#islam woman documentary

[a-journey-to-true-self]

3 Reasons Women Should do Charity

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) once addressed a group of women and encouraged them to give charity. He said that he had seen that most of the people in Hell were women. The women asked why this was so. Why Women Should Be Mindful Women often curse and are ungrateful to their husbands. Women can be led astray easily. Women have some deficiencies in their intelligence and religion. What Are These…

[tawus]

African/African-American/Black

Do The Right Thing (1989) On the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence.

Goodbye Solo (2008) This film is touching and humorous. It is the story of an unlikely friendship between a struggling but happy cab driver from Senegal, and a tormented southern man with secrets.

Lincoln (2012) As the Civil War continues to rage, President struggles with continued fighting on the battlefield during the civil war but he also fights with many inside his own cabinet with his decision to emancipate the slaves.

Malcom X (1992) Biographical epic of the controversial and influential Black Nationalist leader, from his early life and career as a small-time gangster to his ministry as a member of the Nation of Islam.

Straight Outta Compton (2015) The group NWA emerges from the mean streets of Compton in Los Angeles, California, in the mid-1980s and revolutionizes Hip Hop culture with their music and tales about life in the hood.

The Color of Friendship (2000) Mahree Bok is a white South African teenager and a product of the Apartheid system raised to view dark-skinned people as second-class citizens. Piper Dellums is the daughter of an African-American U.S. Congressman living in Washington D.C. When Mahree is chosen to spend her time as an exchange student at the Dellums's house, she is shocked on her arrival to discover that the Dellums are black, and the Dellums are just as surprised when they realize that Mahree is a white South African.

The Color Purple (1985) Based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Color Purple is a richly-textured, powerful film set in America's rural south. It is a brilliant drama about a black woman's struggles to take control of her life in a small Southern town in the early 20th century.

The Help (2011) This academy award winning movie takes place during the civil rights movements of the 1960’s, when an aspiring writer decides to write a book about the African-American maids' point of view on the white families they work for and the hardships they experience on a daily basis.

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Cambodian/Chinese/Vietnamese

Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) A senior chef lives with his three grown daughters; the middle one finds her future plans affected by unexpected events and the life changes of the other household members.

Holly (2006) In Cambodia, Holly, a 12-year-old Vietnamese girl, encounters Patrick, an American stolen artifacts dealer. The story follows their strong connection and her unrelenting efforts to escape her fate.

Last Train Home (2009) A couple embarks on a journey home for Chinese new year along with 130 million other migrant workers, to reunite with their children and struggle for a future. Their unseen story plays out as China soars towards being a world superpower.

Lost in Paradise (2011) Khoi, naive twenty-year-old travels to Ho Chi Minh City from the countryside to begin a new life. It's his first time in the big city and he's looking for a place to live.

Raise the Red Lantern (1991) A young woman becomes the fourth wife of a wealthy lord and must learn to live with the strict rules and tensions within the household.

Sentenced Home (2007) This documentary follows three Cambodian-American men, brought to the U.S. as children by their refugee families. They were raised in the grim public housing of Seattle, among gangs and other realities of that life. Bad choices as teens altered their lives forever, when immigration laws after 9/11 provided no second changes for such children. Though they were raised in the U.S., speak to one another in English, even think in English, each is sentenced to return to Cambodia - separated from family here, possibly forever.

The Joy Luck Club (1993) The story of four Chinese women who immigrated to the U.S. and their first-generation daughters. When one of the women dies, her daughter plays Mahjong with the older women and begins to really learn what her mother endured in China and of her sisters who were left behind. Daughter from Danang (2002) Separated at the end of the Vietnam war, an "Americanized" woman and her Vietnamese mother are reunited after 22 years.

The Last Emperor (1987) The story of the final Emperor of China.

The Quiet American (2002) An older British reporter vies with a young U.S. doctor for the affections of a beautiful Vietnamese woman.

The Vertical Ray of the Sun (2000) The plot centres around three sisters, two of whom are happily married (or so it appears).

Three Seasons (1999) An American in Ho Chi Minh City looks for a daughter he fathered during the war. He meets Woody, a child who's a street vendor, and when Woody's case of wares disappears, he thinks the soldier took it. Woody hunts for him.

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South Asian/Indian

Bhaji on the Beach (1998) Hashida, an 18-year old Asian woman, lives with her family in Birmingham. Her father wants her to become a doctor and next month her medical school is going to start. Secretly, she has a black boyfriend – which is an absolute faux pas in some Asian cultures – and has now discovered that she is pregnant. She joins a small South Asian women's group on a trip to Blackpool, a trip that holds life-changing experiences for all.

Bend It Like Beckham (2002) Teen-aged Londoner Jesminder Bhamra chases her dream of being a professional soccer player while dealing with the objections of her traditional Sikh family.

Gandhi (1982) A biography of Mohandas K. Gandhi, the lawyer who became the famed leader of the Indian revolts against the British rule through his philosophy of non-violent protest.

Slum Dog Millionaire (2008) A teen in Mumbai, India who grew up in the slums, becomes a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" When he is suspected of cheating, he is arrested. During his police interrogation, events from his life history are shown which explain why he knows the answers.

The Namesake (2006) A tale of a first-generation son of traditional, Indian immigrant parents. As he tries to make a place for himself, not always able to straddle two worlds gracefully, he is surprised by what he learns about his family and himself.

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Disease/Mental Illness/Disability

My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown (1989) Christy Brown, born with cerebral palsy, learns to paint and write with his only controllable limb - his left foot.

The Theory of Everything (2014) A look at the relationship between the famous physicist Stephen Hawking and his wife.

Ray (2004) The story of the life and career of the legendary rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles, from his humble beginnings in the South, where he went blind at age seven, to his meteoric rise to stardom during the 1950s and 1960s.

Silver Linings Playbook (2012) After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own.

Still Alice (2014) A linguistics professor and her family find their bonds tested when she is diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.

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LGBTQ+

A Single Man (2009) The story of an English professor, who one year after the sudden death of his boyfriend, is unable to cope with his typical days in 1960s Los Angeles. It is a powerful story of his grief and pain for the loss of someone he truly deeply loved.

Boys Don’t Cry(1999) This film is about the true life story of Brandon Teena, a young woman who is going through a sexual identity crisis. She cuts her hair and dresses like a man to see if she can pass as one. She lived life in a male identity until it was discovered he was born biologically female.

Brokeback Mountain (2005) This film tells the story of a forbidden and secretive relationship between two same-sex cowboys and their lives over the years.

Milk (2008) This film tells the story of American gay activist, Harvey Milk, and his struggles as he fights for gay rights and becomes California's first openly gay elected official.

