altMuslimah (“altM”) is an online magazine featuring compelling commentary on gender-in-Islam from both the male and female, Muslim and non-Muslim, perspectives.
“Gender in Islam” has multiple dimensions and evokes a wide multitude of emotions: fear, confusion, defiance, love. altM explores all of these dimensions and provides a platform for intra- and inter-community dialogue on a wide variety of gender-related issues. In particular, it looks at the intersection of female and male sexuality and gender identity with society, politics, economics, and culture.
The mode of exploration is a combination of analysis and personal stories. The editors at altM are firm believers in the power of personal narratives to help explain social phenomena. By uncovering the stories of a wide cross-section of men and women in the community, altM helps bring into sharper focus the gender issues that affect both men and women.
WHY GENDER?
The issue of gender is central to:
(1) The development of intra-community Muslim discourse on gender rights (women’s space in the mosque, relations between the genders, the marriage crisis facing young Muslim American women, etc.).
(2) Enhancing non-Muslims’ understanding of Muslims and Islam, as it is precisely these sorts of issues (women’s rights, burqas, headscarves, honor killings, polygamy, harems, etc.) that capture the imagination of non-Muslims and inspire their distrust of Islam.