I also got the feeling that he was possibly indulging in a little exotic fantasy -- like, ooooh check out the Muslim ladies -- how foreign and other. But until you mentioned it, I didn't think that he may have also been pulling the subservient card! Why of course I'd speak with him and submit to his questioning. I must obviously do that anyway *rolleyesbarf*

Womanist Musings : Princess Hijab

Tue, 6 Mar 2012 15:57:47 +0000

Thanks for commenting! I totally hear you. I honestly don't know why some people find it so easy to discredit others based on looks, beliefs, and grossly because of one's personhood -- and claim to be a part of a universal religion.

Womanist Musings : Princess Hijab

Thu, 1 Mar 2012 20:39:42 +0000

Well I connect with your comment :) And absolutely agree. I'm always a little creeped out when I see the CK hijabs and Abayas. I don't own a designer abaya, but did have one made for me -- from a corner shop in a Bedouin-dominated strip mall, run and designed by a woman who owned the shop herself. It's a beautiful, sturdy piece of clothing that I've adored many times. I miss the Gulf too.

Womanist Musings : American Dervish: a book review

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:54:13 +0000

Thanks KJB! I think what I loved the most about this book is that it's not out to convert or convince anyone about religion.

Womanist Musings : Capitalism, Food Waste and Community

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:42:53 +0000

I have a million uses for left over potatoes! If they've been baked with a chicken in the oven, I take the potato pieces, fry them with some egg and onion and *poof* Spanish potatoes. My left over mashed potatoes become a delicious ball of nomming goodness that my MIL taught me. I don't even know if it has a name -- but it's like a Middle Eastern Sheppard's pie. Form scoops of left over mash and breadcrumbs into little balls -- put spiced ground beef and veggies in the center. Deep fry. Eat!

Womanist Musings : Dreaming of Eryn's Sermon

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:12:32 +0000

Sadly, only in my dreams. However, I've recently learned that the Masjid ul Islam in Johannesburg, South Africa, has a progressive outlook to mosque community -- with men and women standing side by side, day care services and other inclusive programs. And of course, there are always the LGTBQ and gender friendly El-Tawhid circles that are scattered throughout North America. They're not mosques -- but at least they help to create a friendly space at least once a week.

Womanist Musings : When Did This Become Hotter Than This?

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:19:14 +0000

Okay, I know right off the bat there is a HIGHLY UNLIKELY chance that you'd find a woman in burqa grouped with a picture of hawt bikini-clad models. When women cover to remove the sexualisation of their bodies, it kind of removes them from the equation. But that doesn't stop popular Muslim fashion magazines from choosing hijab and abaya clad models who are thin, light skinned and able bodied. Which Muslim women then dangerously internalize. I've heard plenty of young girls say that so-and-so looks so AMAZING in her abaya because she's "not fat" and the garment just drapes over her frame -- or even "I'm too fat to wear hijab -- it makes me look bigger." A lot of this also has to do generally with women consuming what the media considers beautiful too (I'm not saying body obsession among Muslim communities is related only to Muslim fashion mags. There are a lot of influence.. including family!). And what I've been experiencing lately is what many pregnant women experience -- the policing of our pregnant bodies. Don't jump. Don't run. Is that decaf tea you're drinking? Eat more. Eat less, you've gained too much weight! It's a boy, I can tell by your ass. All of which makes me even more negatively self-aware BECAUSE I wear hijab, and damnit, you shouldn't be looking at my body like that anyway! Great article Renee -- I've seen the same picture floating around my FB list too!

Womanist Musings : Not My Mosque

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:07:37 +0000

Hi sossajes -- thanks for the compliment. I'm always apprehensive when I publish, so it's good to hear some feedback :) I'm going to say that it is not common to have mosques with shared prayer spaces (but I'm adding a "but"). They were common.. however, over the last decade the barrier has increased. The film "Me and the Mosque" by Zarqa Nawaz tracks this phenomena -- and in 2005 a study was released saying that (out of 500 American mosques) 66% had barriers in 2000. Here's the "but" -- in larger cities there are more options for Muslims simply because there are more of us. I am incredibly privileged that I have the choice of at least 5 mosques in my area with shared space. Two of which are gender and LGTBQ inclusive. There are probably 50 more in my area with a barrier. But a Muslim living in Alberta, with a small Muslim population, might only have one mosque option. And that option is usually segregated. Demographics help as well. From what I understand there are fewer barriers in the Black American Muslim population -- more in South Asian and Arab communities. Maybe there are fewer barriers in mosques that have second generation Muslims as imams... but that's just a theory.