Philadelphia (1993) In this movie, a lawyer, working for a conservative law firm, is diagnosed with AIDS. His employer fires him because of his condition. He tries to find someone to take his case but all refuse except one willing small time lawyer who advocates for a wrongful dismissal suit in spite of his own fears and homophobia.

The Danish Girl (2015) A fictitious love story loosely inspired by the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili and Gerda's marriage and work evolve as they navigate Lili's groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer.

Transamerica (2005) A pre-operative male-to-female transgender takes an unexpected journey when she learns that she fathered a son, now a teenage runaway hustling on the streets of New York.

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Hispanic/Latino(a)/Mexican

A Day Without a Mexican (2004) One-third of the population of California is Latinos, Hispanics, Mexicans. How would it change life for the state's other residents if this portion of the populous suddenly vanished? The film is a "mockumentary" designed to show the valuable contributions made every day by Latinos.

Babel (2006) Tragedy strikes a married couple on vacation in the Moroccan desert, touching off an interlocking story involving four different families.

El Norte (1983) The Guatemalan army discovers Mayan Indian peasants who have begun to organize, hoping to rise above their label of "brazos fuertes" or "strong arms" (manual laborers). The army massacres their families and destroys their village to give the new recruits no choice but to follow and obey. However, two teenage siblings survive and are determined to escape to the U.S. or El Norte. They make their way to L.A. - uneducated, illegal immigrants, alone.

Mi Familia (My Family) (1995) This epic film traces over three generations an immigrant family's trials, tribulations, tragedies, and triumphs. Jose and Maria, the first generation, come to Los Angeles, meet, marry, face deportation all in the 1930s. They establish their family in East L.A., and their children Chucho, Paco, Memo, Irene, Toni, and Jimmy deal with youth culture and the L.A. police in the 1950s. As the second generation become adults in the 1960s, the focus shifts to Jimmy, his marriage to Isabel (a Salvadorian refugee), their son, and Jimmy's journey to becoming a responsible parent.

Sin Nombre (2009) A Honduran young girl and a Mexican gangster are united in a journey across the American border.

Under the Same Moon (2007) Heartwarming story about a mother who leaves Mexico to make a home for herself and her son (Adrian Alonso). When the boy's grandmother dies, leaving him alone, he sets off on his own to find his mother.

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Immigrants/Undocumented

Crossing Arizona (2006) With Americans on all sides of the issue up in arms and Congress in a policy battle over how to move forward, Crossing Arizona tells the story of how we got to where we are today. Heightened security in California and Texas has pushed illegal border-crossers into the Arizona desert in unprecedented numbers (estimated 4,500 a day). Most are Mexican men in search of work, but increasingly the border-crossers are women and children wanting to join their husbands and fathers. This influx of migrants crossing through Arizona and the attendant rising death toll has elicited complicated feelings about human rights, culture, class, labor, and national security.

Dancer in the Dark (2000) An east European girl goes to America with her young son, expecting it to be like a Hollywood film.

El Norte (1983) The Guatemalan army discovers Mayan Indian peasants who have begun to organize, hoping to rise above their label of "brazos fuertes" or "strong arms" (manual laborers). The army massacres their families and destroys their village to give the new recruits no choice but to follow and obey. However, two teenage siblings survive and are determined to escape to the U.S. or El Norte. They make their way to L.A. - uneducated, illegal immigrants, alone.

In America (2002) A family of Irish immigrants adjusts to life on the mean streets of Hell's Kitchen while also grieving the death of a child.

The Terminal (2004) When an Eastern European immigrant comes to American to fulfill a promise to his father he finds himself stranded inside JFK airport, making it his temporary residence when he cannot enter the USA nor return home.

The Visitor (2007) A lonely economics professor in Connecticut life is changed forever - and for the better - when he finds a couple of illegals, who happen to be living in his New York apartment.

Green Card (1990) A French man wanting to stay in the US enters into a “short-term” marriage to an American woman so he can get his green card. Complications result when he gets caught lying.

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Indigenous

Avatar (2009) A paraplegic marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007) A chronicle of how American Indians were displaced as the U.S. expanded west. Based on the book by Dee Brown.

Once Were Warriors (1994) A family descended from Maori warriors is bedeviled by a violent father and the societal problems of being treated as outcasts.

Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002) In 1931 Australia, government policy includes taking half-caste children from their Aboriginal mothers and sending them a thousand miles away "to save them from themselves." Molly, Daisy, and Grace (two sisters and a cousin who are 14, 10, and 8) arrive at their “school” and promptly escape, under Molly's lead. For days they walk north, following a fence that keeps rabbits from settlements, eluding a native tracker and the regional constabulary. Their pursuers take orders from the government's "chief protector of Aborigines," A.O. Neville, blinded by Anglo-Christian certainty, evolutionary worldview and conventional wisdom.

Smoke Signals (1998) Young Indian man Thomas is a nerd in his reservation, wearing oversize glasses and telling everyone stories no-one wants to hear. His parents died in a fire in 1976, and Thomas was saved by Arnold. Arnold soon left his family (and his tough son Victor), and Victor hasn't seen his father for 10 years. When Victor hears Arnold has died, Thomas offers him funding for the trip to get Arnold's remains, but only if Thomas will also go with him. Thomas and Victor hit the road.

The Spirit of Crazy Horse (1990) One hundred years after the massacre at Wounded Knee, Milo Yellow Hair recounts the story of his people-from the lost battles for their land against the invading whites-to the bitter internal divisions and radicalization of the 1970's-to the present-day revival of Sioux cultural pride, which has become a unifying force as the Sioux try to define themselves and their future.

Whale Rider (2002) On the east coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people believe their History dates back a thousand years to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. Whangara chiefs have been considered Paikea's direct descendants. Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a patriarchal New Zealand culture, believes she is destined to be the new chief. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. Pai must fight a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny.

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Middle Eastern

Baran (2001) In a building site in present-day Tehran, Lateef, a 17-year-old Turkish worker is irresistibly drawn to Rahmat, a young Afghan worker. The revelation of Rahmat's secret changes both their lives.

Incendies (2010) Twins journey to the Middle East to discover their family history, and fulfill their mother's last wishes.

Schindler's List (1993) In German-occupied Poland during World War II, Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazi Germans.

The Band’s Visit (2007) A band comprised of members of the Egyptian police force head to Israel to play at the inaugural ceremony of an Arab arts center, only to find themselves lost in the wrong town.

Turtles Can Fly (2004) Near the Iraqi-Turkish border on the eve of an American invasion, refugee children like 13-year-old Kak (Ebrahim), gauge and await their fate.

Wadjda (2012) An enterprising Saudi girl signs on for her school's Koran recitation competition as a way to raise the remaining funds she needs in order to buy the green bicycle that has captured her interest.

