The author of this post is a friend and analyst who holds a master’s degree in international relations with a focus on conflict resolution in the Middle East. She has interests in the intersection of American and Muslim cultures and that, as you will read, is territory she personally occupies. Navigating this space can be challenging but she is finding her way and, through her work, making important contributions that I can’t detail here. – John
Author’s Note
This piece is dedicated to Muslim women, specifically those in their adolescent years, faced with a multitude of obstacles and imposed familial and socio-religious restrictions in their journey to achieve their dreams. The inspiration for this post came to me after reading “Excellent Daughters” by Katherine Zoepf. The book highlighted the challenges faced by Muslim women in the Middle East. I wanted to supplement what I read with my personal struggle, my jihad, that I faced as a hybrid Muslim raised between two countries: the United States and Egypt.
