Beirut – Kholoud Sukkarieh, a Sunni Lebanese woman and Nidal Darwish, a Shi’a Lebanese man, recently decided to get a civil marriage in Lebanon. As this institution doesn’t exist in the country, unsurprisingly, the Lebanese government did not recognise the civil union. But the couple succeeded in getting the attention of the country’s politicians and religious leaders.
Read MoreIn recent years, women-only taxi services offering convenient and safe transit have sprung up in major cities all over the globe. These “pink taxis,” driven by women for women, offer a variety of benefits — not only giving women the option of avoiding harassment by male drivers, but also offer employment opportunities, business ownership, and in some cases, empowered transit in funky, candy pink rides decked out with lady magazines, beauty kits, and alarm buttons.
Read MoreWhen I first visited an abortion clinic as a medical student two years ago, I encountered stereotypical anti-abortion activism outside the clinic: enlarged, graphic images of bloody fetuses and severed limbs, flagrant yelling and condemnation, and Christian faith symbols on display. I secretly prayed that the headscarf on my head would force the protestors to revise their pro-faith-means-anti-choice stance, but I knew better.
Read MoreIn retrospect, it wasn’t that unusual of an event but would be one that finally broke the silence surrounding violence against women in the world’s second largest country.
On December 16, a 23-year-old medical student travelling with a male companion on a bus in New Delhi was beaten and gang raped by a group of 6 men for over an hour as the bus traveled across the city. When they were done, they threw her from the bus onto the road leaving her in critical condition.
While it was not surprising that rabblerousing websites such as RadicalIslam.org or India’s Daily.bhaskar.com disseminated false reports that a well-known Saudi cleric issued a fatwa encouraging sexually frustrated rebels in Syria to gang-rape Syrian women, it was very surprising that Salon.com, and similarly well-reputed Alternet.org, were quick to publish this story as well, although they subsequently issued retractions and apologies as well. What can explain these two respected websites’ lapse in editorial judgment?
Read MoreShabana Khan* speaks from behind a screen put up to protect her identity at a recent women’s assembly. I cannot see her. I do not know what her age is. I have no way of observing her non-verbal communication. But what I do know is that this is a person in pain. Intense pain has resulted in eloquence as well as a defiant, almost rebellious fearlessness. She is a young woman from the Shia Hazara community and lives in Quetta. This is an excerpt of the story she tells of herself and her community.
Read MoreThis week I ate at a fancy restaurant where I paid $30 for a salmon lox, warm, flaky croissants, mini cheesecakes and orange juice in stemware. I was paying more for the classy ambiance of a chic establishment that serves small portions on square plates than I was for the food itself. I sat at my table wearing a new jacket, listening to the piano playing in the background and waiting to meet a group of friends I haven’t seen since graduation.
Read MoreAs someone who writes and lectures about women and gender in Islam, I am often asked if women had any role in the making of the Islamic tradition. Happily, the answer is always yes. There were in fact many prominent women in the early history of Islam.
At the top of the list would have to be Aisha, the widow of the Prophet Muhammad who was renowned for her learning and wit.The Prophet in fact is said to have counselled his followers to “take half of your religion” from Aisha – in recognition of her learning.
Women’s health has been highly politicized this election cycle with both Democrats and Republicans attempting to reel in women voters by focusing on contentious issues such as reproductive health and contraceptives. Remarkably enough, outside of women’s reproductive wellbeing, we have seen sparse discussion on any other female-focused health concerns.
Read MoreAfter a long political dry spell, a record number of women are running for Congress this year. If most of these female candidates win, the United States will rise slightly in country rankings for the percentage of women in a nation’s parliament—we currently sit at a disappointing #78, tied with Turkmenistan.
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