Sahera Patel

Think of a Muslim woman, think of a headscarf, a face veil. Talk to a Muslim woman and you will hear independence, strength and a determination to achieve the rights which are God given. There are many facets to a Muslim woman, as there are to every human being, but as Muslim women, we have been marginalised, stereotyped and many of us, silenced. Listen to my talk, discussing how Islam made legal our rights 1400 years ago and explore with me the theory, which is rarely seen in practice. Gender equality remains a challenging concept, just as it has been for many centuries across all cultures and ideologies. My aim is to empower the listener with the knowledge to break down stereotypes and enable them to never look at a hijabi or a niqabi in the same way again!

An honest discussion about my personal experiences growing up as a British, Asian Muslim in the 80's and 90's: It is only recently that the concept of white privilege has been challenged, and using my writing as a tool, my presentation would enable the audience to question their own position in terms of race and preconceptions of different cultural identities. Attached is a poem I wrote over two years ago which clearly expresses my views and provides an example of the direction that my talk could take, if this is what is required.