Beyond the Hijab features stories of Muslim women living in Singapore.
We welcome submissions from members of the Muslim community in Singapore of all ethnicities, orientations, and hijab preferences to submit written pieces – poems, monologues, songs or even raps! Write about the issues you care about, the challenges you face spiritually or in your daily lives, and what your religion means to you. Beyond the Hijab is a place to celebrate the trials, triumphs and even sometimes cringe-worthy awkwardness of being Muslim women You can submit under a pseudonym if you want to maintain anonymity and submissions will not be reproduced in any way except with the permission of the author.
This Month’s Theme: Burnout
During the COVID-19 pandemic, what affected the mental health of Singaporeans most, according to a survey commissioned by Channel News Asia, was burnout. Though primarily understood within the context of the workplace, burnout can impact all aspects of one’s life. People who experience burnout often describe it as a bone-deep exhaustion both physically and emotionally, where one feels a profound loss of motivation, and the feeling of being “squeezed dry.” It is an exhaustion that is beyond just feeling “tired” temporarily, and tends to require a longer period of recovery.
With the pandemic introducing stressors like restrictions, home based learning, and loss of jobs and income, it was no surprise that the mental health of Singaporeans took a hit. As the pandemic has given way to record increases in the cost of living in a time of inflation and GST increase, one period of difficulty only seems to give way to another
How has burnout affected you? What was the cause of your burnout? Did you have support in recovering from burnout, or was the lack of support the cause of burnout in the first place? Have you recovered from burnout? What is necessary in order for us to recover from burnout, or to prevent burnout in the first place?
Share your stories, thoughts and ideas with us. Writers are allowed to write under a pseudonym to protect their identity. Feel free to drop an email for queries. We are looking forward to hearing from you! You have until 8th June to submit.
Submission Guidelines
- All pieces must be original and submitted in the English language unless you can provide a translation.
- Submissions must be between 600 – 2000 words.
- Authors must be Singaporean or PR and be members of the Muslim community in Singapore.
- If selected, your piece may go through an editing process. We may request some changes or edits, but only because we want the strength of your piece to be fully realised!
- We provide an honorarium for selected pieces.
- Submit below or email as a Word document to team@beyondhijab.sg
Beyond The Hijab 