An open letter to question culture and Arab feminism

An open letter to question culture and Arab feminism

I feel deeply for people who grow up under constant oppression from their parents, people who are forced to conform and are never truly accepted for who they are or for the light they bring. Instead of being celebrated for their achievements and individuality, they are scrutinized, shamed, and diminished. When that happens, it does not just hurt, it erodes you. Being repeatedly humiliated for expressing yourself is damaging, and it is heartbreaking that this experience is so common, particularly within Middle Eastern culture.

Religion is often used as a weapon, twisted into a tool for fear and control rather than love or understanding. I do not understand what is so threatening about a woman who expresses herself, who uses art, her voice, and her presence to exist fully and honestly. Why is self expression seen as dangerous? Why is art, something that is so deeply tied to identity, treated as something to be suppressed?

The moment you deviate from what they can control or understand, you are met with hostility. The misogyny is real. You become hated not because you have done something wrong, but because you have dared to step outside of imposed limits. It is a painful reality, and it makes me want to continue writing about this and creating work that confronts it, because we desperately need to evolve as human beings.

We need a collective wake up call about what culture really is and what truly brings people together. So many are still trapped in the mindset of conform, do not question, stay silent, obey. It is devastating that we are often denied the freedom to liberate ourselves. Living in a world where you constantly have to fight just to exist as yourself leaves you perpetually on edge, exhausted, and unseen.

I believe women, especially Arab women, need to come together and openly discuss the generational trauma we carry. Whether through art, writing, a podcast, or a support group, these conversations need space. The sense of unsafety I felt in my own home simply for expressing myself is something no one should have to endure. I refuse to conform. I am willing to sacrifice comfort, approval, even relationships, to have my own voice.

Ironically, I would not be here if it were not for God. The spiritual essence has been stripped and distorted into something unrecognizable, rooted in control rather than faith. Generations have spoken about this dilemma. Conform quietly and suppress yourself, or resist and face backlash, rejection, and isolation. Either way, it feels like you cannot win.

When forced to choose, I choose myself, my self expression, my future, my truth, regardless of support. But that choice comes at a cost. It is why so many of us experience identity crises, why we feel alienated from our own culture, even within our own homes.

This needs to be talked about openly, thoroughly, and without fear. The arts can hold this conversation. Every generation faces the struggle between stagnation and growth, but evolution is necessary. People fear being confronted with a mirror. They fear facing their own limitations and fears. It is tragic that appearances and control are prioritized over humanity and connection.

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That is the reality we are living in, and it deserves to be challenged.

I believe there is a serious gap in education. There is a lack of space for nuance, complexity, and lived experience. We exist in a world where racism is real and deeply rooted, shaped by generations of harm. Muslim identity in particular has been subjected to intense scrutiny, fear, and political threat over the last decades. These realities are complex, and I am only beginning to name them, but they cannot be ignored.

I want to be clear that this is not a critique of religion. It is a critique of oppression and control. It is about how belief systems, cultural identities, and political structures are often used to suppress individuality and silence people, especially women. Too often, people are expected to conform to a single acceptable image or expression or risk being labeled as dangerous, immoral, or a threat.

We have reached a point where this is no longer about faith or spirituality. It is about power. It is about who gets to decide how a woman should look, speak, or exist. It is about forcing sameness in the name of preservation while erasing the humanity of those who do not fit the mold.

Education and the arts have a responsibility to confront this harm. They must acknowledge how damaging it is to ask people to suppress themselves in order to be accepted. When people are denied the freedom to express who they are, the damage is psychological, emotional, and generational.

I want to create an initiative rooted in conversation, awareness, and collective understanding. A space that recognizes how harmful it is when people are denied the right to be themselves. A space that affirms that oppression exists across religions, cultures, races, and borders. Oppression does not belong to one identity. It is a shared human experience shaped by systems of control.

This always leads back to womanhood. It leads back to feminism. It leads back to the ways patriarchy dictates what women should do, how they should behave, and how they should be seen. Why is there only one acceptable representation of what a spiritual or religious woman should look like. Where did we lose the ability to honor difference.

I want to help build safety through honest dialogue. Through people speaking openly about their experiences without fear of punishment or erasure. I want to help pave the way for women and marginalized people who feel trapped between identity and self expression.

There is a need for deeper education, especially for younger generations. A need to teach empathy, mutual respect, and accountability. To teach people how to exist alongside difference rather than trying to control it.

It is deeply unsettling to live in a society that seems determined to tear people down regardless of who they are. But I believe understanding, conversation, and collective care can create something better. And I believe it starts here.