[Image Description: Girl using a smartphone.] Via Unsplash.
As a Pakistani woman, I have always viewed social media as a safe haven of sorts where I can share my views and opinions without being sidelined. In a country where women are so often marginalized and subjected to misogynistic trends, social media offers us a form of refuge to express our very constrained freedom. And this is exactly why Pakistan’s latest bans on dating apps and Tik Tok left me appalled. To me, these bans and blocks signify a further limitation of rights for women and the prevalence of sexism and misogyny in the country.
Recently, Tinder, Grindr and other similar dating apps were blocked for disseminating immoral content. This was followed by a ban on Tik Tok as well. According to Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA), noticeswere issued to the five dating apps, and companies failed to respond within the stipulated time.
The decision was made to prevent the circulation of ‘immoral and obscene content’. Put simply, the ban on certain apps was imposed to appease the conservative factions of the country.
Pakistan has had a long history of internet/social media bans and blocks. In recent years, the government has banned YouTube, Twitter, and Facebookas well. Content is monitored and often removed if it is deemed immoral by the authorities.
The recent blocks have sparked a renewed conversation about the government’s attempts to control the flow of ideas on the internet. Restrictions on social media sites are normalizing censorship. Increased regulation is limiting free speech and paving the way for the conservative factions to benefit from it. The rapidity of ‘moral policing’ is such that it is only realistic to expect a handful of social media sites left to access in the country. The government’s motives are unclear but what it does tell us is that the ban is geared towards suppressing free expression and the endorsement of conservative values in the country.
The ban on Tik Tok felt personal because it is the one platform that gives everyone a chance to express their creativity and showcase their talents.
In the contemporary world, the internet and social media serve as one of the major avenues to express freedom of speech and expression. It is difficult to imagine progress without it. Blocks and restrictions can be a major setback for the upcoming generations, limited and monitored access to the internet will curb ideas and innovation. Amongst other things, it will sabotage the ability of technology in helping to eliminate the negative connotations attached to Pakistan.
The most recent ban on Tik Tok was yet another measure to suppress entertainment and creativity in the country. Tik Tok is one of the only platforms that made a vast majority of the Pakistani population feel welcomed (quite literally). People from various cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds are not only able to access the platform but also produce content that was viewed and appreciated widely.
There was no way to control the flow of information or trends on the app; perhaps this is why it was so threatening. Although, the ban was uplifted in the face of politics. But it felt personal because it is the one platform that gives everyone a chance to express their creativity and showcase their talents.
There have been numerous calls within the country by human rights campaigners to uplift the bans. As much as I want the ban to be unlifted, I cannot help but think we are headed towards a state with strict controls and censorship on the internet and print media. I find it rather daunting because social media seems like the one avenue where I can truly voice my opinions in a country where women are so often silenced.
Image of Naan and various curries via Chan Walrus on Pexels
Whether it be fromIndia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, or any other Desi country, the food is always diverse and filled with color and intricate flavors that create a unique experience. I’ve always grown up with Indian food, so perhaps I’m biased by my experience, but I’m here to argue my point to the ground – Desi foods are some of the greatest joys in life. From samosas to paneer butter masala, there is a huge variety of foods in the Desi region. You could spend your life attempting to try them all, so here are 11 of the most impactful Desi foods to get you started.
1.Chicken Karahi
Chicken Biryani with a side of Chicken Karahi
Chicken Karahi is a notable Pakistani dish deriving out of a line of several chicken dishes, including Chilli Chicken, Chicken 65, Butter Chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala, Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Lollipop, and more. The dish is cooked typically in a karahi, or heavy, usually cast-iron, pan. A rich red tomato sauce is used for the base of the dish, and the most authentic kind will have a fiery, full-bodied flavor. The dry curry is perfect with naan or roti and is a cherished favorite in the Desi region.
This dish is one of my personal favorite Desi foods as its flavor has depth and creates a sweet, but also spicy taste. If you’ve been to Pakistan or India, and haven’t tried Chicken Karahi, you’re missing out. The dish introduces you to a whole new texture and variety of making chicken, that we simply don’t have in the western world.
2.Gobi Manchurian
Image of a plate of homemade Gobi Manchurian via Srilekha Cherukuvada
This Indo-Chinese dish is cherished across the entire desi region for its bright red color and crunchy texture. When made right, Gobi Manchurian can be crispy and bursting with bold flavors and a slightly sour sensation. The dish can be made with several different options including, chicken, fish, and more popularly– cauliflower. The chosen base is typically coated in batter, fried, and mixed with some soy sauce and red sauce.
Gobi Manchurian has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. The first time I tried Gobi Manchurian was at a family friend’s party and I just fell in love. Since then, it’s become a family tradition to make it together; we always take some pretty photos because of its beautiful coloring.
3.Pani Puri
Several pani pooris lined up in a circle around a small cup of green sauce.
Pani Puri is one of the most beloved Desi snacks. The snack is also accessible in the US; most Indian grocery stores have a Pani Puri set, which includes the pooris, and the two sauces (tamarind and green) used in the dish. The base of the snack is the puri, which has a hole in the top to fit all of the ingredients inside. Often, the dish includes small diced potatoes, cilantro, onion, chickpeas, cilantro, and more. Pani Puri is very popular street food, and once filled with the light green sauce, must be eaten in one bite.
This snack has a special place in my heart as well. Eating Pani Puri on the side of the street or even at home was something special. Engulfing the puri as a whole is always my favorite part because as soon as you bite into all of the different ingredients, everything tangles together to create a complex flavorful adventure. Pani Puri taught me to live life on the edge with its new, unique flavors.
