Comments on: International Women’s Day http://allan.lissner.net/international-womens-day/ independent multimedia journalism Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:02:34 +0000 hourly 1 By: Danielle Lobo http://allan.lissner.net/international-womens-day/comment-page-2/#comment-1318 Danielle Lobo Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:35:06 +0000 http://allan.lissner.net/?p=798#comment-1318 Thanks for the response. The background into the picture provides me with more insight. I think I am going to sit on the fence for this one as you have done as well and listen to both sides of such an argument as even I don't know what to say. Its a fine line between the legitimacy of oppressed people arguing their concerns versus oppressed people perpetuating their own stereotypes. I guess it was my bad to assume she was a western feminist. I have heard from my Muslim friend that the Hijaab is a very personal choice when it is a choice. Families should not enforce hijaabs into the religious context, the approach is what matters. Islam teaches modesty, women who choose to demonstrate such modesty through wearing the hijaab have made a personal choice that neither the government nor others should judge. Anyways, thanks again for your comments.. btw, I was the person in your OCIC agm group on blogs its funny how i had no idea about blogs before and here I am commenting on yours. Thanks for the response. The background into the picture provides me with more insight. I think I am going to sit on the fence for this one as you have done as well and listen to both sides of such an argument as even I don’t know what to say. Its a fine line between the legitimacy of oppressed people arguing their concerns versus oppressed people perpetuating their own stereotypes. I guess it was my bad to assume she was a western feminist. I have heard from my Muslim friend that the Hijaab is a very personal choice when it is a choice. Families should not enforce hijaabs into the religious context, the approach is what matters. Islam teaches modesty, women who choose to demonstrate such modesty through wearing the hijaab have made a personal choice that neither the government nor others should judge. Anyways, thanks again for your comments..

btw, I was the person in your OCIC agm group on blogs its funny how i had no idea about blogs before and here I am commenting on yours.

]]> By: admin http://allan.lissner.net/international-womens-day/comment-page-1/#comment-350 admin Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:09:59 +0000 http://allan.lissner.net/?p=798#comment-350 Hi Danielle, Thanks for the encouragement. For what it's worth, the woman with the 'say no to hijab' mask was a part of a group of women attending the Women's Day March, all of whom came from Islamic backgrounds and had some very articulate critiques about their own religion, which I'm in no position to elaborate on here (I'm sory I don't remember the name of their group). So, as I understand it, this woman (whom I don't know personally) is speaking from her own experiences and about her own faith, Otherwise I wouldn't have felt comfortable including it for the reasons you outline. Unfortunately, this one image does not adequately communicate the complexities that you rightly point out. But as an image of a brave Muslim woman, making a bold and provocative public statement precisely in order to stir up debates such as this, I thought it might be worth including in this series. Thanks again for commenting. Hi Danielle,
Thanks for the encouragement.
For what it’s worth, the woman with the ‘say no to hijab’ mask was a part of a group of women attending the Women’s Day March, all of whom came from Islamic backgrounds and had some very articulate critiques about their own religion, which I’m in no position to elaborate on here (I’m sory I don’t remember the name of their group).

So, as I understand it, this woman (whom I don’t know personally) is speaking from her own experiences and about her own faith, Otherwise I wouldn’t have felt comfortable including it for the reasons you outline.

Unfortunately, this one image does not adequately communicate the complexities that you rightly point out. But as an image of a brave Muslim woman, making a bold and provocative public statement precisely in order to stir up debates such as this, I thought it might be worth including in this series.
Thanks again for commenting.

]]> By: Danielle Lobo http://allan.lissner.net/international-womens-day/comment-page-1/#comment-348 Danielle Lobo Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:50:09 +0000 http://allan.lissner.net/?p=798#comment-348 I appreciate much of the work you have put up on your website and find it useful and inspiring for people to become informed and take action. However, I have a problem with the picture of the woman wearing the sign “say no to hijab”. I don’t know your opinion of the picture or its message, but I find it irresponsible as it is misguided in its attempt to promote international women’s day. This is clearly an example of Western feminists targeting Islam rather than sexism. Islamic feminism is a huge movement and (western) women who misinterpret Islam (specifically the hijab) as oppressive perpetuate anti-Islamic sentiments. Otherwise, thank you for the great work you have put up on International Women’s Day and other issues. I appreciate much of the work you have put up on your website and find it useful and inspiring for people to become informed and take action. However, I have a problem with the picture of the woman wearing the sign “say no to hijab”. I don’t know your opinion of the picture or its message, but I find it irresponsible as it is misguided in its attempt to promote international women’s day. This is clearly an example of Western feminists targeting Islam rather than sexism. Islamic feminism is a huge movement and (western) women who misinterpret Islam (specifically the hijab) as oppressive perpetuate anti-Islamic sentiments. Otherwise, thank you for the great work you have put up on International Women’s Day and other issues.

]]> By: Augustina Mosha http://allan.lissner.net/international-womens-day/comment-page-1/#comment-312 Augustina Mosha Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:32:40 +0000 http://allan.lissner.net/?p=798#comment-312 Dear Allan, Thank you very much again for the remarkable work you are doing. If the world had more people like you (my son) it would be a better place. It is a tough job you are doing and I am sure that since you have decided to join the "winning" team - we will rejoice one day . We believe in what we are advocating for because it is our right from our God. I was glad to see your parents too. There is a famous saying "you cannot give what you do not have". You are giving what your parents planted in you. May I thank them for that Augustina .Mosha Programme Manager Norwegian Church Aid - Tanzania Dear Allan,

Thank you very much again for the remarkable work you are doing. If the world had more people like you (my son) it would be a better place. It is a tough job you are doing and I am sure that since you have decided to join the “winning” team – we will rejoice one day . We believe in what we are advocating for because it is our right from our God.
I was glad to see your parents too. There is a famous saying “you cannot give what you do not have”. You are giving what your parents planted in you. May I thank them for that

Augustina .Mosha
Programme Manager
Norwegian Church Aid – Tanzania

]]> By: Natalie Lowrey http://allan.lissner.net/international-womens-day/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Natalie Lowrey Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:55:29 +0000 http://allan.lissner.net/?p=798#comment-34 Allan this is such a beautiful gesture to women all around the world ... thank you for your work, it truly inspires me. Nat Allan this is such a beautiful gesture to women all around the world … thank you for your work, it truly inspires me.

Nat

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