It has been three months since my story, Why Yes, I’m an Islamophobe, was published. The response to this article, has actually, become a matter of great concern for me now because I did not think there would be rishtas (proposals) from families of men pouring in from the US, UK, Canada and Europe, as my mother quoted to one of my aunts, recently. My mother could not handle the situation because “lesbian”, “gay”, “queer” are terms that are beyond her vocabulary. Her classical response to my relatives is, “Well, you know Fakhra,” followed by a quiet that is frustrating. Additionally, since I lost my job recently and have few prospects – most of which are from my “ex-rapists” – to my mother, rishtas seem like the most logical solution to “save my face” whereas for my father, I have no updates on my job status.