4.Sambar
Sambhar with a side of Idlys and green coconut chutney.
This is one of the most popular Indian dishes around. Sambar is a soup-like dish consisting of lentils, tamarind, mixed vegetables, spices, and herbs, as well as a special Sambar powder that is mixed in to give it a distinct taste. Sambar is perfect for any occasion, from parties, to dinners on a Saturday night. Not only is it healthy, but its delicious flavor and herbal aroma is a one-of-a-kind experience that is not to miss.
My experience with Sambar has always been my mother or my aunt making it at home. Whenever I visit India, my relatives always make Sambar at least once a week. It’s a staple dish and is typically eaten with rice, Idli, or Vada. Sambar is always made with love, whether it comes from my mother, aunt, or grandmother.
5.Haleem
Image of Haleem topped with a slice of lime.
Haleem is a very popular dish in the Muslim community in the Desi region. It is especially eaten during the months of Ramadan and Muharram. The dish consists of slow-cooked meat, wheat, and rice or barley. It is a pretty hard dish to cook, however, it is done so with passion and love. It is incredibly nutritious and has a full-bodied rich flavor.
Although I have never personally tried Haleem, as I don’t prefer to eat Mutton– the meat often used in Haleem– I can affirm that it will definitely change your life. Not only is it healthy, but it has rich flavors that you won’t find anywhere else.
6.Biryani
Image of Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani
Biryani is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. From Hyderabadi Dum Biryani, to Pakistani Chicken Biryani to Kacchi Biryani, you just can’t go wrong with this dish. There are so many unique combinations of flavors and ingredients. Although it takes quite a bit of effort to make, biryani bursts with flavor, with the juicy tender meat wrapping the dish together.
Anytime that I visit India, my aunt has to make Chicken Biryani at least once. It’s one of my most favorite rice dishes and the airy and fresh flavoring fills you right up. With the correct amount of balance of spice and cooling ingredients, it’s a perfectly balanced dish for those slightly less adventurous foodies.
7.Samosa
Image of five samosas with sides of green chutney and red sauce.
If you don’t know what a Samosa is, then pay attention. This is literally the best snack dish you will ever find in the Desi region. Period. The snack consists of a crispy, flaky outer layer made with all-purpose flour, stuffed with a potato-pea mixture on the inside. This fan-favorite creates a spicy, tangy flavor, with the crispy outside texture adding the overall aroma and taste of the dish. Samosa is a beloved dish not only in India, but it’s well-known around the world.
To me, Samosa is a family favorite. If we’re going to have a party, we know we can depend on Samosa because everyone just loves them. The dish represents reliability to me and I can’t imagine a world without it.
8.Naan
Image of Garlic naan bread via Pexels
Naan is another very popular Desi dish eaten all around the region. In the US, Naan can be found at pretty much any Indian restaurant. It’s essential in Southern and Central Asia and can be eaten with a lot of different curries. Naan is an oven-baked flatbread, similar to chapati and poori, but distinct in its buttery delicious taste. It can be made with butter, garlic, or other herbs to create a unique flavor each time.
9.Paratha
Image of flaky paratha bread
This dish is especially popular in North India. Paratha is a layered, flaky flatbread made primarily out of flour, salt, ghee, and water. The bread is simple but still bursts with an immense passionate flavor. There are all sorts of Paratha, from stuffed to plain, in triangles, squares, and circles. The soft, full-bodied, fluffy texture and flavor are not to be missed. Out of all the Desi foods, Paratha definitely stands out as one of the best.
My mother used to make Paratha every Monday after school. The dish always reminds me of my childhood. Even its flavor reminds me of running home from the bus stop to sniff the aromatic scent of the flatbread. Paratha doesn’t only represent India and my childhood, but its flavor will open you up to a variety of Indian flavors that don’t center around spice.
10.Jalebi
Image of bright orange jalebi
Desi foods also include the best sweets and desserts around– and Jalebi is one of the most popular. Often, Jalebi can be found in a boisterous, bright orange color and a sweet, syrupy flavor with a crispy, juicy texture. The spiral-shaped dish is made out of fermented deep-fried batter, which is then soaked in sugar syrup.
I used to hate Jalebis, and I guess that’s why they’re so memorable to me. The flavoring was just too tangy and sweet. When I tried them again, years later, from a Middle Eastern shop in Michigan, I changed my mind – the flavor wasn’t too sweet or bland. It had the perfect combination of every flavor a dessert or snack should have.
11.Gulab Jamun
Image of spherical gulab jamun stacked on top of each other via Venkata Narasimha Cherukuvada
Gulab Jamun is an exceptionally popular dessert/sweet in India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Maldives, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and more. The dish is a milk-based solid, soaked in a sugary sweet syrup. When eating, Gulab Jamun oozes with the juicy syrup engulfed during the soaking process. The ball itself is typically light, airy, and fluffy. Overall, Gulab Jamun is one of the best Desi foods, so addictive, and I can’t imagine going through an Indian festival without it.
Like the aforementioned Gobi Manchurian, it has also become a tradition in my family to make Gulab Jamun together. We would roll the dough into tiny balls and help my mother fry and soak them in the sugar syrup. Gulab Jamun always represented trust in my family. The dish reminds me of all of the memories we’ve made together and how important that bond is.
Nadiah Mohajir is the founder and executive director of HEART Women & Girls, a group of diverse, empowered professionals who are committed to building safe, inclusive communities for Muslim girls. Nadiah has led HEART in providing health education programs to over 5000 Muslim women and girls in the Chicagoland area as well as cities across the country. Her organization helps break through many cultural barriers and raises awareness on issues including sexual and reproductive health, sexual violence, and media literacy. We sat down with Nadiah to discuss her work, health education, and inclusive communities.
