A digital magazine on sexuality, based in the Global South: We are working towards cultivating safe, inclusive, and self-affirming spaces in which all individuals can express themselves without fear, judgement or shame
I long for much more than a greater representation of brown women. I long for a complete overhaul of the racial, gendered, and economic systems that structure our suffering.
But I also long for representation of all people, including brown women, who are in love, who are loveable, and who are — in the absence of love — lonely.
The skewed portrayal that dominates narratives about Muslim women in mainstream international media continues to sustain an atmosphere of misinformation, where donning a hijab leads society to promptly place you in a box labelled ‘Oppressed’. Taking matters into their own hands are these two certainly not silent U.S.-based Muslim women who’re doing what they can – with hijab firmly in place – to undo the dangerous stereotyping that mires the image of Muslim women of colour.
The nurse looked me up and down and asked about my last period. I responded that it had been recent and regular and that I wasn’t there about a reproductive issue but rather a potential stomach bug. “Mmm hmmm,” she responded, with more than a hint of dubiousness in her voice, and said, “Take this cup, pee into it and bring it back to me. We’ll run a pregnancy test.” I stared back at her. “I’m not pregnant!” She responded, “Well, we’ll see about that. Is that your mum outside? Young girls like you are always coming in like this.”