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Voices of Muslim Women 

A documentary by Maha Marouan and Rachel Raimist

 

When one thinks of the American Deep South, the images of veiled Muslim students strolling in UA campuses is the last thing that comes to mind. Yet, Muslim students are part of UA culture in the same way Muslim communities have been part of the cultural make up of the South since the beginning. However, one still wonders how do Muslim women, in a predominately Christian society that often has unflattering views of Islam and Muslims negotiate their identities.  

 

This is the question at the core of this investigation. Through interviews with Muslim girls at UA, this documentary attempts to address the following:  How do Muslim women carve a space for self-expression in a culture that thinks of Muslims as terrorists and Muslim women as backward and voiceless? While the veil is not the only thing  by which Muslim women define themselves, how do they navigate the cultures of the Deep South? And in a place where College Football becomes the bond that ties all-- beyond religion, culture, race and ethnicity, is there something more quintessentially Southern than female Muslim students in the stadium in their houndstooth scarfs and pompons shouting "Roll Tide!"

Maha Maraouan

Associate Professor

 

 

"I see my students come to class with the highest of high heels you could ever want on, and I think that is oppressive. If you want to argue that the scarf is oppressive, coming to class in high heels when I know you're in pain - now that is oppressive."

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The film features the stories of:

Alexandria

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Junior

Major: Psychology

The University of Alabama

 

"Growing up I went to a Christian church, but it never made sense to me. I understood worshipping God, but I didn’t understand worshiping the people that God created as if they were God. There’s only one God. And so then I took upon myself to go out and study about different religions and Islam stuck out to me because you only worship the creator not his creations. And so then I decided to convert."

Lubna

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Junior 

Major: Chemical & Biological Enginnering

The University of Alabama

 

"Part of what I am is a Muslim. It is a big part of it but it is not necessarily making a statement [...] but rather showing how it has shaped me as a person and a member of the community."

Sehar

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Sophmore

Major: History

The University of Alabama

 

"There's a lot of misconceptions about us being Muslim. Many see us as the things that appear on Fox news - the very ignorant things that the news spreads about Muslims."

Jessica

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Junior

Major: English

The University of Alabama

 

"I don’t have on a hijab in my driver’s license so it’s just there and the little girl is like I’m sorry for looking but you don’t have that on in your license picture. And I was like no well I just recently started wearing it."

Hailah

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Graduated in 2012

Major: Criminal Justice

The University of Alabama

 

"We do stand out physically here because of the religious attire, we’re very traditional. It’s kind of good because when people meet us we’re like one or a few of our own kind; they remember us.'

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