The Tempest: HEART works to create a world in which “women and girls are valued for their character and personhood, rather than their body type, skin color, or what they choose to wear.” Can you give our community a few ways in how they can do this as well?
Nadia Mohajir: Absolutely. First, stop focusing on the external. It’s our collective responsibility to stop focusing on the external appearance of any woman – Muslim or not. When we continually focus on a woman’s appearance – what she wears or doesn’t wear, or how she looks – we are perpetuating a cycle of systemic patriarchy. We live in a world where, most of the time, what men wear or don’t wear or how they look is rarely analyzed, and almost always irrelevant to the conversation. When will that become a reality for women and girls? Only if we collectively work hard to push back on that type of dialogue.
Second, let them speak for themselves. We’re everywhere now – there isn’t a single profession or space that we haven’t explored and a lot of the times, excelled at. There is absolutely no excuse for all male panels or male allies speaking for women. The best thing a male ally can do is to hand over the mic to a woman.
Third, invest in them. We need more leadership building efforts investing in women and girls. We need more programming and professional development investing specifically in women and girls of color. We need more scholarships recruiting women and girls from underrepresented, hard to reach communities.
What would you say is the most challenging part about doing the work that you do?
The sexism and patriarchy. It’s exhausting fighting it from all angles. You say something to take control of the narrative and many in the community comment on how you did it wrong, or could have done it better. You challenge patriarchy or racism within the community and people will line up to discredit what you’re saying. You speak up against an abusive or violent situation, only to face additional bullying, intimidation and gaslighting from those watching from the sidelines.
And men aren’t the only ones that perpetuate this cycle of sexism and patriarchy – often times, it’s the women in the community that perpetuate the sexism.
Moreover, outside of the Muslim community, the right wingers and Islamophobes also try to co-opt the narrative to reassert their beliefs on how terrible Islam. With the rise in Islamophobia, receiving consistent funding and support for this work in the fields of reproductive justice and anti-sexual assault continues to be a challenge. Additionally, this “knowledge” about Muslims perpetuate stereotypes, which often translates to oppressive policies targeting Muslims and negative real life consequences.
How is it that women in the wealthiest country in the world still struggle with basic reproductive health issues?
[This is] a perfect example of what systemic patriarchy looks like. Historically and currently, women’s reproductive freedoms have always been a politicized issue where much of the time, wealthy men in power are in charge of controlling access to certain information or services.
Moreover, it’s not just about increasing access to information and services – we need to reduce the systemic barriers and build systems that support women to safely, privately, and easily access the services and information they need.
What are some things we can do to create a safe space in our communities for women who want to open up about First off – protect their privacy. Build the kind of space and relationship where they will know that their privacy will be honored. Then, we have to believe them. Don’t silence them when they tell their story or question how true their story is. We also have to validate & affirm. Don’t dismiss their feelings. Give them permission to feel the emotions they are feeling – whether it’s anger, sadness, frustration.
Commit to inclusivity. Create spaces that acknowledge the diversity of Muslim women and girls and actively are committed to building a space that is inclusive and welcoming to people of all lived experiences.
Eliminate blame and shame. One of the main reasons women and girls do not seek help for sensitive issues is because they feel they will be shamed and blamed for their situation. It is crucial to eliminate blame and shame so that people feel more comfortable asking questions or seeking help.
What do you think is the impact of media literacy on women’s health outcomes?
The media has a tremendous influence on both men and women’s attitudes, and ultimately health outcomes. Media messaging, especially those targeted toward young people, often reinforce gender stereotypes, idealize unattainable standards, and pressure young people to meet unreasonable expectations.
The age at which girls are expected to dress sexually has become younger and younger, and if we don’t teach young people to think critically about media messaging and challenge it, we aren’t preparing them for when they need to make decisions regarding their sexual behaviors.
It’s crucial to teach young people to think critically about media messaging through advertising, TV, movies, and music. Is that ad really selling cologne? Or is it selling sexuality and beauty? What techniques are advertisers using to sell their product? What feelings of inadequacy are they trying to appeal to you? Teaching young people to critically think about and be more aware of media messaging protects them from falling prey to advertising techniques.
You can learn more about HEART Women & Girls here. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Nadiya Hussain stunned many people when she won “The Great British Bake Off” in 2015. The 30-something stay-at-home mother of three won over many people over the course of the show with her bakes, which were infused with spices she’d use in her cooking. In a tearful victory speech, she vowed that she was never going to tell herself she was incapable of doing something.
Since then, she’s shown no signs of slowing down, releasing her first cookbook, baking for the Queen’s birthday, and hosting a 2 part documentary when she visited her family in Bangladesh. Last year she also released her first children’s book. 2017 started no differently for Hussein, as she released her first YA book, “The Secret Lives of the Amir Sisters.”
Against the backdrop of many British politicians expressing their apprehension about their fellow citizens who come from immigrant backgrounds, and their ability to assimilate into British society, there was a push back with #traditionallysubmissive in 2016.
With the UK’s departure from the EU (Brexit), now more than ever it’s necessary for people with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds to assert themselves as being British. One of the avenues through which that’s possible is literature.
A main concern raised in criticizing Nadiya on her latest venture was the fact that there is only so much shelf space to go around for writers. This is absolutely true, and needs addressing. During my latest visit to a local bookstore, I had the choice of 5 books in the fiction section written by WoC with minority female protagonists. This is particularly alarming because the majority of the population are of African and East Indian descent.
