October 30 Tweet Party Recap – Changing the Muslim Women Narrative
On October 30, 2013, Muslimah Montage (@muslimahmontage) hosted a tweet party, where we discussed the current Muslim women narrative. Below are some of the highlights of our chat.
Muslimah Montage’s first question was “How has the current narrative of Muslim women personally affected your life?”
@MuslimahMontage I live in Quebec – where the provincial govt has proposed a bill to ban religious symbols from the public sphere #mmontage
— Ḥafsa (@Mooresque) October 30, 2013
Our next question was “What’s the dominant narrative of Muslim women? What do you think needs to be done to change this narrative?” Here are some answers:
https://twitter.com/ImTheQ/status/395612932135870464
@MuslimahMontage we need to move beyond what we wear #mmontage
— (((dksayed))) (@deonnakelli) October 30, 2013
And popular culture likes to describe us veiled bellydancing vixens, potential terrorists, or victims of our own culture #mmontage
— Hind Makki (@HindMakki) October 30, 2013
We had lots to say about the next question. “How do you think Muslim women can remain relevant and be heard?”
@MuslimahMontage #muslimwomen #mmontage need to keep writing and engaging with community
— Ayesha Akhtar, MPH (@runAyesharun) October 30, 2013
https://twitter.com/ZainabZeb/status/395612471269933056
@MuslimahMontage learn to own your story. Finding the bravery to tell it despite cultural/family limitations #mmontage
— (((dksayed))) (@deonnakelli) October 30, 2013
@MuslimahMontage Create safe spaces! Be a safe space yourself, there's nothing in the world worth losing one's personal integrity over.
— Ḥafsa (@Mooresque) October 30, 2013
#Muslim women being in positions of religious authority is important. It's critical for Muslim men & boys to hear from them #mmontage
— Hind Makki (@HindMakki) October 30, 2013
Followers shared with us the Muslim women that inspired them:
@MuslimahMontage #muslimwomen #mmontage Tayyibah Taylor founder of @AzizahMagazine. She's ballsy and has been committed to her platform
— Ayesha Akhtar, MPH (@runAyesharun) October 30, 2013
My friend & sister @Ayesha_Mattu is an inspirational Muslim woman @MuslimahMontage #mmontage
— Aisha Saeed (@aishacs) October 30, 2013
@MuslimahMontage Asma Barlas, prof at Ithaca, has been a dear friend and mentor to me for a decade. I find her very inspiring. #mmontage
— Jennifer Zobair (@jazobair) October 30, 2013
@MuslimahMontage Great question! There are so many strong women from the Muslim tradition that go unspoken of AND/OR unappreciated #mmontage
— Ḥafsa (@Mooresque) October 30, 2013
We asked: “How can we demonstrate the nuances?”
I truly believe popular culture is where this can happen RT @MuslimahMontage How can we demonstrate the nuances? #mmontage
— Hind Makki (@HindMakki) October 30, 2013
@HindMakki @MuslimahMontage and more Muslim parents must encourage their daughters to pursue this when they share their dreams #mmontage
— Aisha Saeed (@aishacs) October 30, 2013
More Muslim women shd work as writers in Hollywood and/or publish novels RT @MuslimahMontage How can we demonstrate the nuances? #mmontage
— Hind Makki (@HindMakki) October 30, 2013
What are you doing to dispel some of the stereotypes that are out there about Muslim women?
#Muslim women being in positions of religious authority is important. It's critical for Muslim men & boys to hear from them #mmontage
— Hind Makki (@HindMakki) October 30, 2013
Finally, we asked, “How can Muslim women be more visible? What can we do too help to bring them to forefront (speeches, panels, interviews, etc)?”
@MuslimahMontage #Mmontage Social media and playing field have leveled the playing field. Women can blog, write, create videos, be heard
— Samina Ali (@GroundbreakHers) October 30, 2013
@MuslimahMontage Starting and continuing discussions such as this. 😀 Looking critically but also working towards solutions. #mmontage
— Footybedsheets (@_shireenahmed_) October 30, 2013
https://twitter.com/ImTheQ/status/395623961515417600
One way is to call out – publicly or privately – conferences that feature all/mainly male speakers roster @MuslimahMontage #mmontage
— Hind Makki (@HindMakki) October 30, 2013
@HindMakki @MuslimahMontage #mmontage I've heard a sigh of relief from women globally re: Muslima exhibit. Next step: all woman conference
— Samina Ali (@GroundbreakHers) October 30, 2013
“@SaminaAli_CA: #Mmontage Social media playing field have leveled the playing field. Women can blog, write, create videos, be heard” true!
— Aisha Saeed (@aishacs) October 30, 2013
Some cool tweets we wanted to share:
Author of Painted Hands, Jennifer Zobair on the current narrative:
The current narrative came to my first book reading. It said to me "how dare you tell this story." #mmontage
— Jennifer Zobair (@jazobair) October 30, 2013
Humorist and Interfaith Activist, Amanda Quraishi on “the Ideal Muslim Narrative”
https://twitter.com/ImTheQ/status/395617688044580864
On the Muslim women narrative, writer and activist, Hind Makki:
The #MuslimWomanNarrative is often told without the voices of actual Muslim women #mmontage
— Hind Makki (@HindMakki) October 30, 2013
On inequality in our community, Writer and Educator, Margari Aziza Hill writes:
Sometimes in dispelling certain myths about Muslim women, we downpplay realities of inequality in our community #mmontage
— Margari Aziza (@Margari_Aziza) October 30, 2013
To catch up on the rest of the chat, you can look up #mmontage on twitter and also follow @muslimahmontage to get involved in some cool conversations!
Muslimah Montage wants to thank all of the amazing women who partook in our chat party.
Muslimah Montage officially debuts on Monday, November 4, 2013, our debuting Muslimah is writer and attorney, Melody Moezzi!
Stay tuned…