It's Not About the Burqa

It's Not About the Burqa: Muslim Women on Faith, Feminism, Sexuality and Race

Non-Fiction, Education, Philosophy & Social Sciences, Social Sciences & Sociology, Sociology | Hardback Published on: 21/02/2019
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Synopsis

When was the last time you heard a Muslim woman speak for herself without a filter?

In 2016, Mariam Khan read that David Cameron had linked the radicalization of Muslim men to the 'traditional submissiveness' of Muslim women. Mariam felt pretty sure she didn't know a single Muslim woman who would describe herself that way. Why was she hearing about Muslim women from people who were neither Muslim, nor female?

Years later the state of the national discourse has deteriorated even further, and Muslim women's voices are still pushed to the fringes - the figures leading the discussion are white and male.

Taking one of the most politicized and misused words associated with Muslim women and Islamophobia, It's Not About the Burqa is poised to change all that. Here are voices you won't see represented in the national news headlines: seventeen Muslim women speaking frankly about the hijab and wavering faith, about love and divorce, about feminism, queer identity, sex, and the twin threats of a disapproving community and a racist country. With a mix of British and international women writers, from activist Mona Eltahawy's definition of a revolution to journalist and broadcaster Saima Mir telling the story of her experience of arranged marriage, from author Sufiya Ahmed on her Islamic feminist icon to playwright Afshan D'souza-Lodhi's moving piece about her relationship with her hijab, these essays are funny, warm, sometimes sad, and often angry, and each of them is a passionate declaration calling time on the oppression, the lazy stereotyping, the misogyny and the Islamophobia.

What does it mean, exactly, to be a Muslim woman in the West today? According to the media, it's all about the burqa.

Here's what it's really about.

  • Publisher: Pan Macmillan
  • ISBN: 9781509886401
  • Number of pages: 272
  • Weight: 390g
  • Dimensions: 224 x 144 x 31 mm

Customer Reviews

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It's Not About the Burqa
Timely, exhilirating, necessary
This is a book filled with the voices of Muslim women - who we have been told are submissive, uneducated, oppressed and responsible for not preventing the ... READ MORE
Jane Skudder
It's Not About the Burqa
An important read
Funny, intelligent and refreshingly personal. I loved reading such honest and diverse accounts and really feel that this powerful collection of essays, by ... READ MORE
Megan at Waterstones Bristol Galleries
It's Not About the Burqa
So necessary and brilliant
Enjoying this collection of essays so much. So many different views and this is so needed.
Tahmina Begum
It's Not About the Burqa
Witty, Timely, Important
This book was fantastic! There are such a variety of essays in here that cover an array of topics and perspectives from muslim women. The authors' passion ... READ MORE
Lily at Poole
It's Not About the Burqa
This will change your mind about Muslim women in 2020!
I decided to buy this after reading some of the many negatives accounts in the media-News, Newspapers, online, in recent years. I can tell you this will d... READ MORE
Elsabear
It's Not About the Burqa
Oh so necessary
This collection is passionate, brazen and at times quietly devastating. The essays cover a wide range of topics and include Muslim women from across the gl... READ MORE
Tabby
It's Not About the Burqa
Much needed
Powerful reading and real eye opening educational essays by Muslim women discussing faith, feminism, and race. I loved this and I think this should be wide... READ MORE
Tara Keating
It's Not About the Burqa
Incredible
This collection of essays is absolutely stunning. Given the subject matter, I can't sing it's praises enough. It's much needed and covers such a wide array... READ MORE
Clare Doran
It's Not About the Burqa
Empowering Feminist Thoughts
Mariam Khan put together It’s Not about the Burqa to change negative perceptions associated with Muslim women and Islamophobia. She was confused as to why ... READ MORE
louus_library
It's Not About the Burqa
Refreshing perspectives challenging stereotypes
Mariam Khan put together It’s Not about the Burqa to change negative perceptions associated with Muslim women and Islamophobia. She was confused as to why ... READ MORE
louus_library
It's Not About the Burqa
The book that made me change my entire Twitter bio and reflect on whether representation is meaningful
‘It’s Not About the Burqa’ is a piercing contemporary collection of essays written by 17 prominent Muslim women ranging from entrepreneurs, activists, jour... READ MORE
Sophia Ismaa