The notion that in order to be an accepted writer, it needs to be living out a childhood dream is deeply flawed, and ignorant. How can minority persons, in their childhood especially, know that their stories matter if they’ve never read them? They never read a book with a name similar to theirs, the illustrations were of children who looked different, and lived in far off places they needed an atlas to find.
It wasn’t until I became an adult I started actively seeking out books written by authors of diverse background that I was able to find these stories. Things may be starting to improve a little but there are still shortfalls when it comes to Caribbean women representation in particular.
Added to this is the idea that books written by minority writers should be a fable; that their stories should feature a talking tiger, arranged marriage, and colorful vibrant clothing set in enchanting palaces, maybe in Agrabah. To think that these stories must tell of something polar opposite from your life or not at all is absurd, and plays into the othering and exoticism of minority groups.
I honestly don’t know why Nadiya’s latest release has been met with this criticism, but it does demonstrate that the literary world is an exclusive one; you need to be x, y, and z in order to call yourself a writer or for your story to be worth telling. But isn’t that what books are about? To enter someone else’s world, while escaping your own? To find solace that you’re not the only one going through a particular struggle? That your life and story has meaning?
The boundaries which cut people off in society shouldn’t exist in the literary world, rather it should be limitless. Trying to build these walls goes against what books were meant to do- bring you into another world, be it familiar or vastly different.
The time has come for people to stop saying which stories are or aren’t worth telling. The next time I have my cup of chai, I can curl up with a book that’s my own. It’s about damn time too.
Since it looks like the Harriet Tubman $20 bills won’t be released anytime soon, let’s take a moment to appreciate that – for the first time in American history – Lady Liberty will be depicted as an African American woman on the $100 coin.
The U.S. Mint and Treasury wanted to celebrate its 225th anniversary with something special – and let me just say, my first reaction was the same as my reaction to any form of diverse representation:
Representation should not feel like a privilege in America. It is a right that all Americans have just by being here: those of us who are members of marginalized communities know that, in order for people to see us as a part of our country, they need to see us in the first place.
And if people are not looking at or noticing us, they need to be shown.
Representation flipping matters.
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All throughout school, we learn primarily about these white male leaders of our country. And in general, American history is taught as though it’s simply chock-full with straight white men.
Which is ridiculous, hands down.
Let’s just take every president before President Obama, for example. What effect does this have on every child who is female, black, or a person of color? How can we honestly and with what integrity can we tell these kids that they can grow up to be the president one day, when even we have never seen that happen?
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Sure, kids can make miracles happen the way flowers can push upward and grow through cracks in the pavement. But why should some of us be stuck under pavement in the first place?
It may seem like a small thing to some – a black woman’s profile on a coin – but it matters. It will continue to matter, until it becomes so prevalent that the representation no longer has to.
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A native New Yorker, I’ve always known Lady Liberty to be the gargantuan, green woman that towers over Manhattan from across the water. But there is no reason Lady Liberty should not be black, or any other color. Lady Liberty herself is an emblem of freedom; she has always been more than just a white woman.
America is born of immigrants who sought freedom from all over the world, and this is what the Statue of Liberty stands so tall for, torch and tablet in hand, meant to enlighten us all.
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As for this new $100 coin, editions of it in the future will go on to depict Lady Liberty as a woman of various backgrounds, including Native American (yay!). I’m so excited to see Lady Liberty as a black woman. It’s more than extremely appropriate and, if anything, about a bajillion years too late.
I want to end with a call of action of sorts. I hope to see more representations of women of color as big and as bold as the Statue of Liberty herself: unable to be ignored, looming over us, and replacing complacency with a desire for (pun intended) true change.
These past few weeks have been pretty overwhelming, especially for the black community. Besides justice and wanting to be seen as human, I really want non-black people to not only understand Black Lives Matter but also support it. When I see other ethnicities show their support for the BLM movement, I’m honestly thankful them wanting to send the message to their communities. The movement gets stronger when all people come together.
What about companies, though? Specifically – what about tech companies?
I was scrolling through Twitter when I found a Blavity article on what tech companies are saying about the BLM movement. I really liked the posts by Twitter, Google, and Instagram, and the article touched on the issue of diversity within these same tech companies. It got me wondering how these hotshot tech companies practiced what they preached.
Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg has gotten on my good side before for standing behind the BLM movement and taking the time to explain to his employees who didn’t get the memo. Yet, when I found out that Facebook takes down video evidence of police abusing their power due to “glitches,” it was pretty clear that the company wasn’t following their words with actions. The numbers also show that only 2% is of their workforce is black. About 4% is Hispanic, 38% is Asian, 52% are white, and 67% of the workforce is male. Diversity isn’t their strength either—or really for any company in Silicon Valley.
Black people use Twitter at higher levels than other internet users. Twitter tweeted #BlackLivesMatter, #AltonSterling, #PhilandoCastile, and even added a custom emoji. What doesn’t make sense is that you look at Twitter’s employment, only 2% is black. This isn’t just about Google, Facebook, and Twitter. This problem involves all tech companies who aren’t making a change (or least not trying hard enough). We’re 73% of internet users and I’m pretty sure it’s not like there aren’t black people graduating from the computer science field. Actually, USA 2014 comparison between black computer science graduates and those who get hired showed only about half of them get hired at the major tech companies.
These tech companies don’t like to hire black people, yet are happy to exploit the Black Lives Matter movement. You have a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. themed-playlist on Spotify, advertising Periscope, and even Uber used gun violence to their benefit. Speaking of Uber: the image of Deray McKesson of being arrested for no reason while protesting didn’t bother Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff. He instead focused on the Twitter Black Birds logo and mentioned how “Amazing to see tech as vehicle for social change.”
