Author: Angry Malay Woman

I like plants.

I'm now writing for Muslimah Media Watch

Now that I’ve come back from camping on the Dorset coast and tucking into obscene amounts of giant oysters and crab, allow me to proudly announce that you’re now looking at the latest contributor of Muslimah Media Watch! Trumpets, please. You will find more MMW-Cycads cross-postings beginning this week, so watch this space.

Open thread: Is religion good for women?

This week, The Guardian is running a series of articles on whether or not religion is good for women. I suppose if whether you speak from first-hand experience or from news stories and statistics, you will find that religion with its roots firmly planted in patriarchy is never going to be good for women. Savitri… Continue reading Open thread: Is religion good for women?

Truly Asia: I don't want to sleep alone (2006)

In Malaysia, vacuous horror flicks and Hollywood copycats rule the local cinemas. They promise nothing but instant sensory gratification yet still manage to attain box-office success. In many of such films glamorous personalities compliment the glitzy and oh-so aspirational KL scene. They’re good-looking, they’ve got star quality, who cares if they’ve got no talent, but… Continue reading Truly Asia: I don't want to sleep alone (2006)

On medieval interfaith insults

In the fairly early days of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, dissing each other with crude language was all the rage. Alexandra Cuffel’s new book Gendering Disgust in Medieval Religious Polemic (2009, University of Notre Dame Press) shows how late antique purity laws and biological theories help provide a repertoire of filth from which the rival… Continue reading On medieval interfaith insults

Freedom and Muslims in Britain

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown’s article at The Indepedent, “Why Muslims will not fight for freedom”, on the absence of Muslims at the recent convention on modern liberty in London was a disconcerting sign. A sign many would read, and not Alibhai-Brown alone, as complete apathy for the greater good: I suspect the key reason so few showed… Continue reading Freedom and Muslims in Britain

"The day I met Amina Wadud" – a critique

Any self-respecting news editor would know that significant, if not historical events require pretty polished reporting. The star-studded Musawah conference last February on Islamic family law reforms was one such significant event. Organised by Malaysia’s very own Sisters In Islam (SIS), it was something to be proud of. But reading Malaysian journalist Siti Nurbaiyah Nadzmi’s… Continue reading "The day I met Amina Wadud" – a critique

Still here!

Hello everybody. You might’ve noticed that postings have ground to a halt the last two weeks or so. There are reasons. The first being that I’ve just been accepted to do an MA in Gender Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London this coming September. Hooray. I’ve spent the last few… Continue reading Still here!

Open thread closed

With the possibility of being completely inundated with complaints, diatribe, and vitriol, I declare the Dummy Mummy open thread closed, until I return to the subject with a more in depth analysis of the subject. I completely understand that parents can be particularly sensitive about their role and their children, and that having a childless… Continue reading Open thread closed