How will a program featuring first- and second-generation Iranian-Americans (or Persians, as they prefer) affect public opinion on Iran? On one hand, Iran is presented as evil, nuclear, and menacing in news reports and pop culture. On the other hand, Shahs features a bunch of vapid, rich Americans with Iranian ancestry—many of whom are refugees from the 1979 revolution. In the opening credits, cast members relate that, “When the revolution happened, we all had to pick up and flee the old country,” and “I’ve been a refugee since I was eight.”

People, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, often tell me that I can’t be both a Muslim and a feminist. At a recent book reading in Oregon, for example, a male audience member asked me, “How does that even work?” These questions demonstrate some of the rigid misconceptions individuals have about Islam and feminism; many people think that they’re mutually exclusive categories. In fact, as a Muslim feminist, I have found them to have more in common than people realize, especially when it comes to social justice.

Check out the entire piece here.

Check out the introduction and my presentation at the Muslim Voices blog here.

So I wrote a review! It’s the first thing I’ve written in awhile, and it’s up at Racialicious:

Themes of longing and survival permeate Habibi. The protagonists, Zam and Dodola, long for each other, likening this to a yearning for the Divine – Middle Eastern poets have done this for centuries. Zam and Dodola endure horrible events in the name of survival, perhaps tying in with Thompson’s conservationist theme by implying that our disregard for the earth is tantamount to rape and castration of the planet. These themes, however, are often drowned out—no matter how much Thompson underlines them—by the towering gaffes of his misrepresentation. The country of Wanatolia may be fiction, but the cultures it mimics and clumsily muddles together are real.

A lot of my colleagues have reviewed it, as well, and I include their reviews in my piece. So check it out!

Check it out!

But I couldn’t care less that he’s an atheist.  My issues with Richard Dawkins are with his disgusting sexism.

Some recent comments he made about sexism in the atheist movement really got under atheist feminists’ skin. But also mine. And so I wrote out my thoughts at Muslimah Media Watch:

Dawkins is injecting Muslim women “over there” into an issue that concerns us as well (sexual harassment and sexism in belief systems), but uses us to derail this issue.

I included some great links to what other feminists are saying about the issue, too. Ms. Magazine is reading it! So should you.

Go to the website to sign up today! You’ll be able to see the full list of speakers, which include journalists, activists, and a few MMW writers. There are a lot of great thinkers to share their thoughts on where Islam is headed in the age of new media–all in one place and at your convenience!

And to celebrate, I’m going to do one of the things I do best: talk!

I’ll be giving a presentation titled, “More Than Meets the Eye: Muslim Women & Global Media Culture” for the World Affairs Council of Oregon on March 7, 2011.

If you’re in town, come check it out! And remember to use next Tuesday to make the world a bit better for the women in your life.

Arsinée Khanjian stars as Sabah, a Muslim woman in her forties who has never been married and dutifully takes care of her mother, while her controlling brother keeps everyone under his thumb. The movie is billed as a cross-cultural romantic comedy, featuring serious cultural clash moments while attempting the comedy and warmth of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. But while the movie aimed high, it fell short.

Check it out!