Benioff did post an apology after deleting the tweet, but doesn’t it make you laugh? I can’t help but wonder: Do these tech companies believe that we would be nowhere without them? Using social media, like Twitter, of course spread the BLM movement further and faster. Yet, the movement would still be here and survive if these tech companies weren’t around. The Civil Rights Movement didn’t have Facebook and they achieved many accomplishments. Harriet Tubman didn’t have Uber to take her back and forth to get over 300 slaves to freedom.
Tech companies feel comfortable with making profit off the movement because they believe we’d be nothing without them, that we wouldn’t grow. They shouldn’t see this as a chance to overflow their pockets, but an opening to seriously discuss what’s going on and seriously make an effort to back up their words.
Flashback to me at seven years old, rushing to my uncle’s TV after saying hi to him at the door. Cheetah Girls 2 was about to premiere and I didn’t want to miss a second of it. My eyes glued to the screen waiting to hear the first song. The beat starts for “The Party’s Just Begun” and I find myself dancing along with the girls. I loved the Cheetah Girls (and will still dance to their songs ten years later). As a seven year old, I didn’t realize one of the main reasons I was attracted to the Cheetah Girls was their diversity – something that still holds true today.
Sadly, the Cheetah Girls did not last very long. After their break-up, I didn’t have a girl group to obsess over up to the end of middle school. I did have favorite artists like Beyoncé, Adele, Jennifer Hudson, and Demi Lovato. I listened to One Direction, Justin Bieber, and Jonas Brothers, but didn’t latch onto them that much as I did the Cheetah Girls.
[bctt tweet=”As a seven year old, I didn’t realize one of the main reasons I was attracted to the Cheetah Girls was their diversity – something that still holds true today.” username=”wearethetempest”]
Then one magical day, I saw Fifth Harmony’s music video for “Miss Movin’ On” on Disney Channel. No, I did not fall in love with them at that moment. I shrugged them off as some Disney group that wouldn’t last long.
It wasn’t until I was bored on Youtube when “Miss Movin’ On” appeared in the suggestions. I sighed and thought “Oh, why not?” That one click changed everything. The X-Factor girl group kept me up at night, watching their auditions, covers, and interviews. My seven-year old self rose and wasn’t going anywhere – I had found the perfect diverse band to latch on to.
It has been around three years since I have become an addicted to Normani Kordei, Ally Brooke, Lauren Jauregui, Dinah Jane Hansen, and Camila Cabello. During those years, I’ve learned why Fifth Harmony is so important.
1. They’re an incredibly diverse girl group.
For those who are wondering, Dinah Jane Hansen is Polynesian-American (specifically Tongan), Ally Brooke is a Mexican-American, Normani Kordei is a Black-American, Camila Cabello is Cuban, and Lauren Jauregui is a Cuban-American (left to right).
If you haven’t noticed, there aren’t many groups out there like Fifth Harmony. We live in a world where we’re brainwashed to believe that Eurocentric features are the only beauty standard, and that people with those features are the most beautiful. So, when you see Fifth Harmony making history as a successful – and diverse – girl group, it makes you think. That representation registers into the minds of diverse kids, encouraging them to stand up for their own unique identities.
2. They’re incredibly successful, even after X-Factor ended.
I mean…you cannot deny it!
Sure, some artists and groups (heard of One Direction?) have been successful off of national talent shows like American Idol and X-Factor. Of course, most of them didn’t get first place on those shows. If you ask someone who American Idol’s first place winner was from season 10, they won’t be able to tell you – let alone the one from the first season. Many people, including me, thought that Fifth Harmony wasn’t going to last a year, maybe a year and half tops.
But here we are today, listening to the third place X-Factor winners’ sophomore album 7/27. No offense to the season two winner of X-Factor, but who were they again?
3. Girl Power. No other words for it.
Am I the only one who loves their entrances?
Besides being a group from X-Factor, they are a girl group. In other words, that’s an unfair double standard Fifth Harmony has to face. But don’t fear, they obviously haven’t let that hold them back! Through their music they express girl power for Harmonizers and anyone else willing to sing and dance along. Their songs cover topics like mixed feelings about relationships (Suga Mama and Who Are You), being a confident girl who doesn’t expect anything less than what she deserves (Bo$$), to enjoying the fun of their success (The Life). The Harmonizers embrace these positive songs and find comfort in them. When they see other fandoms enjoying Fifth Harmony’s music they love it (especially if it’s a celebrity).
[bctt tweet=”Fifth Harmony proves that women can be and are complex – and that it’s okay because we’re human. That right there, is promoting girl power. ” username=”wearethetempest”]
4. Their music is as diverse as they are.
Fifth Harmony from the Write On Me music video.
It’d be weird if I didn’t bring up what they actually do. Fifth Harmony has love songs, party songs, ballads, and female empowerment songs along with influences outside of today’s mainstream pop. To use their most recent album, 7/27, as an example, All In My Head (Flex)featuring Fetty Wap has reggae influence which makes you start to dance without knowing. R&B influenced Dope lets you know that the girls know how it feels to have a crush and not knowing how to perfectly phrase the right words to say to them. If you love 80’s pop, Not That Kinda Girlfeaturing Missy Elliott is what you want to check out.
From their ballads, like Write On Me, to their more upbeat songs, like That’s My Girl, Fifth Harmony proves that women can be and are complex – and that it’s okay because we’re human. That right there, is promoting girl power.
