sister-hood is an award-winning digital magazine spotlighting the diverse voices of women of Muslim heritage.
sister-hood is a digital magazine and a series of live events. We create platforms for women of Muslim heritage to speak for themselves, rather than being spoken for or spoken about. sister-hood challenges stereotypes and promotes the fearless, progressive, creative voices of women of Muslim heritage.
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Do something about it
Your fate is controlled – from the time of your birth onwards: by the place you were born, by the career path you take, and by a tiny little notebook that is meant to identify your place on this globe…
When nationality, religion, reputation, family name and political choices take over, we tend to forget that we are all humans made with the same formula: with just enough goodness in us to live cohesively in a peaceful environment, and to share values that may allow us to live happily ever after…
We are either too focused on where we want to be in ten years time, or too caught up in administrating our automated lives…
Application forms to fill out, bills to pay, rules and procedures to follow, alarm clocks to set, job hunting, flat hunting, travel visas, hiring and firing, bank statements, vehicle licenses, corporate licenses, certificates, degrees, memberships, political votes, campaigns, women’s rights, human rights, gender rights, animal rights. The list goes on…
When do we live? When are we meant to enjoy each others company, to truly feel each others needs and to explore happiness at its fullest potential?
Why can’t we help the world in the spirit of being in touch with our shared humanity and out of care for the wellness of each other, rather than doing so because we need to struggle against the current of a chaotic systematized civilization where every ideology is labeled, judged and sometimes butchered?
I’m not vouching for a hippie lifestyle (not that I don’t love hippies), or abandoning the civilized world and living in a tent, but merely wondering why life has become so complicated. Perhaps this also stems from personal frustration.
I’m a Saudi woman born in the UK. A few years ago I decided to obtain my UK nationality and reside in London. The sole obstacle, which has also been the topic of conversation with everyone I meet in London, is attempting to make amendments to an error on my Saudi passport (yes that little piece of notebook got the best of me in the end!).
This process has taken two years of struggle. I can tell you it’s not just because life is so systematized, but it’s because the system is just inadequate. If I’m going to be blunt here; it is also because I’m a woman (legally an illegal minor in Saudi). The time and effort to find representation, and in some cases persuading your representative to help sucks the very life out of you!
Venting aside, I’d like to believe that disclosing this information will inspire people to persevere, whilst actually remembering to live… I’m also hoping that some sane people involved in the system will have some compassion towards this insane status quo and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
For the sake of humanity.
Love & Live,
Ghalia
Ghalia Edrees
A Muslim woman of Saudi British nationality and a creative individual, based in the UK. Founder and senior designer of ALGHALIA INTERIORS; an interior design practice and a contemporary Islamic furniture brand. A promoter of progressive thinking and an advocate of freedom.