Navigating Political Waters
When an imam stood to give the official Texas State invocation in March 2007, a senator walked out in protest. When two women wearing hijab attended a 2008 Michigan Obama campaign event, they were asked not to sit on the dais where they would be in view of the cameras. When four Republican Congressmen called a press conference in October 2009, they requested an investigation to determine whether Muslim interns in Congress were spies attempting to infiltrate congressional committees. Although campaign officials later apologized to the young women, these events are indicative of the political waters in which we find ourselves. What then, we wondered, are the unique opportunities and unique challenges facing Muslims, and Muslim women specifically, who are not only ready to better serve their communities, but who are also motivated to run for public office?
The first and one of the biggest obstacles women face, Muslim or not, is making the decision to serve. “Women do not simply wake up one morning and decide to run for office; they need to be asked to run,” declares Giovanna Negretti, the director of Oiste?, an organization that trains disenfranchised and underrepresented groups to run for office in the United States. According to Ms. Negretti, women often need validation throughout this process.
Another hurdle for women stepping into politics is their appearance and how they are perceived. While this factor particularly affects women who cover their heads, Oiste? finds that in general female candidates have to prove themselves, showing their intelligence more than males. Often they are judged by their tone of voice or labeled as hysterical, emotional or aggressive when they speak authoritatively. Interestingly though, Oiste? finds the biggest obstacle holding back female candidates is that of their own communities. Ms. Negretti says it is essential that women get the support of their own people, and that “we need to see leadership in a different way and exercise it and prove that our unique style is effective.”
Proving our effectiveness starts with ourselves. A 2004 Brown University study on women candidates found two main reasons why women are reluctant to run for office; we are significantly less likely than men to view ourselves as qualified to run and we are less likely to receive encouragement to run from party leaders, elected officials and political activists.
However, once we do run and are elected, the data shows good changes occur. Harvard Magazine reported in a Fall 2009 article that there is “growing evidence suggesting that empowering women as political leaders alters policy, often in ways that empower other women.” It states that male voters, when presented with women leaders, will change their own perceptions about women’s roles in society and become more inclined to vote for a woman.
Indeed, the effectiveness of female stewardship is illustrated in the Qur’an in the story of the Queen of Sheba. She is the example of a fair and just ruler who wisely seeks advice and consensus. Numerous historical records of other admirable Muslim female rulers counter prevailing notions that leadership by women is a result of ‘Westernization’ and a modern phenomenon. Bolstered by these inspiring examples, Muslim American women of various ethnic backgrounds are seeking opportunities to serve, and Azizah had the honor of speaking with a few of them.
One woman who accepted the challenge and ran for State Representative is Jamillah Nasheed of Missouri, who ran a successful campaign and was elected by her constituents in 2006 and again in 2008. Representative Nasheed was motivated to run for several reasons: the disconnect between the constitution and the government in her state, a lack of leadership in addressing it and the impending health care crisis impacting the elderly, including her own grandmother. She decided it was incumbent upon her to advocate for all senior citizens and other disenfranchised groups.
Representative Nasheed asserts that to be a “voice for the voiceless” one must jumpstart a campaign and stay very visible, using the Four M’s: “Money, Message, Machine and Media.” In order to be successful, Candidate Nasheed took several deliberate steps. She sought counsel from a campaign manager, looked at past voter history, then created messages for each demographic she wished to reach. She wrote op-ed pieces detailing her positions on both local and national issues and supervised the committees for phone banks, direct mail and yard signs. Although opponents tried to undermine her, their efforts were ultimately thwarted. On Election Day she stood at the polling places, delivering water and assessing turnout. It was a lot of effort, she recalls, while looking ahead, “When I won, I told myself now the real work begins.”
Although serving is a heavy responsibility, Representative Nasheed encourages other Muslim women to get involved in the political process. She says there is a myth that women should stay in the background and that there is no room in the forefront for voicing social issues. Advising them not to fear being unacceptable to the mainstream, she says Muslim women will need character to step up and meet the challenges. Since she wears an African-American style head wrap, she encounters more than anything, only curiosity about her appearance. “We must be visible to propagate justice, peace, equality and other issues of humanity,” she said.