5. They’re not all talk – they believe in what they promote.
Jauregui speaking for the group on feminism on HuffPost Live.
Fun fact: their music and interviews definitely don’t contradict. They’re willing to openly talk about love, feminism, and other things girls go through, show that they are easy to relate to. Kordei talks about how it’s like being a dark-skinned black girl in a Teen Vogue interview: “I’m the one [who] stands out . . . . I find it to be beautiful now and I have security with myself, and I’m in this position to inspire young black girls and boys to do whatever they want despite their skin color.” They know how it feels to struggle with self-confidence, to try something new, and to want to accomplish dreams.
. To make matters worse, 2015 featured the premiers of several compelling works written, directed by, and starring actors of color. However, out of the 305 films reviewed by the Academy, only a smattering of the nominations went to non-white people (namely Alexander Gonzalez Inarritu) and not in any of the highly visible categories like directing, writing, and acting.
Where were the nods for “Straight Outta Compton”? Oh, that’s right, they went to the two white guys who wrote the screenplay. Where were the nods for “Beasts of No Nation”? Why not Idris Elba? What about Will Smith? “Creed,” both written and directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan, received a nomination – for Best Supporting Actor. For Sylvester Stallone. Face-palming pretty hard at this point.
It took us a few days of reeling to accept that had just happened. And when Jada Pinkett-Smith released her statementdelineating exactly why she would not be attending the Oscars this year and encouraging other black actors and artists to do so as well, I nearly exploded with “Yes!” #OscarsSoWhite accompanying the boycott was a successful clapback at the continued, egregious marginalization of people of color in the film and entertainment industry – but a snarky dig isn’t what’s really going to help. It brings attention to the issue, but it doesn’t undo the underrepresentation.
[bctt tweet=”It brings attention to the issue, but it doesn’t undo the underrepresentation.”]
But we didn’t stop there. No, of course not. We had to hear from actress Charlotte Rampling, claiming the boycott was “racist to white people” (omg, no. no. pls don’t. do NOT.).
To make matters worse, Rampling even offered this analysis: “One can never really know, but perhaps the black actors did not deserve to make the final list.” I can’t be here for that. And of course she followed-up with the requisite non-apology – you know, the one where their words were “misinterpreted.” I’m tired of that and everyone else is, too. I can’t be here for that either. And neither should anyone else. Ever. Again. Let’s not side wind around the issue anymore, and I’m not even going to say please.
Hollywood. Is. Racist.
Just like the rest of America.
I’m not going to sit here and pretend that amongst the many years and many awards ceremonies there has been appropriate representation of highly qualified actors and artists of color and this is just an ‘Oops!’ I’m not going to sit here and pretend that amongst the thousands of productions that are churned out by the entertainment industry – both in America and abroad – there isn’t #WhitenessSoOverwhelming. The actual fact of the matter, aside from the #RacismSoObvious, is that there aren’t enough people of color being cast in roles.
[bctt tweet=”I’m not going to pretend that in the entertainment industry there isn’t #WhitenessSoOverwhelming”]
Don’t come to me with, “But they were trying to give an accurate portrayal of [insert book title or historic event here].” In filmmaking there is artistic interpretation aaaaaallll the time. I’m not going to sit here and pretend that people of color are getting cast in enough roles – and to prove my point, Joseph Fiennes was announced the very same week as the actor who will be portraying Michael Jackson in an upcoming British made-for-TV movie. Yes, Michael ‘Thriller’ Jackson. Yes, that one. Arguably one of the most famous people in history and a black man is going to be played by a white actor.
Fuck. Off. With. That.
I’m not here for the weaksauce explanation that Jackson had a condition that caused him to lose pigmentation. Because if Hollywood can do this:
Yep. That happened.
And this:
^historically inaccurate
And this:
^actual human
[bctt tweet=”I’m not here for the weaksauce explanation that Jackson had a condition that caused him to lose pigmentation.”]
Then these noobs sure the fuck can find a black actor suited for the role of Jackson. Get outta here. Get right out. Besides the stupendous weirdness of choosing to cast a white man to play a famous black man, the casting choice distinctly flouts Jackson’s own personal wishes.
Per a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey,Jackson stated that he would not want a white actor to portray himin the event of a film being made about his life. And I’m frankly disturbed at Chris Rock hosting the Oscars. Why are black people good enough to entertain but not good enough for accolades? I’m not placated by the SAG awards – it’s good, but it’s not good enough.
I can’t be here for racist Hollywood – none of us should be.
When I heard about what Meryl Streep said at the Berlin Film Festival, to say that I was disappointed is a huge understatement.
When asked by reporters about the all-white festival panel she headed and whether she could understand the films from the Middle East and North Africa, Streep responded in the worst possible way.
“I’ve played a lot of different people from a lot of different cultures,” She said. “There is a core of humanity that travels right through every culture, and after all, we’re all from Africa originally. Berliners, we’re all Africans, really.”
We’re all Africans? Really?
Sorry, Meryl, but last I checked the only people who are Africans are, well…people from the continent of Africa.
[bctt tweet=”We’re all Africans? Really?”]
If I have to hear another white feminist say something so blatantly stupid, I’m going to bang both their heads and mine against a wall. I mean, come on. Does every white feminist have to totally throw off their groove with an ignorant statement whenever I start to think they are actually worth liking?
This was the first time Streep had been president of a festival jury. She was asked several times about diversity during the opening news conference. She said she was committed to inclusion and equality “of all genders, races, ethnicities, religions.”