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Pacific Islander/Polynesian

Balangiga: The Howling Wilderness (2017) 1901, Balangiga. Eight-year-old Kulas flees town with his grandfather and their carabao to escape General Smith's Kill and Burn order. He finds a toddler amid a sea of corpses and together, the two boys struggle to survive the American occupation.

Moana (2016) In Ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by the Demigod Maui reaches an impetuous Chieftain's daughter's island, she answers the Ocean's call to seek out the Demigod to set things right.

Once Were Warriors (1994) A family descended from Maori warriors is bedeviled by a violent father and the societal problems of being treated as outcasts.

Princess Kaiulani (2009) The story of a Hawaiian princess' attempts to maintain the independence of the island against the threat of American colonization.

Whale Rider (2002) On the east coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people believe their History dates back a thousand years to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. Whangara chiefs have been considered Paikea's direct descendants. Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a patriarchal New Zealand culture, believes she is destined to be the new chief. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. Pai must fight a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny.

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Women

Āfsāīd = Offside (2006) Struggle of Women in a country that excludes them from entering the stadiums.

The Help (2011) This academy award winning movie takes place during the civil rights movements of the 1960’s when an aspiring writer decides to write a book about the African-American maids' point of view on the white families they work for and the hardships they experience on a daily basis.

Suffragette (2015) The foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal State.

Water (2005) The film examines the plight of a group of widows forced into poverty at a temple in the holy city of Varanasi. It focuses on a relationship between one of the widows, who wants to escape the social restrictions imposed on widows, and a man who is from the highest caste and a follower of Mahatma Gandhi.

Whale Rider (2002) On the east coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people believe their History dates back a thousand years to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. Whangara chiefs have been considered Paikea's direct descendants. Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a patriarchal New Zealand culture, believes she is destined to be the new chief. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. Pai must fight a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny.

Ooh amazing, thank you for this! ❤️

I've watched Slumdog Millionaire, Brokeback Mountain, and Schindler's List. And read a Penguin Classics abridged version of Rabbit-Proof Fence as part of my English learning back in my teenage years. Some of the others I'm familiar with tho have yet to watch; and others are completely new to me

[thewarmestplacetohide]

hi! i love your blog :D. this might be a weird one but do you have any recommendations for possession or demon movies that DON'T deal with Christianity or where Christianity isn't the solution? thanks!

thank you ❤️!!

Suspiria (1977; Italy): occult/giallo; the students of a dance academy begin to die horribly; no specific religion

The Evil Dead (1981; USA): occult/horror comedy; a group of college kids discover an occult tome while vacationing in a cabin; no specific religion

Hellraiser (1987; UK): occult/supernatural horror; a puzzle box that summons interdimensional sadistmasochists falls into nefarious hands; no specific religion

Evil Dead II (1987; USA): occult/horror comedy; a young man is beset by demons while staying in the cabin of an occult researcher; no specific religion

Army of Darkness (1992; USA): occult/horror comedy; after Evil Dead II, Ash finds himself fighting deadites in the Middle Ages; Christianity is there but not the solution

Noroi: The Curse (2005; Japan): occult/found footage; a paranormal investigator tries to tie together a series of bizarre events; Shinto

Evil Dead (2013; USA): occult/slasher/reboot; a group of friends run afoul of demons while trying to help their friend get sober; no specific religion

Jug Face (2013; USA): occult/cosmic horror; a young woman tries to evade fate in a village that worships a bloody thirsty entity; fictional cult

The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014; USA): occult/found footage; a documentary crew follows a woman dealing with dementia (warning: there is a racially insensitive aspect regarding Native American beliefs)

Baskin (2015; Turkey): occult/surrealist; a police squad stumble upon a horrifying ritual; Islam

Satan's Slaves (2017; Indonesia): occult; after dying of a strange illness, a woman returns for her children; Islam

The Ritual (2017; UK): occult; a group of friends get lost in an eerie Norwegian forest; fictional Nordic cult

May the Devil Take You (2018; Indonesia): occult; an estranged daughter seeks an explanation for her father's strange illness; religion not specified

8: A South African Horror Story (2019; South Africa): occult; a financially struggling family contends with sins of the past; South African folk religion

The Vigil (2019; USA): occult; a young man struggling with his faith sits vigil for a recently deceased man; Judaism

The Night House (2020; USA): occult/supernatural horror; a woman fears her home is haunted after her husband's suicide; fictional occult beliefs

Nevanji (2021; Zimbabwe): occult; a family turns to traditional magic to save their son; unspecified Zimbabwean religion

The Old Ways (2020; USA): occult; a reporter returns to her home in Mexico and is accused of being possessed; traditional Nahua faith

The Offering (2023; USA): occult; a man returns to his father's funeral home to try to repair their relationship; Judaism

Evil Dead Rise (2023; USA); occult; a boy accidentally awakens an ancient evil that plagued his family; Christianity is explicitly stated to NOT be the solution

When Evil Lurks (2023; Argentina): occult/supernatural horror; two brothers try to outrun evil after encountering a "rotten," someone spiritually gestating a demon; God is declared dead

[papirouge]

Just saw an instagram reel that featured the line from this woman “Need some new Christian friendly positions in the bedroom?” What 💀 Why are these neo Christian influencers ALWAYS so obsessed with sex?? The comments on it were hilarious though

I think I already had this kind of ask, but I think that's because many young Christian women make a WHOLE personality of being virgin/waiting for marriage, so when what they see as their only market value is gone (not virgin anymore) they cope being going extra hard on their new status, which is a sexually active married woman of God (and mom). Look up the story of one half of the "--- in a God honoring way " duo (they apparently made a podcast). SWOOP made a video about them not too long ago but for some reason I can't it anymore (did she delete it??)

Anyway she absolutely falls into this category. SWOOP documentary shows how their podcast shifted from casual Christian girl talk to very sexually oriented. SWOOP pointed how this fixation on sex might also be a sign of (sexual) frustration and be some sort of coping mechanism to vent in a #godhonoringway(?)

Btw I think it's the same phenomenon with ex Christians or Muslims doing the MOST against Christianity/Islam. Or even ex feminist/radfem becoming pickme/trad. People doing a 180° on their whole personality or belief system to pick a whole another one screams a major trauma somewhere imo

[kendrixtermina]

Gaza is NOT totalitarian

One thing you always hear from Zionists or even unaffiliated random westerners who know little about the conflict as a reason why the war is, if not completely justified, then at least tragically unavoidable, is that Gaza is a totalitarian regime & they’re either all indoctrinated to hate Israelis, or get portrayed as passive victims with no agency that need to be „liberated“

But over the last weeks we have seen a lot of scenes of life out of gaza and i have also read many books & watched documentaries to further educate myself and there is just no trace of that anywhere.