Representative Nasheed had the good fortune to follow one of her role models, another visible Muslim woman, Yaphett El-Amin. As Missouri’s first Muslimah legislator, (featured in Azizah Volume 2, Issue 4) former Representative Al-Amin blazed a trail.
Another trailblazer is Rashida Tlaib (pictured right). In 2008, she became the 12th District State Representative in her home state of Michigan, the first Arab woman and the first Muslim woman to win a seat. An attorney by training, Representative Tlaib was previously involved in community organizing and non-profit work; never did she plan to run for office, but while working on the policy team of then-Representative Steve Tobocman whose term limit was up, she appeared to him as the best candidate to replace him. He urged her to become his successor and pushed her to run for his seat.
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SPECIAL REPORT Navigating Political Waters
By stepping into the political arena, women strengthen our community with their trailblazing work and efforts. Some run as candidates in successful political campaigns, some volunteer with other politicians and others actively advocate for fairness. In whatever capacity they choose to serve, they face unique challenges and unprecedented opportunities.
by Christina Tobias-Nahi, Raheemah Abdulaleem & Tayyibah Taylor
FEATURES
New Muslim Cool
It's winning awards and opening film festivals across the world. This film is produced by three women.
by Hana Siddiqi & Kauthar Umar with Jennifer Taylor
Dear Body of Mine
Living with an eating disorder is disruptive, and overcoming it is difficult. For millions of people food becomes a foe.
by Sahar Alsahlani
The Marriage Planner
Couples looking to marry can spend most of their time and money on planning their wedding, or they can choose to spend it planning their marriage.
by Molly Alexander Darden
Coming to America
Three women who came to America seeking refuge and asylum share their stories and their successes. by Opal Muhammad
A Little Bit Country
Jennah Malik uses her confidence to run an international museum. She uses her love of horses to bring smiles to the faces of small children.
by Dujanah Descartes
Foods in the Qur’an
Foods mentioned in the Qur’an offer benefits that we should include in our daily diet.
by Maryam Funmilayo
Muslim Women who Inspire
The winning entries of the first essay contest sponsored by ASUDA-USA and Azizah are “Epitomizing Islam” and “The Power Behind Inspiration.”
by Rasha Alam and Omama Al Talib
LIFESTYLE
Destinations Singapore
The Lion City by Ruhie Jamshaid
Décor Home Design on a Dollar
Do-it-yourself projects customize your home and save money.
by Yvette Burke & Azizah Kahera
Menu Soup’s On!
A winter favorite.
Style Timeless Treasures
Jewelry designer Malak Atut puts a new twist on traditional calligraphy and geometrics to create wearable art.
by Nuzalita
Well-Being The Flu Fright
H1N1 flu is a new strain that is not behaving like other influenza viruses; many are choosing not to take the vaccine.
by Tayyibah Taylor
DEPARTMENTS
Deen Above and Beyond: More than the Five Pillars
A look at the forms of nafl worship and the benefits of extra worship. by Zaynab Ansari Abdul-Razacq
Shahadah The Girl Who Rode Her Bike to the Mosque
by Olivia Orovich
Book Club Reviews of Mother of the Believers: A Novel of the Birth of Islam by Kamran Pasha and Jasmine and Stars: Reading More than Lolita In Tehran by Fatemeh Keshavarz.
Real Gems
Muslim stationery, designer handbags, silky creams, a great water system and an encyclopedia about Islam and Muslims.
by Staff Writers
Global Voices
The Doctor is In.
Trinidadian physician, Nadia Mohammed sees her charitable medical work as part of her faith.
by Nadia Ali
Poetry Of Mothers and Daughters
by Marjorie Cowan
Reflections Towards Wholeness
The first in a series of three essays, we look at how Muslim women find their fitra and form their religious identities.
by Jacqueline Freeman Ennaffah
Point of View Put the Green in Your Deen
by Ma’isha Aziz
Ayah Surah Sajdah, Ayah 5 Illustrated by Kinda Hibrawi
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