Get ready for the latest creative movement to hit the Twitter-sphere: #MuslimSquad. Formed by formidable Twitter personalities and writers Kaye M. (@gildedspine), Farah (@far_ah_way), Heba (@godgivenly), JS Reklaw (@jsreklaw), Arnessa (@Rrrrnessa) and supported by Laila Alawa (@lulainlife), the movement seeks, in their own words, to “writ[e] ourselves into the narrative. Muslim creatives living that epic superhero life: boosting voices, telling truths, sharing stories and support.”
To kick off the movement, the group hosted a Twitter conversation about what it meant to be a Muslim creative, what the community needs from books, publishers and authors, and how to make a real difference. Hundreds participated, and the squad plans to come back with new initiatives.
Whenever you see a list of the greatest literary heroines, you can always expect pretty much the same characters to appear with little variance.
There are the requisite Jane Austen heroines, maybe a Charlotte Bronte character or two, and the modern YA trifecta of Katniss, Hermione, and Tris Prior. If we’re lucky, there are also one or two obligatory token heroines of color from what seems to be the only books any has ever read that prominently feature people of color. This usually means Janie Crawford from Their Eyes Were Watching God, or maybe Celie from The Color Purple to represent the Black women. To represent the entire Middle Eastern region, you might see Scheherezade of The Thousand and One Nights make an appearance. Hua Mulan might make it hold it down for all Asian women, and we just may get a mention of Ursula Iguaran from One Hundred Years of Solitude for the Latinas.
When the only East Asian heroine to hit popular radar likely only makes it because of a popular Disney movie based off of the real tale… you know it’s pretty bleak out there for heroic literary ladies of color. I admit that I’ve also committed some of these same literary list crimes, because it’s a lot easier to compile the quick list of characters everyone already knows and loves than it is to take a look at the giant, glaring blind spot Western literature lovers have for literature by and about characters of color.
Heroines of color may go under recognized by mainstream media and even school syllabi, but these characters are often crucially important to the young women of color who encounter them for the first time despite popular opinion obscuring them. For example, when I first encountered The Jaguar Princess by Clare Bell, my whole world exploded as I discovered a heroine who shared the same heritage as the people in my largely Latino community. Suddenly, I found that fantastical worlds and heroic tales didn’t just belong to white people. Soon, I was discovering other heroines of color whose particular worries and experiences reflected my own.
As important as it is for young women of color to see themselves reflected in literature, it’s also important for all people to see these cultures and peoples represented in literature as well. It fosters cross-cultural understanding and empathy. Besides, who wouldn’t want to learn more about the world and its many different ways of being?
So, what is it that’s keeping these important and impressive literary characters from popular recognition? Surely it’s a combination of many factors, including publishers’ fears, readers’ prejudices, narrow-sighted school boards, and maybe even bookstore layouts that often relegate literary fiction about people of color to sections labeled “Ethnic Literature” or “African American Studies.”
Regardless of the causes, it’s high time that anyone who dares to call themselves well-read makes an effort to read beyond the canon, an effort to actually seek out books rather than relying on what’s popular to represent entire regions and peoples (i.e. reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez doesn’t make you an authority on Latin American literature; reading Toni Morrison novels doesn’t mean you understand the Black experience).
Need a little help finding those books? Google! Peep the #WeNeedDiverseBookscampaign, or sign up for the newsletters for presses or bookstores like The New Press, New Directions, Two Lines Press, Marcus Bookstore, organizations that make it a point to focus on underrepresented literature or literature in translation.
We all have big, gaping, embarrassing holes in our reading knowledge. Time to own up to them and do something about it. We’re missing out if we don’t.
There are any number of excuses we give ourselves to get away with a homogenous reading habit. But most of them are pretty bad excuses, or just downright incorrect assumptions. Now, let’s get one of the worst of those excuses out of the way.
Of course, publishers’ fears and readers’ prejudicescertainly get in the wayof there being more books published that feature prominent characters of color. It’s easy to read a couple of books by Toni Morrison or gush about Gabriel Garcia Marquez then pat ourselves on the back and call ourselves well-rounded. But as intelligent, interested readers, we can’t let ourselves get away with rallying behind one or two authors of color as representatives of entire bodies of literature.
Writers have been writing about women of color and marginalized communities for ages, so we know it is not an issue of lack. Some of the oldest literature in the world came out of what we now call the Middle East. An Akkadian high priestess Enheduanna is often cited as the very first known author in history. And today worthy contemporary women writers of color are many and spread across many different genres, even if they’re not getting the attention they deserve.
I certainly don’t have the literary chops to offer up a comprehensive history of profound women of color characters in literature (and a frank discussion of exactlywhat it means to be “of color” is out of the scope of this article), but I can do a little better than the usual sprinkling of token characters that make the cut to inspire a little more diverse reading. So, here’s a small sampling of some of the badass literary heroines you might be missing out on.
Frado (Our Nig by Harriet E. Wilson)
Frado is born to a pretty raw deal in the world. Abandoned by her mother and left to a white family run by a cruel mistress Mrs. Bellmont, Frado endures physical and verbal abuse and a great deal of loss. But through faith and the affections of others of the Bellmonts, Frado finds the strength to do the unthinkable for an indentured Black woman in her situation and stands up to Mrs. Bellmont and dares to strike out on her own despite everything that stands against her.
Su Nan (Naked Earth by Eileen Chang)
Eileen Chang is something of a tragic figure and a hopeless romantic, and both come through thick in Naked Earth and in the novel’s heroine Su Nan, whose strength and vulnerability are equally poignant, making her one of the most realistic characters you’ll ever read. She’s a romantic and tragic heroine whose revolutionary idealism and life succombs to the the cruelties of Maoist China and the Korean War.