No big posters of leaders in classroom, no symbols & logos everywhere, no political phrases in people’s everyday speech, many of the people in videos seem totally a-political & lament that their family had nothing to do with the resistance or the war. They spend more time talking about friggin olive trees and embroidery than politics.

You could glean a bunch about their culture from the videos – extended families live together in big shared houses, they are very affectionate with children, they value community, the sport they tend to be obsessed about is Football…

Saudi arabia, for example, bans booze, art, music & forces everyone to wear burqas – that’s just not the case in Palestine. There are woman doctors & journalists, a wealth of poets & painters. You can buy booze grown in the west bank. You see the occasional lady without hijab, like Bisan often has her hair out, which tells me the ones that DO wear it do so because they want to, which is their good right. There were several Christian churches apparently operating just fine inside Gaza, until Israel bombed them.

I heard that 4th way esoterism was influenced by Sufism which is an off-shoot of Islam, & seeing the religious mantras people cited I could see the relationship - they said stuff like they should trust in God's destiny, that God alone is enough for them etc. it has that same "accept what is & surrender to the universe, real strength comes from contact with divinity & then you need nothing else" vibe - though of course the esoterists believe less in a personal god & more in a panentheist "Unity Of Being". Ppl used to make a lot of bogeyman talk out of Islam meaning "submission" but now I think it's probably meant in a "surrender to the universe & accept what is" kinda way & that ppl ended up projecting the authoritarian character of Christianity onto it. Islam is alot more de-central & everyone does their own thing, innit? I remember that when Muslims hit a certain percentage in Germany they thought of introducing Islam classes to school (in addition to the Catholic & Lutheran classes they have - atheists & ppl of other religions get "ethics" instead which is basically moral philosophy) but one problem they ran into is that there's no central authority to get a course plan from. There is no such thing as a muslim pope. There are extremists who ARE authoritarian, like Saudi arabia (as there are of all religions; They're all the same, rly, it's probably down to some flaw in human brains) but that doesn't mean everyone's like that. You might pt down the authoritarianism there to Saudi Arabia being an absolutist monarchy...

(Of course, a lot of less educated westerners don’t know that the kind of extremism seen in the Saudis & Taliban is actually a fairly recent movement that was able to take over due to the ME being destabilized in the cold war… the area was once stable, organized & well-educated.)

Some of the people covering the war like Bisan, Plestia, Saleh etc. were normal instagrammers before, doing normal instagram things, not a hint of politics to be found.

I also recall this post by a gay ude saying that yeah it’s not super welcoming but there’s not really systematic persecution – your family might kick you out or quietly tolerate it while wanting nothing to do with it… so just like the more religious parts of the USA basically.

Also, I’d like to note that even if gaza WERE totalitarian, people in totalitarian countries don’t cease to be human and their lives don’t become worthless. Not everyone is a True Believer, most are just scared out of their mind. You need to read „Jugend Ohne Gott“, you need to watch „Das Boot“, you need to listen to stories of people who escaped from North Korea. Maybe if it’s easier to epathize with a fictional depiction, read 1984 or The Handmaid’s tale.

So, I consider myself German because that’s where I grew up & the only culture I have any emotional attachment to, but my parents are Cuban. Cuba is a fairly „soft“ totalitarian state in that dissenters are „only“ beaten & their job prospects ruined, not outright killed like in North Korea or under the Nazis, but even so, my grandma still rips up all papers before throwing them away because spies would go through people’s trash, and my parents needed to be told several times by friends that it’s OK to criticize politicians in public before they would feel comfortable riffing on then.chancellor Kohl.

Note, however, that people DID mock the Castros in private, among trusted family members. There are tons of jokes mocking them. Heck, even mocked Hitler behind closed doors – they used to call them Flüsterwitze („whisper jokes“) because if you say them out loud they shoot you. Just to illustrate how people trapped in totalitarian states are human.

Even in the early 2000s when I was still pretty young, I didn’t buy that it’s OK to kill Iraqis just because there is a Dictator. The citizens are victims, and unlike the leadership they are poor & can’t flee. What if someone invaded Cuba and killed all my cousins just to punish the bad guy opressing them? That din’t seem fair. They said I’d understand when I’m older but all I understood is what utter bullshit that war was.

We’ve heard so many Palestinians talking about their plight and there is hardly anyone speaking of repression or totalitarianism, including peole who left the country. (In stark contrast to Cubans, North Koreans or people who fled the Nazis, who don’t shut up about how much it sucked) There is not zero repression (like an incident where Hamas got Fatah-affiliated workers fired), but the same can be said of Israel or even the west – McCarthyism or the current withhunt against pro-palestine ppl.

Meanwhile we have that creepy song of Israeli children calling for murder, and many videos by Israelis saying they were indoctrinated. One person mentioned being outright told that arabs were their „enemy“, while two arab boys were sitting in her class. I also hear that many Israelis go most of their lives without even interacting with a Palestinian outside of military service.

So, yeah, I think it’s pretty clear who the indoctrinated ones are.

[zumurruds]

Get To Know Me

I was tagged by the sweet @sabino-sea! 💗

Share your wallpaper: I have a rotating wallpaper that alternates between these two images:

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Currently reading: Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate by Leila Ahmed

Last movie: Creed 3, Where the Crawdads Sing, The Woman King, Ghislaine Maxwell: Filthy Rich

Craving: Cheesecake 🍰

What are you wearing right now: pjs 💅

How tall are you: 5’1

Piercings: Two ear piercings and a nose piercing that’s always closing 🙄

Tattoos: None.

Glasses? Contacts?: Nil.

Last drink: Chai 🫖 but I’ve been dying to try out this spicy hot chocolate recipe.

Last show: Undercover Underage, Next in Fashion, You, Waco: American Apolalypse, and Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal (I love documentaries, sue me…)

Last thing you ate: A middle eastern meal of hummus, foul, eggs, salad, pita bread, etc

Favourite colour: It changes - today it’s green 🐍

Current obsession: These paintings by Ludwig Deutsch:

Unrelated obsession: I’m currently listening to a true crime podcast called Redhanded and another called Power: The Maxwells, which tells of the rise and fall of Ghislaine Maxwell (Jeffrey Epstein’s partner in crime).

Any pets: No.

Do you have a crush on anyone: Everyone in Creed 3 tbh. And our current Miss New York, Taryn Delanie Smith:

She’s on tiktok and she’s so hilarious and kind!

Favorite fictional character: I have way too many! My latest is Damen from Captive Prince 💗

The last place you traveled: Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands! Such a beautiful place.

