Muslim American women are the subject of endless
discussions regarding their role in society, their veils
as symbols of oppression or of freedom, their identity,
their patriotism, their womanhood. Yet the voices and
life experiences of Muslim American women themselves are
rarely heard in the loud rhetoric surrounding the
question of Muslims in America. Finally, in "I Speak for
Myself, " 40 American women under the age of 40, share
their experiences of their lives as Muslim women in
America. While their commonality is faith and
citizenship, their voices and their messages are very
different. Readers of "I Speak for Myself" are
presented with a kaleidoscope of stories, artfully woven
together around the central idea of limitlessness and
individuality. A common theme linking these intimate
self-portraits will be the way each woman uniquely
defies labeling, simply by defining for herself what it
means to be American and Muslim and female. Each
personal story is a contribution to the larger narrative
of life stories and life work of a new generation of
Muslim women. There are approximately six million
Muslims living in the United States and over one billion
around the world. While the events of 9/11 certainly
engaged Americans with the religion of Islam, many
enduring stereotypes continue to belittle the Muslim
American experience; this often leads to a monolithic
interpretation of Islam. Such a treatment is especially
inappropriate when reflecting on the Muslim American
identity, which is by far one of the most culturally,
ethnically, and socially diverse of any in the Islamic
world. Women of the Muslim community in America could be
described as both patriots and practitioners (of faith).
Their experiences call for a body of literature that
reflects how they celebrate and live Islam in
distinctive ways. In the wake of the current rising
tide of Islamophobia (see "Time Magazine, " Aug. 30,
2010), "I Speak for Myself" is a must read for Americans
seeking understanding of Islam from young women who were
all born in the USA.
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