My response to your suggestion was only the first paragraph, the list of reasons was something I processed afterwards and seemed to be a related issue.

However, I am a little wary of claiming “empathy” with people not of my own grouping, because I have seen criticism of others for attempting precisely that, and have even had people weigh into me once or twice for it, too. Which is why I choose to qualify anything I say on other people’s subjects unless I am very confident of my background knowledge. I know you’re claiming that empathy on shared status as human beings that can be assumed, but my experience does not feel as though that is upheld – to be honest this feels like a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” type of criticism. I am sure if I hadn’t put all my qualifiers, somebody would have responded asking where I was coming from with it. I hope this makes it clearer just why I felt my original comments were necessary.

As for the list of reasons, that was an afterthought seeing as I had raised the issue in the first place. It may or may not have come through in my posts, but I like to know why I’m doing stuff, and maybe it’s a little narcissistic of me, but I like to think others might be interested in those reasons as well, and particularly in my reasons for posting a blog about something.

Now, here’s something to consider: what are the origins of reasons I gave? Reason one is about a principle of equality applied to everyone – could that be an expression of basic human empathy? Reason 2 (of which you made particular mention as though it were somehow the least acceptable) is about communication – I have found the articles to be vibrant and good to read, meaning they are good communication. Surely that, also, is about feeling some level of empathy with the writer? Reason 3 is about my personal life experience, so that’s the odd one out. Reason 4 is about people being themselves, and that is very much about identifying with those people – empathy again.

In other words, I think we speak slightly different languages, you and I, but are not that far apart.

I think Dana has more-or-less summed it up – I generally go looking for things that have something to say to me, personally: not out of any rejection of “other”, just because that’s the easiest to “get” (I do think it is important to broaden my horizons as well, though).

Also, I know myself quite well, and when it comes to “personal interest” stories I know that I tend to have little patience for them unless they have something that relates directly to my personal experience. This is why my avid reading of British Muslim women’s real-life stories stands out as being atypical for me.

As for the decision to include the remark, that was just me covering my arse so it didn’t seem like I was trying to speak for a community to which I do not belong.

Rilee:

I don’t think I’ve been apologising for anything, although possibly I have been a little bit wary of spouting my mouth off on subjects where others clearly know more than me. That’s not being apologetic, more simply trying to avoid inserting both feet into my mouth at the same time! Also, I’m keyed into a lot of English sensibilities that often get stereotyped overseas as being very apologetic (I’d like to think that I’ve only taken on board those that I find useful, but we all end up with other baggage from our lives). Chalk that one up to cultural differences!

Anyway, here are a few thoughts on why I have an interest in stories about British Muslim women:

1. Because they’re as much a part of the rich and vibrant culture of my homeland as I or anyone else living here is (whatever certain racist elements would like us to believe).

2. Because so far the articles I’ve read have reflected that vibrant character and they are just good fun to read, regardless of their topic

3. Because a few years ago while at university I was friends with a number of Muslim women on the same course as me

4. I like stories about people confounding stereotypes and staying true to themselves, which tends to characterise the “by” stories.

hmm, that’s quite a lot of reasons I seem to have missed before…

***note to self: think first, THEN post!

We all have written, read, and found interest in a number of topics outside our direct experience. We have read about issues affecting Muslim women on this blog many times. I do not know how many of us are Muslim women. In fact, I have no idea what the general racial/ethnic/gender composition of Feministe’s readership is, and I don’t care, because I do not ever find myself wondering what sort of people would be interested in these topics.

The answer is that we all are, because we are human and we attempt to be empathetic; we understand that our own experiences are not comprehensive and realize that it is in fact necessary and desirable to cultivate an interest in other people.

Why do you continue to apologize for doing that which we do every single day, as though it were shameful? Why do you seem to be struggling through embarrassment at addressing us as feminists and presumably as a feminist yourself? You’re here. We’re reading. No one is apologizing.

Anyway, all that being said, thank you for sharing this article. I’m hopping on the “ninjabi” bandwagon for that is a most excellent word.

It could also be a Punjabi ninja. Since I am Punjabi, and want to be a ninja when I grow up, I shall refer to myself as Ninjabi from now on.

Some of us are very aware that Black people do not see enough of themselves in the mainstream media. But I bet you want to see more of yourselves, right? You would find it more interesting, I suppose? I would, if I were in your shoes. Hell, I’m Cajun and I gave up long ago on seeing anything in the MSM that didn’t portray me as a stereotype or a culinary style. Not that that in any way compares to what Black people go through, but there you go.

I’ve been similarly interested in Islam in the past several weeks, to the point of seriously asking myself whether I wanted to revert, and I don’t get it either, because I’ve been Neopagan since 1993 and had told myself I would never practice an Abrahamic faith again. I would like to think my wondering why I’m interested in the faith and the people stems from simple curiosity about my own motivations and not from privilege or ill will. Maybe that isn’t realistic given the pervasiveness of racism, I don’t know.

(Note to lurkers: Someone might point out there are white reverts and white born-Muslims in the West, but the majority are not, and most white non-Muslims think of Muslims as “brown people,” so to say that Islamophobia is based in racism is as accurate as saying that rape is based in sexism even though a comparatively few men are raped every year.)

I don’t know why I have such a great interest in news stories about Muslim women in this country (the UK), since I am neither Muslim nor a woman, and I do not live in an area with a high population of Muslims.

Imagine me, a Black woman, seeking something to occupy my time and finding, for the most part, diversions produced by White men. Sometimes, thats all that I find. And here, you believe it to be so curious that you find something written from a minority point-of-view and wonder how you can find it so interesting?

Cute.