Category Raven
In my pop culture intervention, I was aiming to answer — or at least ponder — a few personal questions that have bothered me throughout my college career. I think a lot about impacting the community around me, and I spend… Continue Reading →
I consider myself to be a revolutionary woman. By virtue of my genitalia, gender identity, and challenging the role I am expected to play in various aspects of my life, I am. But I have always found it intriguing that… Continue Reading →
In October of 2016, Noor Tagouri posed for Playboy magazine, as hundreds of women have before her. The controversy? She is a hijabi. Playboy magazine, an institution notorious for the objectification of women’s bodies over the past sixty years, has… Continue Reading →
Recently, I was procrastinating in a library study room around 10pm (as one does) by scrolling aimlessly through my Instagram Explore page. I then happened upon a meme with a punchline that focused on forgetting to say ayat al kursi… Continue Reading →
In class on Wednesday, we had a heated discussion about Aliaa Elmahdy’s nude self-photography. What does it mean? What is she trying to portray? Does she accomplish anything? One point raised, which I took particular issue with, was the argument… Continue Reading →
A recent article by KQED — a newspaper from my hometown area back in the the San Francisco Bay — has determined that Muslim children living in the US are experiencing unusually prevalent symptoms of depression and anxiety. The supposed… Continue Reading →
This week in class, we watched a video and did readings about the group of 60 or more Saudi women who “dared to drive” in 2013 — despite the kingdom-wide ban on female drivers. This was the story of the Women2Drive… Continue Reading →
In the above clip from Song of Lahore, the performers bring the artistry of their Pakistani musical heritage to New York City, to perform in a jazz festival at the world-famed Lincoln Center. It looks like a beautiful film, very well… Continue Reading →
Huda Sharawi is widely recognized as the mother of Egyptian feminism. She founded the Egyptian Feminist Union in 1923, she was a founding member of the nationalist Wafd Party, and eventually would establish the Arab Feminist Union in 1945. She… Continue Reading →
Earlier this week, I attended a conference for one of my other classes, led by former US Ambassador to the Netherlands, the Honorable Cynthia Schneider. She spoke about cultural diplomacy, which is essentially the art of exchange and engagement between… Continue Reading →