Tagging: @saturnspawn, @laequiem, @figonas, @lise-thethinker, @palipunk, @blackerthings, @meidebenne, @wrenaspun, @matteo-pessina, @hennike, @cxinis and anyone who wants to do this!

[runawaycarouselhorse]

One of my favourite things about Arabic is that, despite it being an inherently very flowery language with clear roots that can lead to interesting metaphors (like rahmah = mercy, coming from rahm = womb or dhulm = opression/injustice coming from dhalam = darkness), it's also very literal and no-nosense at times, so scientific terms won't have mysterious-to-the-casual-listener-who-doesn’t-know-Latin-roots meanings. A cyclostome? A circular-mouth! A? An arthropod? A jointed/articulated creature.

In that same vein, surrogacy, even when Muslims were still debating its lawfulness, was very bluntly called “renting wombs/uteruses.” Because that’s effectively what it is. You’re paying a woman to be pregnant for a period of time.

… initially, the concern was whether it’d cause mixing of lineages and be considered a child born out of wedlock or not, oh, but the DNA is from both married spouses, so it’s fine, right? That was the stance while I was still in medical school… but later, it became abundantly clear the risks (especially to the surrogate), it can be traumatizing, it so often relies on women suffering from poverty (rich couple taking advantage of poor women in Ukraine and the like), the baby can be abandoned (like what happens to so many babies in Ukraine who turn out disabled or sickly because of the truly miserable and unclean and lacking healthcare system—the shining, clean clinics foreigners make these deals in are NOT reflective of the actual hospitals these poor women will go to)… scumbag “parents” will abandon these disabled children with no real ID and no passports because they’re not even technically citizens, treated like “damaged goods.”

Even among people who are known and in the same country, there is still a large potential for abuse, unfortunately, and we’re becoming more aware more affects the baby than just the genes of the parents (the environment, cells of the surrogate…)

There’s an excellent documentary on this topic: Damaged Babies and Broken Hearts. (The little girl much of the video covers is finally on her way to a loving, adoptive family after all this time, by the way. Her story was so upsetting, even if her teacher is so lovely and such a good mother figure to her…)

Needless to say, the Islamic stance is now that surrogacy is forbidden because of the evident harm, exploitation, what can be passed on vertically via birth as opposed to just genetically from the biological parents, etc.

[whileiamdying]

FILM REVIEW — Iran's `Gabbeh' Weaves Spell of Longing

By Peter Stack, Chronicle Staff Critic Oct 3, 1997

Nature in its impersonal vastness and, oddly enough, carpet weaving are fascinating companions in the visually enchanting "Gabbeh," a new romantic fantasy from Iran. Using weaving as a metaphor, the film looks at human longing and connections between generations in a nomadic tribe on the steppes of Asia.

Films of any kind from Iran are rare here. In Iran itself, a struggling government-run film industry is subject to censorship and Islamic law. "Gabbeh," opening today at Embarcadero Center Cinema and the UC Theatre at Berkeley, was made by Mohsen Makhmalbaf ("The Peddler"), one of Iran's most respected directors. But the film, after its script was originally given official sanction, was later inexplicably banned.

The term "gabbeh" refers to a type of carpet whose images tell a story -- a family's joys, the heroic deeds of a young man, or, as in the case of "Gabbeh," a romance in which a young woman is destined by love (or death) to be swept away.

Makhmalbaf initially was to make a documentary about the weaving of the Ghashghai tribe in southeastern Iran, a place of formidable open spaces, moody skies and extremes of weather. But he was struck by how the craft and its visual poetry were inseparable from the rich human experiences of the weavers.

Perhaps the way "Gabbeh" leaps from documentary to the dreamy fantasy of a young woman (Shaghayegh Djodat) longing for a mysterious horseman to carry her away took the movie far from the original idea that officials had approved.

Not all of Makhmalbaf's efforts to synthesize weaving and an evocative story (with some hokey special effects) are successful. But the photography is fresh and lovely. Frequently the camera draws back to show arid mountains, a shimmering lake, grasslands, grazing livestock -- and by contrast, the tiny imprint of humans, except in the beautiful carpets through which they eloquently express their history.

[ritchiepage2001newaccount]

#CorpMedia #Idiocracy #Oligarchs #MegaBanks vs #Union #Occupy #NoDAPL #BLM #SDF #DACA #MeToo #Humanity #DemExit #FeelTheBern

Rojda Felat: The feminist taking on Isis [Updates]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/rojda-felat-the-feminist-taking-on-isis-a7054536.html

'We are not weak any more. Women are playing a vital role in leading and managing the society'

RELATED UPDATE: Kurdish woman fight double battles against terrorism, patriarchy

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/10439-Kurdish-woman-fight-double-battles-against-terrorism,-patriarchy

RELATED UPDATE: Rojda Felat, female commander who led Raqa battle

https://www.france24.com/en/20171018-rojda-felat-female-commander-who-led-raqa-battle

RELATED UPDATE: Rojda Felat, the woman leading Syrian fight against the Islamic State

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/rojda-felat-the-woman-leading-syrian-fight-against-the-islamic-state/pic-8-bccl/slideshow/61143377.cms

RELATED UPDATE: The fall of Raqqa - in pictures

https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2017/oct/21/the-fall-of-raqqa-syria-isis-in-pictures

RELATED UPDATE: After the fall of Raqqa, is this the end of IS?

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/after-the-fall-of-raqqa-is-this-the-end-of-is/l8l1itf27

RELATED UPDATE: Inside The World's Most Radical Experiment in Women’s Rights

https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2018/02/inside-worlds-most-radical-experiment-womens-rights/145760/

RELATED UPDATE: Review: Documentary Connects Revolutionary Feminist Struggles In The Middle East

https://shadowproof.com/2018/11/29/documentary-i-am-revolution-review/

RELATED UPDATE: The duties of comrades-in-arms

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2019/01/11/duties-of-comrades-in-arms-syria/

RELATED UPDATE: SDF Commander Felat speaks at the Conference in Rome

https://anfenglishmobile.com/news/sdf-commander-felat-speaks-at-the-conference-in-rome-38110

RELATED UPDATE: Rojava delegation held series of meetings in Italy

https://anfenglishmobile.com/news/rojava-delegation-held-series-of-meetings-in-italy-38180

RELATED UPDATE: YPJ: We will fight for 'Jin, Jiyan, Azadi' to resonate everywhere

https://anfenglishmobile.com/women/ypj-we-will-fight-for-jin-jiyan-azadi-to-resonate-everywhere-65903

RELATED UPDATE: WATCH Internationalist Ivana Hoffmann commemorated in Switzerland

https://anfenglishmobile.com/news/internationalist-ivana-hoffmann-commemorated-in-switzerland-65906

