Women and Power: Islam and Evolving Feminisms

In their ground-breaking collection of essays, the authors of Cut From the Same Cloth address a number of topics relevant to British hijab-wearing Muslim women including the erasure of Black Muslims, the struggle for safe spaces and issues surrounding identity and gendered Islamophobia. They look well beyond the tropes of women wearing headscarves and shed light on the issues that affect their lives today from modern pop culture to the complexities around women’s rights. Featuring editor Sabeena Akhtar and contributors Dr Myriam Francois and Hodan Yusuf. Chaired by journalist Remona Aly.

Hodan Yusuf
Hodan Yusuf is a poet, writer, multimedia freelance journalist and photographer. She is also a mediator and trainer in conflict resolution. Hodan has read her poetry at many events and venues including IHRC, York University, Muslim Institute and BareLit Festival, Numbi Arts and many spoken word nights. She is currently working on her debut collection of poetry and Hodan is an essayist in Cut From the Same Cloth, the upcoming anthology by Unbound Publishers.

Dr Myriam Francois
Dr Francois is a TV presenter, writer and academic with a focus on current affairs, Islam and France.Her documentaries have appeared on C4 and BBC1 among others. She currently presents and produces her own monthly Arts and Culture documentary series, Compass, on TRT world, a global news network on Sky 519. Myriam’s writing has been featured widely in the British press, including the Guardian, the New Statesman, the Telegraph, CNN online and Middle East Eye, among others. She is a frequent fixture on talk shows such as the BBC Big Questions, Sunday Morning Live and paper reviews.

Remona Aly
Remona is a journalist, commentator and broadcaster. She writes for The Guardian, is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 2’s Pause for Thought and a presenter on BBC Radio 4’s Something Understood. Remona is Director of Communications for Exploring Islam Foundation which specialises in PR campaigns and creative resources. She is the former Deputy Editor of emel, the British Muslim lifestyle magazine.

Access to this event is included in the MFest Festival Pass and the Sunday Pass.