When revolution hit the streets of the Middle East earlier this year, news cameras captured courageous women (both young and old) fighting for freedom shoulder-to-shoulder with the men. In fact, it was 26-year-old Asmaa Mahfouz's YouTube video and Facebook posts that have become the stuff of legends that will be retold for generations to come. She will go down in history known as the "Leader of the Revolution" for her role in sparking the the overthrow of the 30 year regime of the Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak.
Her fiery words, "Whoever says women shouldn't go to protests because they will get beaten, let him have some honor and manhood and come with me on January 25" inspired an entire nation to stand up for justice.
Probably not what most people think of when picturing an "oppressed Muslim woman" right? There is no such thing as a typical Muslim woman despite what FOX News might tell you. We don't all wear head-to-toe black burqa walking ten steps behind our husband. Sidenote-I don't know why the walking behind the husband thing really bugs me but this is why I am constantly trying to get my husband to slow his roll and walk leisurely next to me. Granted he's usually trying to corral our kids and keep them from running off, while I take my sweet time getting anywhere.
Muslim women have broken down cultural, social and religious barriers while facing down discrimination and prejudice in all walks of life. Newsweek recently did a profile about 2 successful high fashion models who not only happen to be Arab but also Muslim. Modeling may seem like it does not fit with the whole Islamic concept of hijab and emphasis on modesty for both men and women. Yep it's true, men are also encouraged just as much as women in Islam to dress modestly, something that *gasp* rarely gets mentioned in the media.
Still, as the Newsweek piece mentions, Middle Eastern women are the biggest consumers for haute couture fashion pieces. But just where do these gorgeous French creations get worn? Usually under their black abayas, until the women are somewhere private either with their family or gal pals. And despite what you may have seen in the disappointing Sex and the City 2 flick, there are not gaggles of Middle Eastern women waiting for Carrie Bradshaw and Samantha Jones to "liberate" them from fashion tyranny.
Muslim women make choices every day about how they follow their religion, while some choose to cover their hair or their entire body, many choose not to. The beauty of Islam is that we all have free will and we get to decide how we worship God. While my personal choices will not have me in a bikini anytime soon, you will see me splashing about the beach in a burqini.
My religious beliefs do not hold me back from anything I want to accomplish in this world. I love all things related to beauty and fashion. I may wear a scarf, but I love my MAC and Nars makeup and consider a trip to the mall a waste if I don't make a pilgrimage to Sephora. I watch all the award shows just for red carpet fashion and yes I am a beauty blog and fashion magazine junkie. I guess what this whole post was about is to figure out why I feel it is important that as a Muslim woman I add my voice to the world of fashion and beauty. People like the revolutionary Asmaa Mahfouz, busy mom and fashion designer Gwen Stefani inspire me to not be just any one thing or fit into a box that someone else created for me.
Yes I am Muslim and yes I am addicted to makeup. There should be self-help group just for me, but until there is I plan on using this blog to post about the things I love: the husband, our gorgeous babies (seriously they do not look like either me or the hubby, but at least they look like each other, I swear we didn't steal them), fashion, makeup, style, all while being a Glam Muslim Woman loving God for blessing me with all of the above.
Hope you enjoy my ramblings and leave me your two cents!
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