RELATED UPDATE: Tens of thousands of women celebrate 8 March in Rojava

https://anfenglishmobile.com/women/tens-of-thousands-of-women-celebrate-8-march-in-rojava-65922

RELATED UPDATE: Gemeinsam Kämpfen: Jin, Jiyan, Azadî – Together we defend life!!

https://anfenglishmobile.com/women/gemeinsam-kampfen-jin-jiyan-azadi-together-we-defend-life-65923

[nightguide]

what and why this is not allowed anymore (offense drama) movie: Womb (2010)

kids don't need to be introduced to sex that early on if you're waiting for your virginity to be broken too easily (if you did then nothing happened)

i'm skimming the movie noticing the admiring of the actress in real life since she has the same cognitive development as i do in emotional maturity, please don't fraternise with the allowance of her own maturity than being connected to her by motion relativity (by heart) to you being 'that guy' or 'girl' in real life. she has boundaries and will try and kill you with a thought (reasonable objection to why you should not be staring at women online out of pure immaturity) because she is an actress, i don't respect that line of hate either if you're the one embarrassing me while you're reading my blog so who the fck are you

FROM THE DSM-V CLASSIFICATION OF DISORDERS

Neurodevelopmental disorders - no credibility of time taking you apart of the reason why your lover never returned, and to your childhood that has a faint consequence in your reason of living, you are not yourself anymore but the embodiment of the feeling that never happened into whim (motor disorder is where you're separated from marriage apart from anything you may never have in common with your lover when you have a commitment to take when you were there in real life than being known by parental consent alone)

2. Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders - if you never seen Euphoria (tv show) then you will get hit too damn hard because of that pure image of sadness, like kids don't know what the 'other worlds' theory looks like til you see a kid with the camera aware (heartbreak) look at her like that and you will feel agonised as a parent to deliver your trust initiated like that you never felt again (Dad died) so that is just nazar at heart break for a kid to have such space inside her soul to grieve again for the last time that you may never be but what is and who sabotaged you? like intuitively talk to Hollywood about that, like your Dad must have had it too good to be true (notoriety) til nazar takes away spirit from a movie telling you what it's like to be hurt that you'll never feel hurt again and the actual reality (unspecified Catatonia - of anything you have, you don't even feel the need to trust your world if intuition turned into a cast of people intuitively relevant to your life healing you of something that was not even there leaving you feeling heartbroken over what you sincerely wanted, like that God complex of you never feeling heard despite your knowledge attained via hardship)

3. Bipolar and related disorders - the heartbreak is right there. so ur man is cheating on u an ur the snail. *now it's time to fess up* til u find someone new (this is actually a documentary now for anyone on the spectrum since sincerity is married quality that even shitty men have no kinds of help but this is coming from the POV of the dead Dad (every father is reasonable to live but the dead dad is how u called the 90's on the intuitive phone for help) an like u know a bitch) every man is a dickhead til proven true (i get that)

4. Depressive disorders - this is actually staged an innocence on stimming so this is why, cancel Matt out of the scene and this is actual reality, everybody is different but so on and so forth, you're not condemning loneliness anymore if a man is so lonely that even a woman is romantically inclined to the world before him (so he died transcendentally to see you live like an erotic love story to be held to the viewers heart understanding Eva's level of erotic ingenuity) that sparks a reason (a man can never be depressed but depression for a woman is shyness died for her to be so Eva knows her level of fame when meeting Islam the hard way to LET MUSLIMS LIVE, FRENCH WOMEN DON'T FUCK AROUND AND FIND OUT, THEY MOTHERFUCKING DO IT!!!) (premenstrual dysphoric disorder)

5. Anxiety disorders - 'this is where you want to be (mood) but you're always so lonely', that is the chasm. and that is why there is no reason to live (dying by separation from marriage kills the reason so this is the climatic moment of a womans self esteem in love to prepare a man to fight (he would just make ends meet by asking Allah to make sure the mother does not get harmed by the daughters emotions -the lightbulb- (like what you seen in Ned from Pushing Daisies, but the actor does not define war from times of a psychological attack from 2009 (media resolution to public quotation) (Agoraphobia)

6. Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders - a feeling is reason but forbid the reason in food and she is dying food is now 'sex' without her man around her physically and it will kill her if anything does not prepare a man to go to her to sexually meet her erotic desires (peace at last) but now virgins are considered food for the devil since commitment is strange for them to take than take a broken man out of the way for a succubus to feed on attention (Excoriation: skin picking disorder)

7. Trauma-and stressor-related disorders - you know they're a piece of shit by the way they looks. now normal (Eva had beef with her on set irl) and that is how you're afraid of getting hurt by punchable faces punching you so who is punching you cuz she's attractive af rn, like bitch who are you (water physics is a mans nur (beauty) saying it's obvious that they want it from you that they don't know you to have you, so where is your haya? (modesty) (adjustment disorders)

8. Dissociative disorders - you're at a collective political fault of your heart so you have a reason to feel heartbroken in every single way that you don't care about your life except that you will manage your way into an illness (derealisation disorder) which is why that you will never occur to your senses that you believe in a cure (known strength) that your actual relationship with food became a metaphor (legacy count via public access of bodily autonomy is how nobody drives you but yourself which is horrifying if not even factual anymore for your reason to be if not working at a hostile situation to keep the quote unquote baby alive) tells you why your body cannot rest without you actually saying it by public notoriety (so your husband is famous)

i will do a part 2 soon

[eccedeus]

There a lot of fantastic sources out there, many (many!) of them recommended by Palestinian and other MENA and/or Arab and/or Muslims users on here, but I wanted to share a list of what I have been taught/have read myself on contemporary MENA politics and history as a Westerner, and in the spirit of freedom of information and education for all, please DM if you cannot find any of the following:

The Square (2013), a documentary about the 2011 Egyptian revolution

-And as a follow-up, this article (Walter Armbrust, 2011, Al-Jazeera) about neoliberalism in Egypt and parallels to USAmerican neoliberal corruption

A History of the Modern Middle East, by William L. Cleveland and Martin Bunton. It is not perfect, as no history book will ever be, but it does give a very comprehensive overview of central Middle Eastern history in the modern period, from the Ottoman Empire to Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and American (+Western) interventions leading up to and after 9/11. Chapter 17 in particular gives a solid overview of Israeli colonisation of Palestinian after the Nakba, but again it is definitely flawed in its own ways so keep that in mind

Margot Badran, Feminists, Islam, and nation: gender and the making of modern Egypt (1995)

Joseph A. Massad, Desiring Arabs (2007)

Lindsey Moore, Arab, Muslim, Woman: Voice and vision in postcolonial literature and film (2008)

Lisa Pollard and Mona L. Russell, History, Women and Gender in the Modern Middle East : From Orientalism to the Arab Spring (2018)

Mona Mikhail,  Images of Arab Women: Fact and Fiction, Essays (1979)

And if anyone has any sources to add on, please do so! I love finding more to read

[usnewsper-politics]

Jordanian Filmmaker's Documentary Sheds Light on Women's Rights Struggles in Islamic Society #documentary #genderequality #Islamiclaw #Jordanianfilmmaker #womensrights

[exploringislamjourney]

Why I started researching

I'll be honest: it was this most recent bout of attacks against Palestine (2023).