Womanist Musings : Not My Mosque

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:03:40 +0000

Hi sossajes -- thanks for the compliment. I'm always apprehensive when I publish, so it's good to hear some feedback :) I'm going to say that it is not common to have mosques with shared prayer spaces (but I'm adding a "but"). They were common.. however, over the last decade it's increased. The film "Me and the Mosque" by Zarqa Nawaz tracks this phenomena -- and in 2005 a study was released saying that (out of 500 American mosques) 66% had barriers in 2000. Here's the "but" -- in larger cities there are more options for Muslims simply because there are more of us. I am incredibly privileged that I have the choice of at least 5 mosques in my area with shared space. Two of which are gender and LGTBQ inclusive. There are probably 50 more in my area with a barrier. But a Muslim living in Alberta, with a small Muslim population, might only have one mosque option. And that option is usually segregated. Demographics help as well. From what I understand there are fewer barriers in the Black American Muslim population -- more in South Asian and Arab communities. Maybe there are fewer barriers in mosques that have second generation Muslims as imams... but that's just a theory.

Womanist Musings : Teaching a Child to Refer to her Genitalia as the C Word

Tue, 3 Jan 2012 20:48:24 +0000

This might be a little bit of a stretch, but you mentioning the removal of choice resonated with me. Some Muslim men sometimes remove themselves from mixed gender situations because they "feel" it will make the women "feel" more comfortable. So you end up with "naturally occurring" gender segregation at mixed parties, or never meeting your best friend's husband outside of a simple "hello" before he makes himself conveniently "unavailable." Once when a good friend came over, the Hubby "busied" himself cleaning the bathroom (when I really wanted him to be serving us tea and peeled grapes). I interrupted him to ask WTH he was doing when he should be enjoying my friend's company. He replied that he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable with his presence. I lost it and said he had no right to remove HER agency from making that choice herself. And that if my husband made her uncomfortable, she has the voice and power to say so. It's similar to reclaiming slurs by people who cannot have that slur used against them, as Sparky says. (We prefer vulva. Though, I guess I could always use “Muschi” — a kind of German pet name for your sweetest friend, your cat, or a nice way of saying pussy. My mom raised me to call my private area Muschi.)

Womanist Musings : what the Prophet said

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 02:52:58 +0000

Thanks for this OtherBecky -- I loved reading the parallel, and am not really surprised to find that there is one! And honestly, "tie up your camel" is my absolute favourite saying :)

Womanist Musings : what the Prophet said

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 02:47:54 +0000

Thanks Tassja -- it's nice to be really writing again. And yes to patriarchal interpretations of religious histories = ridiculous, damaging legacies!

Womanist Musings : what the Prophet said

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 18:07:28 +0000

And a further thought: The problem isn't only that these sayings exist, but that if one isn't prepared to attribute them to the Prophet himself, then given the possibility of fabrication, redaction or embellishment over the centuries, we then have to admit to the active participation that male transmitters and the overwhelmingly male scholarship that interpreted the sayings did so with the knowledge that a portion of the population would be subjugated. Regardless of how these sayings were used in the seventh century, the fact remains that they are used today to support what the ideal Muslimah looks like: married, heterosexual, monogamous and most importantly, subordinate to the rights of her husband. I'd be interested to hear how others deal with these an other out-of-character traditions.

Womanist Musings : Southwest Kick a Muslim Woman Off the Plane After Misunderstanding Her Comments

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 02:57:02 +0000

Thanks for this Renee -- you nailed it. It's unimaginable that a piece of cloth can get so many people's panties in a bunch. According to the TSA, secondary screening means anything above the regular pat-down. I can guarantee that every Muslim woman wearing a headscarf gets secondary screening. It is mandatory for us to have our heads inspected by either a pat-down by a female guard, or removal (behind a screen). Then there are the lucky ones who get the rigorous secondary screening with a private room, intense questioning and the threat that you'll be late for your flight (happened to me twice in the past year) -- and of course, the embarrassment of being one of the last passengers on the flight because of "security concerns." I try my best never to fly on American airlines -- I have never been treated like that flying in Canada and Europe.

