Saturday, March 13, 2010 | 28 Rabi al-Awwal 1431  
Challenging Stereotypes
Altmuslimah’s photographic campaign



The purpose of Altmuslimah's visual campaign is to counteract the media's stereotypical portrayal of oppressed Muslim women. It aims to present Muslim women multi-dimensionally, figuratively speaking. The collection highlights the literary contributions of empowered Muslim American women; telling portraits of tenacious Muslim females, young and old; the purity of spiritual devotion; and the dynamics of positive gender interaction in Islam.

Pieces from the campaign will be on display at the annual Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) convention July 3-6 in Washington, DC.

Sarah Uddin is a Contributing Photographer for Altmuslimah



ZERO COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE

ADD YOUR COMMENT
You must be logged in to leave comments.

Produced in
partnership with
See more of Altmuslimah's photographic campaign
Search altmuslimah


Subscribe to newsletter and feeds


Multimedia

Fashion Week: Malaysia (Vincent Thian/AP Photo, November 15, 2009)
iCover (Sadaf Syed, November 15, 2009)
Journeying through Oman (Lucy Marryat & Yoshi (Yusuf Misdaq), October 19, 2009)

Editors' blog

Conceptions of sexuality among American Muslim women - Ten AltMuslimah members/readers gathered on Sunday, February 21, 2010, with the goal of discussing the nature of Muslim women’s sexuality, and how American Muslim women’s social needs may be different. Whether formal or casual, the group agreed in the value of women’s support networks, especially considering the rising prevalence of domestic violence in our communities. A quick brainstorm of ideas brought up the possibility of periodic casual women’s nights, which are actually common in more active American Muslim communities. (March 1, 2010) (1 comment)

News briefs for week of March 1, 2010 - This week Washington, D.C. women storm the men’s section of a local mosque, a women in hijab is fired from her retail position in California, a women’s terrorist group is said to be uncovered in Egypt, Malaysia looks to hold a conference on women’s caning, Pakistani women’s clothing is highlighted, and Iran’s first female Olympic skier is profiled. (March 1, 2010) (0 comments)

News briefs for week of February 22, 2010 - Saudi religious police crackdown on Valentine's Day merchandise, Three Malaysian women are caned for extramarital sex, Saudi to permit female lawyers to argue cases, New Jersey Muslim man throws baby over a bridge, and Baltimore sixth-graders go on a field trip to an Islamic center. (February 22, 2010) (0 comments)

News briefs for week of February 15, 2010 - This week, death threats for dehijabing in Spain, a ballet showcasing Muslim women’s historical accomplishments, France continues the burqa ban debate, a Pakistani woman is recognized in California, Muslim scholars question full-body scanning and Obama names an envoy to the Muslim world. (February 15, 2010) (0 comments)

News briefs for week of February 8, 2010 - This week, a study finds that abstinence-focused sex education in American schools can persuade youth to delay sexual activity, sixteen-year-old Turkish girl buried alive for talking to boys, French authorities deny citizenship to man who forces his wife to wear a full veil, and female government leaders have done little to advance women's rights in Southeast and South Asia. (February 8, 2010) (2 comments)

News briefs for week of February 1, 2010 - This week stress on female virginity is put on blast, a women’s rights book is allowed onto Malaysian shelves, and the burqa debate continues in France and Denmark. (February 1, 2010) (0 comments)

Readers' blog

Will you be my (halal) Valentine? - Why does Valentine’s Day spark such contentious debate among American Muslims across blogs and social networking sites? What underlying emotional buttons does this commercialized cultural holiday push among American Muslims? While other holidays, such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, generate a few tired and tepid discussions centered around the idea that “everyday should be Mother’s and Father’s Day,” Valentine’s Day, like the very concept of romantic love it celebrates, generates much more passionate responses. These debates touch on many topics including what love means or should mean to Muslims, the relationship between culture and religion, and the current state of romantic relationships among Muslims. (February 22, 2010) (1 comment)

Living up to the legacy - By historical account, being a Muslim female meant being virtuous, loving, knowledgeable, and empowered by her faith. Well it’s centuries later and although we cite to the legacy of Islam, we fail to live up to it or keep the legacy alive. (February 4, 2010) (1 comment)

Bridging literacy and cultural gaps in Pakistan - In addition to bridging cultural and socioeconomic gaps, the American International School System in Pakistan acts as an experimental model and incubator by incorporating some of the education reform principles advocated by grassroots organizations, education specialists and writers, and governmental agencies like the Ministry of Education. (January 3, 2010) (1 comment)

Islam and manhood - The infamy of Islamist terrorism over the past decade has created an image of the Muslim man as intrinsically prone to violent behavior, even if directed toward the self rather than the other. The image of the angry, flag-burning, chanting Muslim man has come to symbolize male violence. However the photos fail to explain that, firstly, the anger, in many instances, is justified, secondly, that the chants rarely spill over into to physical violence, and thirdly that violence is not exclusive to Muslim men. (December 25, 2009) (5 comments)

It’s not about the niqab, it’s about credibility - The question, which we all should consider now is why Al-Azhar scholars are not obeyed by the public any more? The simple and direct answer to this very complicated question is because Al-Azhar lost its credibility in the eyes of Egyptians. (October 17, 2009) (4 comments)

One woman’s journey toward pleasing Allah - Understanding the purpose and reasoning behind abaya is not something a Muslim girl learns the day she is born. For many, like myself, it was a slow and steady journey; one that required much research and reflection. (September 25, 2009) (4 comments)

Founder & Editor-In-Chief
Asma T. Uddin

Executive Editor
Zahed Amanullah

Publisher
Shahed Amanullah

Associate Editors
Fatima Bahloul
Rabea Chaudhry
Fatemeh Fakhraie
Abbas Jaffer
Sarah Jawaid
Anjum Malkana
Enith Morillo
Shazia Riaz
Zehra Rizavi

Contributors
Uzma Mariam Ahmed
Fatima Ayub
Jack Fairweather
Hussein Rashid
Sarah Uddin
Rahilla Zafar
Rafia Zakaria
Our mission | Our partners| In the news | Contact us | Submit an article | Advertising