Muslimahs Speak Up! Carnival

There's a Muslimahs Speak Up! Carnival with lots of good links and lots of female Muslim voices.

Highlights:

From Muslimah Media Watch: Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Triple Threats and Double Trouble for Muslim Women

Izzy Mo: Muslim Women Writers Need Not Apply

Snowy Heights: Hijabibabe

Musings of a Mademoiselle: The Neuroses of a Confused Girlie

Just a bit from the Neuroses of a Confused Girlie (which I think is awwwwesome):

It’s harder as a Muslim when die-hard fanatics tell you that a woman being out and about in public is wrong. That shaking hands with the opposite sex is haram. That I should be at home bearing babies and coddling a husband. It’s harder as an Egyptian when people tell me not to pursue an MBA because I’ll intimidate any potential spouses. That speaking out against sexual harassment is somehow shameful. That my femininity is somehow compromised if I insist on talking books and politics. And my all time favorite: I should hurry up and get married before all the good guys are gone. 1,2,3.

But you know what? I’m still proud to be Muslim. Proud to be Egyptian. Proud to be a woman.

I’ll continue learning about my religion, and debating to my dying breath with those who try and convince me that my religion wants to treat me like a second class citizen. (Or other aspects of Islam that are misconstrued, but that’s another story).

I love the fact that my Egyptian family will always be there for me, My-Big-Fat-Greek Wedding-Style, and I’ll strive to balance between what I want and what they want.

And as a woman? Well, since I’m obviously never going to go for a man that is going to try and cut me down to size, it seems I’m sadly going to end up a sad old spinster with cats, ranting bitterly to my equally sad and pathetic friends. Sorry, Grandma!

Badass.


Props to Muslimah Media Watch for the link to the carnival.