“Islamic feminist.” Sounds like an oxymoron, right? But this week’s episode of the PRI radio show “America Abroad,” produced and written by (our amazing friend) Mia Lobel, will get you thinking. This fascinating hourlong podcast called “Understanding Islamic Feminism” covers feminist reinterpreters of the Koran in Egypt, Morocco’s most progressive family law in the East (which makes it easier for women to divorce, inherit property, and gain custody of their children), the burka ban in France, the first all-female mosque in the United States, and — our favorite — a profile of the creator of “Shugs & Fats,” a sketch comedy web series featuring two veiled women exploring the cultural traditions and trends of the West (think juice cleanses, speed dating, and — yes! — even vibrators). While it may seem, at times, like trying to jam a square peg into a round hole (especially if you’re an atheist), this particular public radio show will give you great hope for the future of Islam — that it can and will become a religion which globally recognizes the human rights of women, thanks to feminist activists like those featured here:
