Angry Malay Woman

Pink is for tween Muslimahs

Update: An extended version of this post can be found at Muslimah Media Watch It had to happen sooner or later. With Barbie and now Hannah Montana merchandise dominating the tween to early teenage market in Malaysia, products for young Muslim women in hijab are starting to appear, particularly on the bookshelves. And they look… Continue reading Pink is for tween Muslimahs

See you in Malaysia!

Hi everybody, Apologies for the long silence. Things have been rather hectic following my film workshop (which I’ve long been meaning to write about). Further, I’ve been spending a lot of time with friends and my boyfriend, to catch up and compensate for the loneliness when I’m back in Malaysia. I’m flying tomorrow, so my… Continue reading See you in Malaysia!

Latter day Victoriana: Drawing similarities between Compulsion and Bride and Prejudice

Crossposted on Feminist Review. The repressive, corseted Victorian culture of the novel found a perfect foil in the rigid caste strictures of Indian society. (The Times, 27 April 2009) Nesrine Malik’s scathing review of the ITV drama Compulsion got me thinking a lot more about modern day adaptations of pre-20th century literary works featuring ethnic… Continue reading Latter day Victoriana: Drawing similarities between Compulsion and Bride and Prejudice

Links, odds and ends, etc

I’m still busy juggling article assignments and editing videos for my film workshop next week. In the meantime, here are some great links, videos, music, stuff. Feminist literary critic Elaine Sholwater talks about her new book on American women writers, much maligned as ‘not important and canonical enough’ as the big boys of American fiction.… Continue reading Links, odds and ends, etc

The astonishing case of the shrinking Muslim woman

First published at Muslimah Media Watch It’s become common belief that Muslim women, particularly those who wear the hijab, are liberated from the media-driven standards of beauty that values the thin and the willowy. But it’s a belief that couches on the idea that head-coverings and modest clothes provide little incentive for showing off a… Continue reading The astonishing case of the shrinking Muslim woman

It's been quiet here, hasn't it?

Good grief. It’s been pretty quiet here, hasn’t it? My own fault really. It has been a busy week consisting of a friend’s PhD viva picnic party, another friend’s massive choir performance, my college dinner recital, video-editing lessons and late night chocolate chip cookie baking. I should still be in one piece to write something… Continue reading It's been quiet here, hasn't it?

Review: Walking the precipice: Witness to the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan

Crossposted at Feminist Review: A deluge of books on Islamic fundamentalism had swamped the world’s bookshelves following the wake of the 9/11 attacks. Some 100 books and 5,600 articles were written on the subject, many focussing on the lives of Afghan women under Taliban rule. I chose to review Barbara Bick’s Walking the Precipice: Witness… Continue reading Review: Walking the precipice: Witness to the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan

My daughter's keeper: Nahid Persson's Prostitution behind the veil

Crossposted at Muslimah Media Watch For a relatively high-brow TV channel, BBC4 is known for providing top quality programs and dramas. So when the BBC commemorated the 30th anniversary of Islamic Revolution in Iran, I became glued to the channel’s string of intriguing documentaries on all things Iranian, post-1979. There were plenty on Iran-US nuclear… Continue reading My daughter's keeper: Nahid Persson's Prostitution behind the veil

The masculine art of cooking

When celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s chain of eateries were snubbed from the world’s best restaurants list, I revelled in the joy of knowing that the British vanguard of hyper-macho professional cooking will need a little humbling-up to do. Though the reign of men in the great kitchens of the world is far from over: somewhere… Continue reading The masculine art of cooking

Race and sexuality in film workshop at Ladyfest Oxford (2009)

Hello all, I’m organising a workshop for Oxford’s Ladyfest where we’ll be discussing race and sexuality in film and media. If you happen to be in the area, please come! Ever wondered why images of ethnic minority women in film and media are often reduced to stereotypes or simply pushed into the background to the… Continue reading Race and sexuality in film workshop at Ladyfest Oxford (2009)