Womanist Musings : The Doctor Who Muslim Fail

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:04:52 +0000

Beautifully said Jaded! Trees! Seriously! And yes, it killed me at times to write this -- because I just love the show, defend it to the death, and gloss over major fails. This was an interesting exercise :D

Womanist Musings : The Doctor Who Muslim Fail

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:02:19 +0000

Ah yes, rule #214. I had such, such hopes that this rule would be broken just once. And I went into the episode as an optimist. Perhaps if I went in acknowledging that she was a goner from the start of the credits, I wouldn't have reacted so strongly. It's interesting that you mention her faith's impact on British audiences. The writers did define her British first and then Muslim -- which is interesting. Someone also mentioned to me that the Doctor's reaction to Rita, and overall positive appreciation of her could be seen as a "barometer of British culture." I don't know. We need more British fans to weigh in on this. I do think that the Doctor's reaction -- any reaction -- was Orientalist -- but well within his character of finding joy out of the exotic, strange and new. Why didn't the TARDIS' translation circuit translate Jahannam? Technically she should have just said "Hell." Unless the Doctor speaks Arabic, or has intimate knowledge about the future of Muslims that would cause him to be generally surprised at finding one. In all of his existence, is Rita his first Muslim? Doubtful.

Womanist Musings : Haute Études Commerciales (HEC) Celebrates Frosh Week With Black Face

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 21:35:50 +0000

I went to McGill and this is bloody shameful. McGill is known throughout the world as the Harvard of the North. The amount of international students greatly outweigh the amount of Canadians -- it's a school known for an excellent education at a reasonable price (when compared to Ivy League). Montreal is a hugely diverse city. Those student knew EXACTLY what they were doing (just like when two Lion's club members dressing up as a Confederate supporter and black face with a noose for Halloween - they knew what they were doing). The silent and inadequate response just shows how deeply racist the establishment can be. A colleague gave me her opinion on this saying that Canada has a culture of silent racism. When in the States people will be upfront and say "I'm not hiring blacks." in Canada she's only ever heard "I'll get back to you." And then has to deal with all of the questions as to why she never gets a call back. We should not be surprised when racism in Canada so easily comes to the surface for all to see. If the university has any sense of moral responsibility, those students should be expelled. Racist twits is what they want representing the prestige of McGill? No thank you. When McGill reassigned the Muslim prayer space on campus to make room for a new science lab, we most certainly protested and turned it into a human rights complaint. Anthony deserves that at the very LEAST. 100% agreed. These students are not victims of ignorance or a lack of education.

Womanist Musings : The Great Banana Bread Conspiracy

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:18:03 +0000

Ooh crafty indeed! When I try to play the Hubby for a sweet dessert it always backfires. He loves my peanut butter cookies and whenever I ask him, "let's have some dessert," -- expecting him to take me for some ice cream or buy me a pie, I get doe eyes and a, "sure, how about cookies?" The baby is in on it too with soul crushing cuteness, long eyelashes and her sweet voice, "coo-kie?" I can't resist the extra love and head straight for the mixing bowl.

Womanist Musings : Culture Changes How Easy it is to be a Religious Muslim

Fri, 2 Sep 2011 20:46:27 +0000

Hey thanks Tassja -- peace and blessings on you and yours! Dubai is a completely different planet!! I've yet had the pleasure of having 'Eid there, but I bet it's amazing. And yeah... I think everyone should be to at least one iftar or Eid party. They're just amazing.

Womanist Musings : Culture Changes How Easy it is to be a Religious Muslim

Fri, 2 Sep 2011 20:44:21 +0000

Thankfully Rose Fox I'm here for another 7 days!! :) And like your awesome experience at the party, I also have pockets of normal in Canada too -- but religious diaspora communities have their hangups and sometimes there's just too much emphasis on being the right kind of Muslim. I really love how you phrased it that it's totally different being around people who are genuinely like you thank just being around those who are accepting.