Thursday, January 13, 2011

I just don't see myself...

Is it just me or do others also feel that they just don't see themselves in mainstream magazines. I guess that's why I keep subscribing to Muslim magazines. But its not only that. I think magazines think that all literate people are at least middle class if not upper class. You can see that in their editorials which say things like remember when we were growing up and went to the cottage and water-skied behind our motorboats? Are you kidding me? I never did such a thing in my life. Never went to Disney World either. When it comes to talking about Muslim women its always in a 'oh let's go save the poor souls' way. All recipes are geared to Christians with a sprinkling of Jewish recipes for holiday times. Muslims obviously don't celebrate anything and don't need any recipes. When ethnic recipes are included they are always dumbed down ie satay is made with peanut butter. Most of the recipes are not anything I could ever see myself making. The clothes are of course all wrong too. The only health problem a woman can have is of course breast cancer and sometimes heart attacks. All the magazines are like this as though they are all owned by the same person or group. I realize the sponsors are looking for magazines that offer what the majority wants, so its no surprise, but it gets very tiring. There are so many people out there but they act like they don't exist. I just wanted to get this off my chest as Chatelaine has asked me to subscribe but no thank you, I 'll just keep reading it for free at the library and save my pennies for Azizah and Sisters and Al-Jumuah. I can see myself a little bit better there. Not perfectly as I'm so unique after all but closer than what's on the newsstand.

7 comments:

  1. Assalamu Alaikum,

    maybe that's why I don't read magazines.. nothing relevant

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  2. Wa Alaikum Salaam

    But I'm still going to pass on the free issue they sent me.

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  3. I gave up on "lamestream" mags long ago, for all the reasons you mentioned. I'm not a fan of magazines in general, I would rather get my teeth into a good book! :) But I subscribe to Azizah and Sisters to support their work, and find their articles more interesting and relevant. And I leave them lying around for my daughters to look at too... I didn;t know Jumuah is still around, I remember coming across it years ago. Could you post a website for subscription info?? JAK

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  4. Asalaamu Alaikum Huda

    lol @lamestream!

    I guess you didn't see my other comment telling you that I bought a prayer garment at your booth for my daughter but when I came home it had two hijabs instead of a hijab and a skirt. Can I exchange it?

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  5. http://www.aljumuah.com/subscription/new-subscription/canada

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  6. Maybe I'm going to have to eat my words because I just found this at the Ladies Home Journal website :

    http://www.lhj.com/volunteering/dress-codes-mixing-fashion-with-faith/

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  7. Assalaamu aleikum
    sorry, I missed the comment about the prayer suit. Do you still have my e-mail addy? Send me an e-mail and we can work something out in sha Allah.
    And JAK for the Jumuah link too.

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