Whether you see it as an opportunity for people outside of the faith to learn, or as another trend/personality type for people all over the internet, is your perspective. As for me, having grown up with the images of the Middle East that my country's media has shown, I decided it was high time to get the other side of the story.

I've never hated Muslims, or Islam, or Middle Eastern people as a whole. I was in 4th grade when I witnessed 9/11 on television, and grew up in a school system that showed documentaries and played audio in subsequent years, as if I could ever forget the imagery from that day. I didn't have access to the internet at home, nor did I have reason to look further into what was going on. I'm not even sure I would have been able to find an unbiased source of information at the time (i.e., not favoring the Western depiction of the Middle East). All I had was the tragedy, the empathy to know that the Islamophobic attacks in the US and elsewhere were wholly undeserved, and the information given by local and national news.

I'll be honest: when I first read an article about October 7th, I sighed. "Here we go," I told my husband, sensing an incoming something of horrible proportions. Soon after, though, I searched up Palestine on TikTok, and I saw just how flippant my weary phrasing had been. Left and right, I saw horrible images and videos---things that should never happen to anyone, ever. But I kept watching, because I could see the censorship, the redirection of the Western narrative to favor their allies and not address the heinous things that the US, among others, have contributed to during this time. I educated myself on a history I should have looked into sooner, and realized what many have known long before me: this began before October 7th, 2023, no doubt about that.

It wasn't long before I saw a TikTok wherein a young woman (Catholic, I believe?) marveled at the faith of the Palestinians in Gaza, even as they lost everything and everyone. She said something to the effect of, "I know I wouldn't be able to handle it, if I lost what they did. I would lose my faith." It was then that I realized that, for all the Bible reading I did while growing as a Christian (from elementary school, up to my second year at community college), I never touched the Quran. I couldn't ever recall seeing one at a bookstore, either. Out of curiosity, and an honest effort to understand a different experience to my own, I found a site that offered a free English translation of the Quran (it actually started out as a search to see if any existed, and ended in me filling out a form on the "Why Islam?" website). A few weeks later, I received said translation, along with a handful of informational pamphlets.

Alongside starting to read this English translation, I started watching videos of people who had reverted. I was specifically curious about those who shared similar backgrounds to myself, to hear their reasons for reverting to Islam. But I soon found myself leaning so far into the good feelings I got, I lost sight of figuring out things for myself. So, I stopped watching those videos, because my first mistake would be listening to other people and not to God. (Keep in mind, I'm still very on the fence at the moment. Years of believing there is no god, let alone God, makes a stance pretty steadfast.) Since I kept hearing in those videos that reading the Quran was how God speaks to those who read it, though, I decided that would be my first step.

Since one of the claims of Islam is that the Quran is not self-contradictory, I wanted to see what kinds of potential contradictions others had put forward. I found a list, and I've been going through it slowly but surely, and plan to post my findings on this blog. Mind you, they're initial impressions in which I give my opinion on what I've read as potential proofs of contradictions within the Quran, as well as whether I think there is a contradiction present. I've had several times when I haven't found contradictions, some that I think could be answered by the original Arabic, and others I'm still on the fence about. And while it's risky to ask this on the internet, I would ask for any kind individuals willing to be patient and help me to understand the Quran from an Islamic point of view. I welcome engagement, and will do my best to engage as frequently as I am able.

I also have questions about the religion in general. I've been toying with the idea of filling out an outreach form to connect me with a Muslim who can do this, as well as thinking about visiting a mosque to see what it's like. But I'm putting this off until I finish reading my translation (currently about to start Surah/Chapter 17 as of 1/5/2024), so that if I still want to reach out in this way, I will know better then than I do now.

I decided to put all this into a virtual format, not only for personal outreach in the name of research, but maybe also for those who can't (for one reason or another) pursue this research for themselves. All that I hope for is that I'm not the only one who benefits from this, and that through my journey, I may be connected with those who ask and those who answer, alike.

[papirouge]

There’s infighting in my church group 🥴

The topic of Islam came up and like multiple of these Christians in my group were hyping it up like “we are against the same things and believe the same things!” Like…my brothers and sisters in Christ, they literally follow a demonically possessed violent pedophile who condoned slavery and rape of Christian and Jewish women and children. They openly denounce Christ as King. They literally deny girls to go to school , rather they get raped by older men. There is a literal suicide epidemic in Afghanistan currently among women because of Islam. They literally fantasize about war and destroying our churches and faith for theirs. They literally force the scarf on girls heads because hair is sexual to them. They literally call us non believers and believe all non believers must be killed. How we the same? 🥲

That meeting was a lot for me. Like half us were shocked and grossed out, the other half was trying to argue that we’re all the same as if calling Jesus /just/ a prophet meant we were still Christian. I think a few girls in my group are easily influenced by muslim girls on social media because I follow a few of them. I noticed that those girls were following “hijabis” and fashion advice for hijabs. I remember finding one page and of the girls my group commented asking if Christians can wear kohl, buy an abaya, or take black seed oil for sickness 😑

I think Christians really need guidance and better judgement.

Don't you find interesting that the Christian girls influenced by Muslim girls are influenced by Muslim girls....... living in the West?? 🤣

No one looks up the Muslim women living in actual Muslim countries because they can't affort the fanciness and freedom of non Muslim countries. Western Muslim who see that and think Islam is gaining influence are really clowning themselves bc what these brainwashed Christians girls like are a whitewashed version of Muslim culture.

Never forget girls in Iran were literally fighting to go outside uncovered. And let's no forget how Islam forbids women to do anything outside without a man. Or that documentary with Middle East men saying they'd rather KILL THEIR OWN SISTER if she was caught being outside alone at night. Those Christian girls truly aren't ready for this.

Where were you when that crazy Muslima literally lost her mind and started harassing me when I stated Mohamed was a pedophile? I kept blocking her but made 4 news accounts to keep replying to me bc she didn't accept I owned her ass lmao. She kept rehashing the stale argument that Christianism was pro slavery (yeah the same religion whose God literally fred a whole population out of slavery) when the only place where slavery is still a thing.....are MUSLIM COUNTRIES💀💀💀

That's the thing with Muslim, they will switch between those 3 behavior

1) victimization

2) arrogance (mocking of Christianism, says they know the Bible better than actual Christian, "jEsUs wAs a PrOphEt nOt gOd🤪")

3) aggressiveness

The crazy Muslima was 1 and 2 because she's a woman, but Muslim men are mostly 2 and 3. Muslim men are VERY aggressive because their religion grooms them to be as such.

