Columns

Phyllis Chesler and Naomi Wolf have gotten themselves into a battle royale over…the veil. What’s most interesting about this “debate” is that neither women has qualifications that make her opinions hold weight.

Clearly, a media alternative is needed – one that explores gender in Islam in all of its nuance and complexity rather than demonizing or simplifying it. Because media distortion happens both through biased reporting and exaggerated, selective images, the counter-response must be similarly multifaceted.

This week, Sudanese journalist Lubna al-Hussein is freed after serving one day of her sentence for wearing pants, the LA Times ran an opinion piece questioning if the hijab really is liberation, a piece in the New York Times discussed the challenges that Muslim women in hijab face when exercising, a Muslim woman in France testifies in favor of a burqa ban and pig-free cosmetics are created for Muslim women.

This week, burka: the new attire of choice for — thieves? After three decades, Iran announces its first female cabinet minister. Microfinance helps save a Pakistani women from her husband’s beatings. And, Hindu and other friends of Rifqa Bary’s family say the allegations against her father are unlikely and crazy.

This week’s selected photo is by Sadaf Syed

This week, a hijab-based lawsuit against a judge, Mali’s president refuses a law that requires mutual respect between spouses, Uzbeks unofficially ban hijab, and harassment charges against a man who attempted murder of two Muslim women.

This week, a Singaporian model is caned for drinking alcohol, high female voter turnout in Afghani elections, Indian Muslim women are trained in boxing, and more burqini rage in France.

This week, a converted teen fears her Muslim parents will kill her. Also, burqinis banned in French swimming pools, a Muslim Power List forms for 2009, and props for our own Fatemeh Fakhraie in USA Today.