The Deadly Burqini, Or, What Exactly is an “Islamic Swimsuit”?
August 17, 2009
By Shabana Mir
Religion Dispatches

A young Muslim woman is denied entry to a public pool because of her body-covering swimsuit, a “burqini,” and authorities insist that it has nothing to do with Islam. 

Muslim Women Uncover Myths About the Hijab
August 12, 2009
By John Blake
CNN

She doesn't want your frosty public stares; the whispers behind her back; the lament that she's been degraded by her father.

New Nuns and Priests Seen Opting for Tradition
August 11, 2009
By Laurie Goodstein
New York Times

A new study of Roman Catholic nuns and priests in the United States shows that an aging, predominantly white generation is being succeeded by a smaller group of more racially and ethnically diverse recruits who are attracted to the religious orders that practice traditional prayer rituals and wear habits.

Women of Opus Dei Explain "True Feminism"
August 7, 2009
By Kate Childs Graham
Religion Dispatches

In response, most likely, to the (fictional) account of the lesser status of women in Catholicism's most notorious semi-secret society in The Da Vinci Code a group of women has come together to explain what feminism looks like, Opus Dei-style.

The Elders Name Religious Tradition and Practice as Sources of Harm to Women and Girls
August 7, 2009
By Marie Fortune
FaithTrust Institute Blog

The Elders are a group of world leaders first gathered by Nelson Mandela to offer their wisdom and influence to support peace and the alleviation of suffering around the world. They recently released a statement naming religion as a source of justification of discrimination against women and girls: “. . . we believe that the justification of discrimination against women and girls on grounds of religion or tradition, as if it were prescribed by a higher authority, is unacceptable.”

Female Leader of Mosque Takes on Stereotypes
August 7, 2009
By Jeff Swicord
Voices of America

Some in the West have long held negative stereotypes toward the Islamic faith, particularly when it comes to the role of women. But if one woman in Toledo, Ohio has her way, that is about to change. She was recently elected president of a local Islamic center. She oversees the operations of a community center, school, and mosque, including the activities of the Imam. Her goal is to show the non-Muslim world that women of Islam can do and achieve anything they want.

Orthodox Women Clergy?
August 5, 2009
By Michael J. Broyde
The Jewish Press

You may applaud the idea of ordaining women rabbis, or you may recoil in horror at the prospect, but the simple fact remains that women already serve the Orthodox world in clergy-like positions.

Is A Men-Only Rabbinate Ethical?
August 5, 2009
By Rabbi Brad Hirschfield
Jewish Week

With sentiments rising and battle lines being drawn in light of the recent decision to found a new Jewish institution for the purpose of training women as Orthodox clergy, I was struck by a piece in the New York Times Magazine that carries a question posed to Randy Cohen, who writes “The Ethicist” column. His answer strikes me as ethically questionable, but more importantly, it points out the pitfalls of how a topic like this is usually addressed. First, the question and relevant portion of his answer:

The church may oppose the pill, but one Catholic bank in Germany was profiting off it
August 5, 2009
By Miriam
Feministing.com

Talk about hypocrisy. A Catholic bank in Germany was revealed by newspaper reporting to have invested money in the stock of American birth control maker Wyeth, despite the Roman Catholic Church's condemnation of birth control. To read more, click here.
 

The Difficulty of Being a Modern Muslim Woman
August 3, 2009
By Asma Uddin
Tikkun Daily Blog

Growing up Muslim and female in America was, and remains, a tumultuous process. While Islam generally is under tremendous scrutiny, there is probably no issue in greater contention than that of gender relations in Islam. With the media constantly spewing out images of oppressed Muslim women and angry Muslim men, the world looks on with both fascination and disgust. The Muslim gender dynamic – supposedly a singular, unchanging construct – has become a spectacle for everyone to gawk at, comment on, and ultimately use to ridicule the larger Muslim community.