Scan barcode
A review by safiyareads
Hijab and Red Lipstick by Yousra Imran
4.0
Content warning: rape, sexual assault, domestic abuse, self-harm
Sara is wearing her Hijab and Red Lipstick as she recounts her experiences to a journalist for a documentary. Her story begins when her Baba decides to move the family from London to the Gulf. We go through her tumultuous teen years and early twenties, her rebellious phase and the traumatic events which all contributed to her journey.
Writing is exposing and takes a certain vulnerability. I really admire Yousra’s bravery and direct manner with which she addresses some very difficult topics which no doubt would be met with resistance in some circles.
The overbearing and controlling Muslim father is a stereotype that is overused in (Western certainly) literature and media. Of course, the stark difference here is that this story was written by a British Arab Muslim woman inspired by her own years living in the Gulf.
Sadly, sometimes the stereotype is true and it matters who the story is being told by. This story is valid and important, no matter how uncomfortable the depiction is. Yousra made an important distinction between toxic aspects of Arab culture propagated as religion and Islam itself. This was cemented with the ending of the story as Sara reflects briefly on her personal journey to reconnecting with Islam.
I won’t lie, Sara had me pleading with her ‘no please don’t do it!’ quite a few times. But no matter how much I despaired of her decisions (because I feared for her safety), every time she got burned she still came out of it with hope and strength and I really admired that about her character. I found her naïveté endearing because it showed her innocence and her good intentions. Naïveté is a characteristic that gets people hurt, it either gets worn out of people or it remains there, keeping them vulnerable.
My heart ached for Sara through each ordeal she went through and the last interaction shown between her and Baba made me very emotional.
This story shone a glaring light on the way misogyny can be all the more dangerous in a state in which the laws support it. Sara, her mum and sister were all beholden to Baba and he took full advantage. The laws there emboldened him, even encouraged him, evident in the way his controlling nature exacerbated in the Gulf. I thought this was a really important issue to demonstrate.
Sara’s story also made me reflect on the struggles of raising Muslim children in the west and the fact that living in an Islamic country by no means solves those difficulties. To me, this story demonstrated powerfully that the most important thing is the relationship between the parents and the children and the ambience of the household.
An important story, harrowing and heartbreaking at times but lined with a sparkling gleam of hope and strength.
Thank you to Hashtag Press for the e-copy to review.
Sara is wearing her Hijab and Red Lipstick as she recounts her experiences to a journalist for a documentary. Her story begins when her Baba decides to move the family from London to the Gulf. We go through her tumultuous teen years and early twenties, her rebellious phase and the traumatic events which all contributed to her journey.
Writing is exposing and takes a certain vulnerability. I really admire Yousra’s bravery and direct manner with which she addresses some very difficult topics which no doubt would be met with resistance in some circles.
The overbearing and controlling Muslim father is a stereotype that is overused in (Western certainly) literature and media. Of course, the stark difference here is that this story was written by a British Arab Muslim woman inspired by her own years living in the Gulf.
Sadly, sometimes the stereotype is true and it matters who the story is being told by. This story is valid and important, no matter how uncomfortable the depiction is. Yousra made an important distinction between toxic aspects of Arab culture propagated as religion and Islam itself. This was cemented with the ending of the story as Sara reflects briefly on her personal journey to reconnecting with Islam.
I won’t lie, Sara had me pleading with her ‘no please don’t do it!’ quite a few times. But no matter how much I despaired of her decisions (because I feared for her safety), every time she got burned she still came out of it with hope and strength and I really admired that about her character. I found her naïveté endearing because it showed her innocence and her good intentions. Naïveté is a characteristic that gets people hurt, it either gets worn out of people or it remains there, keeping them vulnerable.
My heart ached for Sara through each ordeal she went through and the last interaction shown between her and Baba made me very emotional.
This story shone a glaring light on the way misogyny can be all the more dangerous in a state in which the laws support it. Sara, her mum and sister were all beholden to Baba and he took full advantage. The laws there emboldened him, even encouraged him, evident in the way his controlling nature exacerbated in the Gulf. I thought this was a really important issue to demonstrate.
Sara’s story also made me reflect on the struggles of raising Muslim children in the west and the fact that living in an Islamic country by no means solves those difficulties. To me, this story demonstrated powerfully that the most important thing is the relationship between the parents and the children and the ambience of the household.
An important story, harrowing and heartbreaking at times but lined with a sparkling gleam of hope and strength.
Thank you to Hashtag Press for the e-copy to review.