Angela Murray (Plum Bun by Jessie Redmon Fauset)
Plum Bun is a romantic tale that would fit nicely alongside the likes of Jane Austen’s heroic romances. Angela Murray is a flawed heroine who grows as she navigates the racial situation of the 1920s in the U.S. at first by passing for white. But she soon learns to love herself and let herself be loved.
Josefita (Tita) de la Garza (Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquivel)
Arranged marriages, frustrated love, self-sacrifice, evil mothers, and magical defiance… it’s the perfect setting for a Western heroine, but still, even despite the popularity of the novel, Tita de la Garza is pretty underrated when it comes to popular acknowledgement of literary heroines. She stands strong against the cruelties and discriminations she faces and dares to defy traditions of family, social expectations, and even the hardening effects of loss and heartache in order to secure her own happiness.
Sierra Santiago (Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older)
These days the heroines who seem to be commanding the spotlight tend to come from the YA genre, young women fighting in magical or post-apocalyptic worlds against impossible odds. Shadowshaper’s Sierra Santiago would fit right in with this group. Inheriting the ancestral gift of shadowshaping, Sierra is suddenly thrust into a world of magic and danger, but (because Older is a genius) she is also still navigating the very real issues of a very real Brooklyn, including race, gender, gentrification, and the complexities of being simply being young, Puerto Rican, and female in American society. Sierra, however, is that perfect YA combination of strong and kind that makes her truly heroic yet human.
Wang Xifeng (Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xuqin)
A complex, complicated heroine, Wang Xifeng isn’t always kind or even morally upstanding. She can be harsh and downright cruel when her autonomy and power are challenged, but she it is this same boldness and strength that make her fearless and badass. Honestly, she kind of resembles one of those likeable mob boss characters we all fall in love with. She may be one of a large cast of main characters but she’s one of the most interesting characters in this behemoth of a book.
The closing point here is that there are plenty of well-written diverse books out there. You simply have to look for them.
I’m starting from the top. In case you missed it, Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra won People’s Choice Award for favorite actress in a new TV series – for reasons which evade me. It might have something to do with her role as Alex Parrish, an FBI recruit who is suspected of being a terrorist who carried out a deadly attack. The entirety of the show is Alex trying to prove her innocence AND find the real culprit- if that’s not White Savior Complex, I don’t know what is.
Here’s the plot: If she didn’t do it, someone from her class did.
From the trailer, the cast oozed diversity: a South Indian Bollywood actress as lead, a hijabi, an African American woman as head of Quantico’s recruitment program. After the pilot, it all went downhill.
With a diverse cast leading the show and everyone being a suspect, it was only a few episodes in before the hijabi was the prime suspect.
How shocking.
With brief mentions of Alex having an Indian mother and white father, there is no other way of telling that she represents a minority unless you count the Om bracelet she wears, the fact that she tops her class, naturally, as Indian girls should, and most offensively, that her title as the suspect was ‘JihadiJane’ because, you know, all brown girls are suspect.
[bctt tweet=”After the pilot, it all went downhill.”]
Then there’s the overwhelming who’s-sleeping-with-who web of stories, because catching the perpetrator isn’t captivating enough. I expected as much, since the promotional poster featured Alex handcuffed, with an FBI flag loosely draped around her. I guess she was supposed to be sexy – and it definitely helped.
As for Alex’s story, she found out that her dead dad was also in the FBI, and wants to find out about more about him. She eventually does and is riddled with guilt because he was an FBI agent. Let’s not forget, she killed him years earlier because he abused her mom. This was a fact she needed constant reminding of, because as long as you’re a hero, you can treat your wife like crap. Right?
What really got to me, though, was the hijabi character. Moving past the ‘I am defying my family tradition by being here’ that all hijabis seem to have, is the lack of truth in the hijabi character, Nimah.
Nimah Amin
Nimah falls in love with Simon, a mysterious recruit with his own secret – he’s part of the Israeli Defense Force. She eventually invites him over, then removes her hijab in front of him to show him that she likes him. You know, because words aren’t what we use to express feelings. How rudimentary of you, writers, not only do Muslim women stay at home, we can’t speak for ourselves either.
Unveiling the package moment. What the actual eff?
I should also mention the Muslim-shaming ‘Oh you’re missing out’ sentiments and snickers expressed by Alex and another character Shelby towards Nimah as they talk about their flings – very mature for people training to protect the country. Thanks for pulling up that age-old stereotype about Muslim women and their relationships with men, amirite?
[bctt tweet=”Unveiling the package moment. What the actual eff? “]
If stereotyping one Muslim wasn’t bad enough, they did it to an entire Muslim community when Alex took to hiding in a mosque – because where else do fugitives hide? The FBI came looking for her there and her only means of escape was to put on a niqab.
Never in my life have I seen so many niqabis in one mosque.
Lastly, we come to Miranda, who runs the recruitment program. While I do give the costume department a good job for dressing her for her body type, that’s the only thing they’ve done well. Her backstory is her fatherless son, who’s in juvenile detention because he wanted to shoot up a school. Original. For some reason not explained, she fears and distrusts him.
[bctt tweet=”Never in my life have I seen so many niqabis in one mosque.”]
I must admit, in later episodes the show did become more captivating, as less time was spent on the characters and, as you quickly realize, everybody’s hiding something. It was ambitious to have a diverse cast as integral part of the show, but what is needed are writers who are diverse and can bring more faceted perspectives to the stories being featured. Now that’s a show I know I’d tune into.
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