Alicia Izharuddin

A Kakak Killjoy reflects on the ‘burqa’ ban in France

First published on Kakak Killjoy As we all know, the “burqa” ban has taken effect in France on Monday as a political and nationalistic expression to preserve the French cultural identity and end the “oppressive” practices of face-covering among Muslim women. Two women have already been arrested. We should know that such invasive intervention done… Continue reading A Kakak Killjoy reflects on the ‘burqa’ ban in France

Armpit hair: A trichotillomaniac’s romance

First published on my new baby, Kakak Killjoy: I have a pathological tendency to pluck my armpit hair out. It’s a mild form of trichotillomania, a condition in which a person gains gratification from pulling their hair out. The first few times, done when I was only 14 (you can never be too young for… Continue reading Armpit hair: A trichotillomaniac’s romance

The complicated politics of being First Lady

Sensitivity and compassion are apparently not Rosmah Mansor’s, the Malaysian “First Lady”, best suits. In a recent press appearance, Rosmah intended to buck the trend of the silent and exceedingly proper politician’s wife, by making self-righteous remarks about the recent Japanese tragedy as a well-deserved lesson for all. In the spirit of freedom of expression,… Continue reading The complicated politics of being First Lady

Kakak Killjoy, Malaysian feminist webzine

Something happened last week which I hope will become a beginning of greater things: I started Kakak Killjoy (Sister Killjoy), a feminist webzine together with a number of Malaysian feminist writers. The project I hope will foster a sense of online community for critical and transgressive Malaysian women. Blogging can become a hazardous pastime for… Continue reading Kakak Killjoy, Malaysian feminist webzine

for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf – a review

There is something quite redemptive about the 2010 edition of Ntozake Shange’s experimental “choreo-poem,” For colored girls who have considered suicide/When the rainbow is enuf, which is published as a tie-in to Tyler Perry’s underwhelming film adaptation, For Colored Girls. Shange’s words restore the choreopoem’s original libratory message without the gloss and A-list names in… Continue reading for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf – a review

Orgasm Inc – My thoughts

The orgasm. Feminists laud it, good lovers work hard to give it, pharmaceutical companies make it a business model. The inability to experience an orgasm is thought to be as devastating as the inability to delight in the joy of wine, sunrise, spring flowers, and other wonderment. But this is hardly an overstatement. Last week… Continue reading Orgasm Inc – My thoughts

The joys and sorrows of writing

I often feel the compulsive need to write (though much of the product of that compulsion remain unpublished) to channel anger, frustrations, anxieties, but very rarely I write about joy or when I am overjoyed. Joy is to be enjoyed in the moment. I take pictures instead. Writing is a therapeutic process, and the miracle… Continue reading The joys and sorrows of writing

Feminism in Malaysia is dead, long live feminism

It takes not knowing enough (or choosing to ignore) about the ways of the world to make a foolish optimist. This is the lesson I learned about sisterhood, in which the ways of the world happens to be ‘just how people are’ in Malaysia – too busy for activism, frustrated, idealist non-doers, too scared to… Continue reading Feminism in Malaysia is dead, long live feminism

Dahulukala – Sebuah manifesta berangkap

Dahulu kala saya pernah percaya tudung itu bukan sahaja harus bagi wanita solehah tapi juga bagi awek lelaki soleh dan yang memejam sebelah mata. Dahulu kala saya pernah dituduh kurang ajar dan lemah pedoman jika mencabar kepimpinan lelaki yang tidak berbeza rupa dan sifat kepimpinan seorang perempuan. Dahulu kala saya pernah percaya kewanitaan itu lumrah… Continue reading Dahulukala – Sebuah manifesta berangkap

Hello to new readers and long-time followers!

One of the smaller joys of blogging is knowing that you have regular readers who are interested in what you have to say on often rather disparate topics. The disparate part is really interesting to me, because every newly-minted post can be a wildcard (hence a turn-off for some who like predictability; but that’s so… Continue reading Hello to new readers and long-time followers!