By Nurul Deanna – I am an Indian Muslim. No, I did not convert. No, I am not Hindu (did I already mention I’m Muslim?). I am Indian and yes, I’m very sure that I’m Muslim. I remember when I was in a Grab on the way to work for my internship. The driver took…
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Re-thinking Disability in Islam
by Sya Taha __ Disability and Islam My sister, Syiqah, gets around on a wheelchair. When we used to attend Islamic classes in our younger days, the mosque we went to was not accessible. We had to gather two or three young men each week to carry her wheelchair down three big steps to where…
Read MoreNaked Face and Bare Feet: Language and the Body
by Atifa Othman _ There I was, bare feet and naked face, drenched in salty sweat after a 1-hour workout. I was a regular at that gym and I always tried to make it a point to look approachable and friendly. I never had a problem frequenting exercise spaces on my own (apart from the…
Read MoreWhat Happens When Your Body Is Not Your Own
by Aria My body is not my own. Growing up in a Malay Muslim household, it took me a while before I realized that my body was not my own. Since young, my body has been policed by everyone around me; my self-worth reduced to my physical appearance as though I had nothing else to…
Read MoreOf Boobs and Babat: A Story About My Body
by Raudah __ As a plus-size woman, body image is an inner demon that I have fought, lost and have a love-hate relationship with over the years. Heck, sometimes we have brunch on weekends. I dislike my body. Everything is too much; my feet are too big and I am not able to buy cute…
Read MoreEditor’s Letter: Body Image
This editor’s letter is guest-written by Nurul Huda Rashid _ Pertumbuhan tubuhku / Seeds & the Soil I was in primary school when I was made aware of the darkness of my skin. Its hairiness was identified as ‘gorilla’ and I was told that I could never be as beautiful as a ‘Malay’ girl. The…
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