Fatemeh Fakhraie is editor in chief of Muslimah Media Watch, an online site that explores and reports on all issues relating to media representation of Muslim women. Hijabtrendz had the privilege of speaking with Fakhraie on what motivated her to start this much needed website.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?

I’m an Iranian-American Muslim woman with a passion for women’s issues.

What is Muslimah Media Watch and how did it start?

I’ve always been passionate about women’s issues, and became interested in Muslim and Middle Eastern women’s issues as politics changed in the U.S. I see Muslim and Middle Eastern women represented poorly, the same way a lot of other groups are represented, but I didn’t see anyone talking about it. Feminist magazines didn’t include us and race magazines didn’t include us, so I created a space where Muslim women (of any race) can critique and discuss how we’re represented in the media.

We aim to cover worldwide media, not just Western media, not just non-Muslim media, but everything. Because Muslim women can face what I call a “triple threat” (sexism, Islamophobia, and possibly racism), our critiques are often multi-faceted. It’s important to look at things from more than one angle. But we also aim to praise outlets that are representing Muslim women positively. Unfortunately, it happens a lot less than we’d like.

Who else works on the site?

Right now, have four full-time contributors and two-part time contributors, most of whom are based in the U.S. or Canada. I’m always looking to expand our coverage, so in the future I might attempt to take on more contributors from areas we don’t have a lot of coverage in, like Europe, the Middle East, or Southeast Asia.

Did you ever see yourself doing something like this?

I’ve always loved writing, but my college dreams were in fashion writing. When I started the blog, I was earning my master’s degree in apparel design. While I would jump at the chance to write for large fashion publications, I feel more value (if less paycheck) in what I’m writing, who I meet, and where I’m going now.

Do you consider yourself a blogger or a journalist?

Both. I earned my BA in news/editorial mass media communication, and so journalism has always been in my sights. Blogging seems like the most democratic way to be an editorial journalist. As a blogger, I write what I want when I want and how I want (no pesky style guides! Okay, I do try to use the AP style, but that’s just my schooling kicking in). As a journalist, I hold myself, my site, and my contributors to high factual and ethical standards.

What types of topics do you generally write about on your site?

We aim to cover a lot. We’ve talked about everything from derogatory names for women who wear hejab to movies with offensive, one-dimensional Muslim women characters to food packaging with racist images of Muslim women.

How long has the site been up and running?

I started the site by myself at the end of August 2007. I’ve since added contributors and upgraded the website.

Have you received any negative attention? Can you share some examples?

We’re a group of Muslim women with Islamic feminist principles who critique worldwide media! Of course we get negative attention! We get comments and emails all the time from those who want to take away our “Muslim” membership or our “feminist” membership because they don’t agree with our critiques or our outlooks. But there will always be people in disagreement for whatever reason.

Have you received positive attention? Can you share some examples?

Many of our readers are great. We have some really interesting (and polite!) debates on the site and we get some wonderfully supportive emails, both from Muslims and non-Muslims. Also, last year, we won an honorable mention from the Brass Crescent Awards for Best Women’s Blog, and this year, we’ve been nominated for Best Group Blog!

Are your readers mostly Muslim women?

I don’t have solid statistics on our readers’ gender or religion; this might be a good excuse to use our new poll feature! I know that we have a varied readership, and I like that. Perhaps while we as Muslim women discuss issues important to us, we can help change a few perceptions.

If you could sum up your site in a few words, how would you describe it?

Smart women writing smart articles for smart readers. :)

Do you accept contributions from others?

As in, submissions for the blog? Yes, as long as they fit within a few guidelines (for example, it has to have something to do with media representation of Muslim women). I actively seek out guest posts, actually, to help vary our content and viewpoints.

What do you think is the most important issue facing Muslim women today?

Though the term “Muslim women” denotes a large group, it’s an incredibly diverse group. There isn’t really one single issue that troubles all Muslim women: all people’s troubles are governed by their places in life, and Muslim women are no different.

If I were to attempt to answer the question, though, I would put forth that it’s most important for Muslim women to choose their own paths. Sisters need to do it for themselves; if we let others speak for us, make decisions for us, and govern our lives, we’re not going to get anywhere. God gave us brains and sense, and we have a right to use them.

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