Is there a problem with Islam?

[LeafBud7]

My answer to this has always been, no, even if there are problematic elements within Islam especially for women, you can say the same about any culture or ideology, or religion.
I have been reading and thinking more about this recently, and i'm going round in circles. My brother in law is Muslim, and I am going to ask him what he thinks when I next get the chance for a proper chat, also a female colleague who I think would be open to talking about this..
In the meantime, what do you think? Is it as I have always thought, above, or is there something potentially within the religion what makes it more problematic, or is it not the religion itself, but more how things evolve in some communities? Is it all just a imaginary "problem" used by racists to whip up a storm?
One thing is for sure, it seems one is not really allowed to ask these questions in some circles, without being accused of being racist, which I find really unhelpful.

"Interbreeding?" What a weird and unpleasant comment.

Algeria only had 3% polygamy. Most other North African countries are much higher. It's just crumbs. Muslims should have same human rights as everyone else shouldn't they?

I thought I'd give a few different examples of Muslim women who don't fit the submissive stereotype. The Iranian-Americsn film director Desiree Akhavan's parents were initially v upset when she told them she was bisexual. Someone un their circle compared it to having cancer. But her parents within a year came round to a Liberal view. You can read the transcript as that's quicker than watching the video. https://www.ted.com/talks/desiree_akhavan_why_you_should_disappoint_your_parents?subtitle=en

I don't believe Muslim women are particularly passive and I apologise if I gave that impression. I have seen the women in Iran for example stand up and fight, risking their lives for freedom. The Afghanistan women who recently attended the conference in Albania have shown real strength and the women in Afghanistan who are currently working to support other women and girls are showing so much courage.

Than you for the link, will take a look.

This is a really good article about Muslim women writing decidedly non-submussive novels, & facing community prejudice, but also racist stereotyping as perpetual victims.
https://inews.co.uk/culture/books/things-will-never-be-the-same-again-the-muslim-women-who-are-transforming-crime-fiction-1764777?srsltid=AfmBOoql5S3ZcW69iV_UVQ9BUZ3Uxyxg9CRE47s0bWiPNPhJuExr4fXa

username, sorry this wasn't aimed at you in particular. I should have worded it better, I meant the focus to be more on her parents initially reacting very badly, but then changing their minds totally.

I appreciate the info.

https://www.autostraddle.com/maryam-keshavarz-interview/

This is am interesting interview w Maryam Keshavarz, another bisexual Iranian-American filmmaker. She mentions her brothers supporting her coming out, wlw Iranian refugee circles in 80s-90s USA, and the independence inherent in the Iranian female psyche.
Autostraddle have list their way w trans and kink issues, as people on here know, but it's throwing the baby w the bathwater to ignore all their content.

Wow, lucky Algerian women! Seriously, do you genuinely consider this a good example of how muslim communities are becoming less oppressive for women?!

Is the right to object when their husband decides to marry another woman really enough for them? Do you not think they might prefer to have the right to live, work, socialise, earn, dress etc as they see fit? The right to tell their disgusting pig of a husband to fuck right off when he merrily announces that he wants to move another woman into their house, that he wants to have sex with her in the next room while she lies in bed trying not to hear, that he wants her to share the family resources with the new (likely much younger) woman - and her children's resources with this new wife's future children? Women in non-islamic western societies are also free to complain if their husband tells them he wants a new wife; the difference is they can then divorce the bastard (and keep the children - and the house).

I feel like reaching out to Muslim MNetters would be a better way to discuss this. Many of them are feminist & religious. While you may disagree w their religion, starting a thread saying their religion has a problem is not really the way to start an inter-community dialogue and make them feel you're on their side. I know you are, but thatcmessage hasn't really been conveyed very persuasively to them.

It's like the examples earlier of marital rape being illegal now in Malaysia and Lebanon under certain circumstances. Technically better than it was but still unbelievably shit.

Nah doesn't seem like it.

I don't believe Muslim women are particularly passive and I apologise if I gave that impression. I have seen the women in Iran for example stand up and fight, risking their lives for freedom. The Afghanistan women who recently attended the conference in Albania have shown real strength and the women in Afghanistan who are currently working to support other women and girls are showing so much courage.

This.

Disagreeing with aspects of religious culture of any kind should be accepted.

I agree with this.

I agree on TAAT though. It doesn't help to talk about other threads like that and usually mnhq ask people not to

Yes, it's not like anyone would ever start a thread where they, for example, post an instagram video of an extremist Jewish preacher and ask a faux-innocent question about whether the Torah really says that. I'm sure no one on this thread, especially not anyone accusing other posters of not posting in good faith, would ever do something like that.

I'm not sure telling people to head to the Muslim MNetters board is a particularly good idea. If one of them wants to answer questions they can do that here or they can start an AMA. Going there and asking questions without being invited to do so isn't really on.

I agree. If they don't want to post here, that's up to them, but people shouldn't be talking about people not on the thread on either thread.

I don't think it's right to think that Jews and Judaism have any kind of privilege in that respect. I have seen this claim and it's really very divisive. I've seen the most awful antisemitic posts on here in the last couple of days, fortunately deleted.

I said people here should read it and see they're not nurturing feminist intracommunity efforts by speaking so confrontational. People shouldn't be posting on Muslim MNetters on such a fraught topic.

Is it a TAAT?

It's not really useful imo to have that