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
Category: Feminism
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
Books from my pre-feminist days
The past is a foreign country: people read different things there. While currently surrounded by books of a feminist nature, I would revisit from time to time my old books from salad days, and think about how much (or little) I’ve matured in my reading taste. As a teenager approaching early adulthood, I had an… Continue reading Books from my pre-feminist days
Confronting Malay privilege
It is true that whenever I write about the state of feminism in Malaysia, I write from a point of view of a privileged Malay whose ethnicity is a dividing force in Malaysia. While I write about the challenges of Muslim women with a global view in mind, my own Malayness oppresses every one else… Continue reading Confronting Malay privilege
Notes on the Anti-capitalist Feminist Event, London, Valentine's Day 2009
Spending the day talking about Bangladeshi garment worker’s working conditions and sex-trafficking may not be everybody’s idea of celebrating Valentine’s Day. But there I was, rather than getting loved-up by candlelight with Whitney Houston bursting her lungs in the background, I was brushing shoulders with left-wing trade unionists, sex workers’ rights activists, and a rainbow… Continue reading Notes on the Anti-capitalist Feminist Event, London, Valentine's Day 2009
Tips on smashing conformity
The following is excerpted from an article by Malaysian academic, activist, and feminist, Rohana Ariffin. (Translation by Cycads): Bagaimana untuk membebaskan diri daripada menjadi “pak turut” atau “mak turut”? Bagi saya ada dua cara. Satu, menerapkan sikap ingin tahu terhadap segala ideologi, isu dan masalah masyarakat. Bukan menerima sahaja bulat-bulat pandangan orang lain tetapi mengkaji… Continue reading Tips on smashing conformity
Foreign bodies as sexual playgrounds
This post was featured in the first Asian Women Blog Carnival at ciderpress’s blog. So there was this American guy, Jake, who sat with Gareth and me at lunch last Saturday and was telling us how much he wanted to go to Malaysia because it’s apparently a great place to meet women, and claimed that… Continue reading Foreign bodies as sexual playgrounds
Weekend round-up of favourite reads 7/2
It’s been a whirlwind of a week: got stranded in Amsterdam on account of deadly snow, got an article rejected by a magazine (oh, the pain!), baked cupcakes on an industrial scale for charity, and received more support for my film and sexuality discussion project. But it has also been a really good week for… Continue reading Weekend round-up of favourite reads 7/2
When 'woman' is a dirty word
I get the feeling that the word ‘woman’ is sometimes used in a pejorative manner in my family. In conversations about a woman who is either interesting or just happen to be female regardless of age (but below 50, though this is completely arbitrary), the person is a ‘girl’. A ‘woman’, on the other hand,… Continue reading When 'woman' is a dirty word
Quick Dutch break
I’m off to Amsterdam tonight. See you back on Monday!
Alicia Izharuddin 