by Ham – I’m not sure from whom I heard it. Or perhaps it’s an amalgamation of different sayings and lessons throughout my growing years. The idea was that if you’re a good and pious Muslim girl, God will provide for you, even reserve the best future for you. Specifically, if you remain chaste, feminine…
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by N My husband S and I would like to pride ourselves on preserving tradition… somewhat. We always ensure our home is all decked out and ready for major festivals. During the Chinese New Year season, red adorns the outside of our home, with chun lian to bring in great luck for the year. During…
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by Diana Rahim How does one even begin to talk about love? It’s almost unthinkable. It’s like asking one to talk about a topic as fraught and as nebulous as “consciousness.” I am not sure I am exaggerating. I struggled for a while about how to introduce this topic, how to write this letter. But…
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By Ham It’s barely ten minutes past seven and I’ve already lost my appetite. It’s taking all of my willpower not to throw my dinner plate at the screen. My mother is seated across from me, passively taking in the sight. The female lead argues in a half-assed manner, “If you can’t respect me as…
Read MoreBy: Diana Rahim [Transcript of speech given on International Women’s Day 2015 in Hong Lim Park] Imagine the 1960s. Everything around you is heavy with the scent of tropical heat and greenery. Somewhere in the village my grandmother directs men to carry the furniture from the house into the truck that would drive their possessions…
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Beyond The Hijab 