I knew there wouldn’t be a return on investment on the project I was embarking on. I was aware that the Fashionable Muslim Women of Eid al-Fitr was one drop in the ocean of misunderstanding and misconceptions about the stories written on Muslim women in the Western media. Yet, I couldn’t help it. I had to do something. My urge to act reminded me of the promise I made to my Maman in September 1988.
From September 1988 to June 1998
To refresh your memory, I had a back-and-forth conversation with my Maman about an article I was reading in the Etelaat Newspaper. The article was about the right of Iranian women to divorce their husbands. Please read click here to read the story. There, I promised my Maman I would change the law. And, that’s what I did!
It took me about seven years to pave my way to reporting on Iran’s Parliament. I was working on a series of articles explaining how divorce law and child custody law are unfair and abusive against women in Iran.
I worked tirelessly, along with a group of dedicated women in Parliament and the Press, to draft laws that opened space for women’s freedom within Iran’s family law. The laws passed, and gave women the right to adjust alimony and dowry according to Iran’s current inflation. Women were able to uphold the custody of their children, something that was impossible before. And the property law was significantly adjusted in favor of women.
We, Muslims, are happy people. We want to make a good living for ourselves and our families. We have dreams. I wanted to show my friends that we are not different.
Due to my journalism, and being active in women’s issues in Iran, I became a suspect of the Islamic regime which eventually drove me to exile.
Back then, I knew there wouldn’t be a return on investment for the assignment I signed myself up for — and yet, was determined to finish.
August 2014
Now, I wanted to show the happiness and lightheartedness of Muslims. I wanted to show that we, Muslims, are individuals. We are happy people with thoughts and personalities; people who want to make a good living for themselves and their families; and people who have dreams and want to make their dreams come true. I wanted to show my friends that we are not different.
But why? Why did I sign myself up for an assignment that seemed impossible, AGAIN?
Atrocities against Muslims in the U.S. media coverage
I have been working in the U.S. media for quite some time … enough time to understand that the American media has an unfavorable view of Muslims in the United States and around the world. We do not need to go far to compare the animosity. Just look at how the U.S. media has been covering the war in Ukraine and the genocide in Palestine.
A recent analysis conducted by Al Jazeera Journalism Review under “Coverage of Gaza War in the New York Times, and Other Major Newspapers” explains that the following inequities were found in how U.S. media covered this war::
- Disproportionate coverage of death
- Shift in language and humanization of victims
- Neglect of child and Palestinian journalist victims
- Contrast in coverage of hate in the U.S.
I can assure you that more studies are coming out. However, my point here is that we are not fair toward our Muslim friends.
Khaled Beydoun marvelously explains in The New Crusades, Islamophobia and the Global War on Muslims, “how the American War on Terror has facilitated and intensified the network of anti-Muslim campaigns across the globe.” The coverage of the Gaza war within U.S. media networks proves Beydoun’s point. However …
Peace journalism is the solution for me and Goltune
I do not deny that the U.S. media has sworn to vilify Muslims. But, how about us? Should we, Muslims, succumb to the media’s portrayal of Muslims? Or, should we offer a solution?
My solution:
- Muslim women are beyond marvelous.
- We are mothers, daughters, wives, fighters, doctors, lawyers, and much more.
- We are everywhere. There isn’t a chance to ignore us.
- Goltune shows all of those by approaching topics with peace journalism.
Peace journalism, vs. war journalism, creates opportunities for society at large to consider and value non-violent responses to conflict (footnote: Lynch and McGoldrick, 2005:6). Johan Galtung, scholar and pioneer of peace journalism, explains that the Western media “predominantly exhibits biases toward violence and rests on the conceptual belief that ‘conflict’ equals war’. Peace journalism considers this view problematic because it prevents conflict from being considered as an opportunity for the search of a new harmony between the parties involved.” (Galtung 1969).
Back in September 1988, I heard my Maman and her plea. Maman was talking about the injustices that were imposed on her without her participation.
I took it upon myself to work on improving the situation for Maman and other women in Iran. And, here in the U.S., I have taken it upon myself to fight the injustice, against my people, with peace journalism. I know the fight is long and tough, so am I.
PS: when I was researching a response to address violence against Muslims in the news, I came across Galtung. I was so infatuated with his idea of peace journalism that I called my website Goltune!!
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Goltune Editorial Team