[blogkarisman]

Photographing the struggle of Muslim reformist through Denny Ja lens

Introduction    The reformist Muslim struggle is one important aspect in the effort to fight for women’s rights in society. In the course of history, many Muslim women dare to take an active role in fighting for gender equality and women’s rights. One of the figures who succeeded in photographing their struggle was Denny JA, a famous photographer who had captured important moments in the reformist Muslim struggle. This article will discuss the struggle of Muslim reformist through Denny JA lens, by describing the historical moments that he captured.    I. The role of Muslim women in the reformist movement    A. History of the Reformist Movement  The reformist movement in Islam is a movement that aims to restore Islam to its inclusive and progressive roots. This movement emerged as a response to extremism and closure of religious understanding that was inherited from the previous generation. In this movement, Muslim women have an important role in fighting for women’s rights and gender equality.    B. Reformist Muslimah Struggle  Muslim reformist has a key role in fighting for women’s rights in society. They dare to voice their aspirations and convey important messages through various ways, such as writing, lectures, and social actions. Their struggle is not easy, given the still resistance to changes from conservative parties in society.    II. Denny JA: Photographer Muslim Woman Fighters Reformist    A. Denny Ja Profile  Denny Ja is a famous photographer who has produced classy works in the fields of journalism and documentary. He has taken many photoshoots in various locations and historic moments, including the reformist Muslim struggle.    B. Denny Ja’s expertise in photographing the reformist Muslim struggle  Denny Ja has special expertise in photographing the struggle of Muslim reformist. He was able to capture important moments sharply and reveal the essence of their struggle through photography. His works give a clear picture of the struggle and determination of reformist Muslim women in facing the challenges they face.    III. Historic moments in the struggle of Muslim reformist Muslims enshrined by Denny Ja    A. Social actions  Denny Ja managed to capture the moments of social actions carried out by Muslim reformist. For example, a demonstration photo shoot to fight for women’s rights, acts of solidarity with victims of gender violence, and other actions that show the courage and determination of reformist Muslims in fighting for their rights.    B. Discussion and Meeting  In addition to social actions, Denny Ja also captured the moments of discussions and meetings involving Muslim reformist. In these moments, they share experiences, discuss important issues, and try to build networks and solidarity to strengthen reformist movements.    C. daily activities  Denny Ja also through his works is able to describe the daily activities of Muslim reformist. For example, they participate in various social activities, participating in training and learning, and play an active role in communities and organizations that focus on women’s issues.    IV. Conclusion    Through Denny Ja’s lens, the reformist Muslim struggle is clearly illustrated. These photography works provide a deep picture of their determination, courage, and struggle in fighting for women’s rights and gender equality in society. Denny Ja has succeeded in photographing historical moments that show the important role of reformist Muslim women in the Islamic reformist movement. In the fast-paced era like now, photography is one of the strong mediums to convey important messages and inspire social change. Through his works, Denny Ja has made a valuable contribution in strengthening the reformist movement and fighting for women’s rights.

Check more: photograph the struggle of reformist Muslim women through Denny JA lenses

[yessadirichards]

Dark, lustful and complex: It's a woman's world at Cannes

CANNES

From a sex offender to far-from-perfect mothers and girls unabashedly exploring their sexuality, this year's Cannes Film Festival has thrown out the stereotype of the one-dimensional female character.

Cinema has long stood accused of ignoring women's inner lives and complexities, or telling a story through the male gaze.

However, men and their opinions were relegated to a secondary role in many films at the world's leading industry shindig.

In "May December", Julianne Moore plays a woman who had a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old boy -- now her husband -- and is in denial years later over her wrongdoing.

A loving mother, but also a registered sex offender, the film sees her character grappling with buried crimes, in the role alongside Natalie Portman.

"The entire range of human behavior should be accessible to women because women are simply humans," said Portman, who loves to see women "behave in morally ambiguous ways".

"It always drives me crazy when people are like, oh, if only women rule the world, it would be a kinder place. No, women are humans and come in all different complexities."

This year Cannes boasts a record seven female directors in the official competition for the Palme D'Or prize -- and some films barely focus on men at all.

Even in "Firebrand", starring Jude Law as a repulsive King Henry VIII, the spotlight is on his sixth wife Catherine Parr as she struggles to avoid the fate of her predecessors.

In "Homecoming", by French director Catherine Corsini, a black woman returns to Corsica with her two daughters years after fleeing the French island in a hurry.

As they explore their mysterious past, her teenage daughters -- even the model student -- experiment with crime, drugs and sexuality.

At the same time, the complexity of motherhood, sacrifice and the decision to lie to your children all run under the surface.

Cannes cinemagoers also got an unusual glimpse into the lives of women from countries where they are often portrayed as merely oppressed and conservative.

In "Four Daughters", Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania made a hybrid film-documentary about a real mother, Olfa Hamrouni, whose two daughters joined the Islamic State group.

Hamrouni is at times sympathetic and at times repulsive as she recounts her own violence towards her daughters.

She is seen joking about her awful ex-husband, yearning for affection, yet intolerant when she overhears her daughters giggle about kissing boys or exploring their bodies.

"I wanted to show how women have internalised some patriarchal reflexes," Ben Hania told AFP.

In "Goodbye Julia" -- not in the main competition -- male director Mohamed Kordofani confronted his own sexism and racism as he put women at the forefront of a story about war in Sudan.

The movie explores the complex friendship between a black woman from pre-independence southern Sudan and an Arab woman from the north with an overbearing conservative husband.

"I started to review how I was behaving in my previous relationships. I reviewed my own racism," Kordofani told AFP.

Elsewhere at Cannes, British director Molly Manning Walker took a nuanced look at sexual assault and consent in her feature debut "How to Have Sex" on a judgement-free alcohol-fueled girls trip abroad.

"For me consent isn't black and white, it's not yes and no... if someone is having a bad time you should be able to recognize that," she said.

One Cannes showing that drew scorn for its portrayal of sexuality was new HBO series "The Idol" and its graphic raunchy scenes, directed by "Euphoria" creator Sam Levinson.

While the main character, played by Lily-Rose Depp, is portrayed as a complex character exploring her sexuality, some critics did not buy it.

Variety slammed its "tawdry cliches" and said the show "plays like a sordid male fantasy.

"One could argue there's something revolutionary in the way Levinson depicts female sexuality... but Levinson takes things too far in the other direction."